(photo courtesy Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch's office)

Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs have unveiled their strategy to support and elevate rural communities throughout the state. The Strategic Plan for Rural Indiana focuses on priorities, including growing access to rural broadband service.

Crouch says the plan was put together after OCRA received input from community members in rural areas and the agency will put that information into action. Each of the priorities outline in the plan includes several key initiatives that will allow OCRA to accomplish its goals. The priorities include:

Provide opportunities and programs focused on people and place-based investments
Expand as a trusted resource for rural Indiana
Build capacity of rural leadership
Support economic growth and preservation in the downtown and commercial districts
Facilitate strategies to address rural broadband access

"The Strategic Plan for Rural Indiana outlines a collaborative, innovative agenda for OCRA to accomplish over the next three years," said Jodi Golden, executive director of OCRA. "This plan will help us focus our support for rural Indiana communities to help make them better places to live, work, play and grow."

You can view the full strategic plan in detail below: