Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs Colette

Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs Colette Childress Project Manager Agency under the Office of Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch

Vision Bedford, Indiana OCRA works with Indiana communities to build relevant and economically thriving places where people want to live, grow, work and play.

Mission Zionsville, Indiana OCRA works with local, state and national partners to provide resources and technical assistance to aid communities in shaping and achieving their vision for economic development.

Impact OCRA was created in 2005 when the Department of Commerce was split apart. We are one of five agencies who report to Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch. • In 2018, OCRA awarded 79 grants to Indiana communities to total more than $32 million with $77 million local dollars leveraged to aid these projects. • $96 million is invested in more than 75 Indiana communities focusing on economic development, capacity building, infrastructure improvements and quality of place initiatives.

Guiding Principles • Retain, attract • Incite and encourage and develop regional collaboration in talent in our rural planning processes. communities.

Strategic Framework opportunities and programs focused on our people and u Provide place-based investments. v Expand OCRA’s role as a Center of Excellence. w Build capacity of rural leadership. economic growth and preservation in the Downtown x. Support and commercial districts. y. Facilitate strategies to address rural broadband access.

Quick Impact Placebased Grant 9

State Programs Historic Renovation Grant Since 2016, more than $1. 59 M has funded 30 projects across the state. Indiana Site Certified 16 sites have a designation of Silver, Gold or Prime. 10

HRGP Guidelines Historic Owner Use Project • Must be at least 50 years old • Must be on the National register, eligible to be registered, OR a contributing asset in an historic district • Building cannot be owned by a nonprofit or government entity • Exception: Nonprofit owned housing project • Must be held for business purposes • Priority given to buildings holding an active business over those with proposed uses • Exterior work only • Include measures to sustain the form, integrity and material of a building or structure including stabilization and maintenance of historic building materials Funds 35% of eligible project, up to $100, 000, minimum grant of $10, 000

Community Development Block Grant Program Goal: To encourage communities with eligible populations to focus on long-term community development. To be competitive, projects must demonstrate the following: • Project addresses the long-term planning & development efforts of the community; • Grant funds will have a significant impact on the overall project; • Strong community commitment to the project & its sustainability; and • Readiness to proceed upon grant award; completed within 18 months after grant award. Source of funds: US Dept of Housing & Urban Development (HUD)

Community Development Block Grant Program Grant Amount (maximum) Minimum Match Planning Grants $50, 000 10% Blight Clearance $500, 000 10% Wastewater/ Drinking Water $700, 000 20% Stormwater Improvements Program $600, 000 10% Public Facilities Program $500, 000 10% Main Street Revitalization Program $600, 000 20% Program (% of total project)

Community Development Block Grant Program

Planning Grants • Environmental Assessment Studies will be limited to $15, 000. • Environmental Infrastructure Studies are limited as follows: – $35, 000 for a study on a single utility, – $45, 000 for a study on two utilities, and – $50, 000 for a master utility study (water, wastewater, and storm water). • Comprehensive plans are limited to $40, 000. • Downtown revitalization plans are limited as follows: – Populations over 2, 000 are limited to $40, 000, and – Populations under 2, 000 are limited to $30, 000 • Economic development plans are limited to $40, 000. • Public facilities plans (including libraries, community centers, parks, etc. ) will be limited to $20, 000. • Historic preservation plans will be limited to $20, 000. All projects require a minimum of a 10% local match.

Stellar Communities Program A first of its kind collaboration between these state agencies

Program Goals Through annual designation, the Stellar Communities Program provides resources for transformative quality of place, community and regional improvements by: • Fostering regional collaborative behaviors and investment. • Stemming the tide of non-metropolitan population loss through talent attraction and retention. • Building sustainability. • Building capacity with municipal governance. • Leveraging quality of places through comprehensive and transformative planning processes building on current assets.

Resources per Designated Region

Program Timeline • Submit LOIs by 4 PM (ET) April 5: Evaluations of LOIs by state team begin after submission deadline. • Announcement of finalist regions: April 18. • Community meetings facilitated by Ball State University ICI: – Round 1: April 22 − June 1 – Round 2: June 10 – June 21 • Technical Assistance meetings with Michael: July 8 – July 19 • Planning Grants awarded: beginning of June.

Program Timeline • Submit of Regional Development Plans: by 4 PM (ET) Friday, Sept. 20 • Community Presentations held in Indianapolis: Tuesday, November 12 through Thursday, November 14. • Designation announcement: Thursday, December 5 via phone call and press release. • Community Stellarbration: End of December.

Broadband • Director of Broadband Opportunities – Scott Rudd • Next Level Connections Grant Program – Phase 1 complete o $22. 1 M for 11 projects o funding provides broadband infrastructure to more than 4, 800 homes and commercial locations in 12 counties. • Broadband Readiness Planning Grant − $50, 000 grant amount. − Will be available to apply again soon – look for an announcement in October 21

PEER Program PEER is: • Learning from other communities’ experiences • Sharing best practices • Inviting ideas from an outside perspective • Continued mentorship

PEER Program • The lead applicant must be the local unit of government. • Participation should include a broad range of stakeholders. • Any size community can be a PEER participant or the host community.

PEER Program Areas of opportunities can include: • Riverfront/Water • College town • State park • Main Street • Tourism • Recreational

PEER Program Funding: • Stipends – Travel stipends for host community to visit the PEER community – Travel stipends for the PEER community to visit and attending meetings • Project Funds – $20, 000 – Key stakeholder recommend quality of place project for Host community – Cash match of 1: 1 Want to participate? • Complete online application • Be nominated by staff • Suggested by a community

PEER Program This year: • On Sept. 12, it was announced that the Town of Edinburgh, will be the mentored by a partnership between the City of Rushville and the City of Wabash.

Connecting Communities • Support regionalism • Strengthen existing partnerships • Supply quality of place funding • Transform community assets

Connecting Communities Lead applicant must be: Funding Local Units of Government Main Street Organizations Schools CVB Economic Development Organizations • Include a partnership from two or more regional partners • $100, 000 pool – Will fund placemaking projects • 1: 1 match • State funds • • •

Connecting Communities Competitive projects will: • Utilize the funds to strengthen their region • Have a clear understanding of regionalism and placemaking • Use the project as a step to a bigger project • Fully articulate and plan for activation • Incorporate prior planning • Improve quality of life • Include prior community engagement Coming in 2020

Tips and Tricks

Tips and Tricks

Tips and Tricks

Tips and Tricks

Tips and Tricks

Tips and Tricks Check the math

Tips and Tricks

Tips and Tricks

Community Liaisons Northwest Gerry White (317) 694 -8372 West Central Paul Smith (317) 450 -5078 Southwest Christmas Hudgens (317) 439 -8905 Northeast Andrea Kern (317) 607 -4821 East Central Earnie Holtrey (317) 416 -3281 Southeast Jennifer Voris (317) 690 -9736 Follow @Indiana. OCRA www. ocra. in. gov | One North Capitol, Suite 600, Indianapolis, IN 46204 | 1 -800 -824 -2476