Editorial: Regional Projects Show Benefits of State Grant Money

credit: Fubiz

Indiana is adding $500 million to its coffers and the Lilly Endowment is throwing in $250 million for community and economic development programs designed by communities themselves, the Columbus Republic reports.

The state is investing the money in the Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative, or READI, program, which has already produced big results locally with more to come from the first round of grant funding.

Meanwhile, local officials have submitted proposals with more ambitious plans for this year's READI 2.0 program.

Among the biggest-dollar projects, leaders in our region are asking for a grant to help fund development of a potential vehicle innovation center at the former Walesboro airport.

Because so many people in our region are employed in transportation-related industry, it's hard to think of a project with more potential immediate and long-term economic impact.

In Columbus, you can see evidence of READI's first-round grant impact in NexusPark on the site of the former FairOaks Mall.

The new fieldhouse, community gathering space, and home of Columbus Regional Health professional offices got a major boost from a $6 million READI grant awarded in December 2021.

That project was part of $30 million in first-round READI grants to our region, which includes Bartholomew, Jackson, and Jennings counties, Read the Entire Article

A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.

How's Your Community Doing?
Check Out it's
Community Vital Signs

The Impact Investing Case for Telecom Companies

"We are so used to being almost permanently online that we don't really appreciate what we have and do not really know what to do when we're not," Joni Mitchell wrote in her 1970s song "Big Yellow...more

Wilkes Center Announces 7 Finalists for $500K Climate Launch Prize

The University of Utah's Wilkes Center for Climate Science and Policy has narrowed its list of finalists for its $500,000 Climate Launch Prize to seven. The goal of the prize, which is one of the...more

The Growth of Social Enterprises €” For-Profit Businesses That Tackle a Social Problem

"Having a purposeful job actually does transform someone's life," says Edwin Walsh, who runs a social enterprise in Australia called Assembled Threads. "You actually are moving someone from...more

Westlock Community Foundation Helping Students Pursue Educational Opportunities

A new scholarship fund in Canada will help high school students who want to further their education, the CBC reports. The Westlock Community Foundation in Alberta received a $26,800 donation from...more

Community Foundation Celebrates 100 Years of Local Impact by Looking Ahead ...
Foundation: Lancaster County Community Foundation

In 2024, Lancaster County, Pa., will celebrate the 100th anniversary of a group of "visionaries" who "came together to shape a better future for Lancaster County," says Sam Bressi, president and CEO...more

Canada and India Announce Funding for Innovations to Improve Child Health

Canada is putting its money where its mouth is, with a $2.5 million investment in five projects in India meant to help the country's poor, the Toronto Star reports. "Many of these novel projects...more

Pennsylvania'S Creative Sector Booms, Contributing Over $30 Billion to State Economy

"These figures underscore the vital role that creativity and culture play not only in enriching community life but also in driving economic development." So says the chair of Pennsylvania's...more

Golfers Support Swings Fore Strings to Raise Money for Student Music Program

If you're looking for a good time while raising money for a good cause, try golf. The Salvation Army in Virginia Beach held its annual " Swings Fore Strings" fundraiser on Saturday, hoping to...more

Grant Funding to Bolster Operations at 17 Southern Indiana Nonprofits
Foundation: Community Foundation of Southern Indiana

"When you see the kids interacting and them building communitythat's what it is," says Camp Quality Kentuckiana executive director Eddie Bobbitt. "It's bigger than fishing and pie fights." The...more

Nshsf Grant Applications Due April 30

The Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation is now accepting applications for its statewide grants program, which will award up to $75,000 to historical and educational organizations in the...more