Northeast Indiana Launches Project Intake Portal for State Funding Geared Towards Catalyzing Regional Growth

Streamlined SDC and READI 2.0 initiatives website open to all Northeast Indiana Counties

FORT WAYNE, Ind., Feb. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership (NEI), on behalf of the Northeast Indiana Strategic Development Commission (SDC) and the Northeast Indiana Regional Development Authority (RDA), launched a project intake portal to solicit innovative project and programming ideas designed to grow population, wages and credential attainment in the 11-county region of Northeast Indiana.

The Strategic Development Commission is acting as the steward for a $30 million appropriation from the State of Indiana while the RDA prepares its application for a share of the $500 million READI 2.0 initiative led by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. 

"In order to have as big a regional impact as possible, we want this to be an incredibly streamlined process that is open to everyone," said Ron Turpin, Chair of the Strategic Development Commission. "You don't have to be an expert in grant writing, or navigation government agencies. Submit your application and we do the rest," Turpin added.

Through the portal at: neindiana.com/sdc groups can submit project ideas for review as a first step to applying for funds.

Strategic Development Commission funding recommendations will be made on a rolling basis beginning in the Spring of 2024.

In 2021, Governor Eric J. Holcomb launched READI, allocating $500 million to 17 regions that represent all of Indiana's 92 counties. In 2022 alone, over 350 READI projects were proposed across the state of Indiana, with a focus on three key areas:Quality of Life, Quality of Place, and Quality of Opportunity.

The SDC is mandated by the Legislature to prepare a five-year strategic plan (with the initial plan spanning 2023–2028) that aligns regional and state resources to accomplish these objectives. It serves as the conduit for at least $30 million in state funding to be deployed in the region annually.

SOURCE Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership

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