State economic leaders are giving high marks to northern Indiana’s vision for the future.
Regional Cities of Northern Indiana — a coalition representing Elkhart, Marshall and St. Joseph counties — is one of seven groups vying for a share of the $84 million available through the Indiana Regional Cities Initiative. The state-funded initiative is designed to motivate communities to work together on projects that will improve quality of life for Indiana residents and grow the state’s population.
Last week, the committee reviewing the seven Regional Cities applications announced at a meeting in Indianapolis that it considers northern Indiana’s application to be one of the top three in the state. The other two standouts are from the Evansville and Fort Wayne areas.
The committee, formed by the Indiana Economic Development Corp., won’t make its final recommendation until Dec. 15.
Its statement that northern Indiana’s application is in the top three, however, means this region has a good shot at receiving some funding from the Regional Cities pot. The initiative was structured as a competition in which two regions would be chosen to split the $84 million and spend it in ways that catalyze economic development.
Local business leaders were glad to hear the committee’s positive feedback last week, but they’re not counting their chickens before they hatch.
“We think we have a bold and transformative plan, but we haven’t won the funding yet,” said Jeff Rea, president and CEO of the St. Joseph County Chamber of Commerce.
“We’re not sitting back, waiting for this,” Rea added. “We hope to get the Regional Cities funding. But, if we don’t get it, we still have a great plan to move forward.”
Northern Indiana’s application, which the group submitted to the state in September, lists 39 projects aimed at sparking innovation, revitalizing downtowns and improving the health of residents in this three-county area. If all the projects were implemented, the total development would be worth more than $700 million.
Regina Emberton, president of Michiana Partnership, a regional economic development organization, noted that Northern Indiana’s collection of projects has the highest return on investment of any of the seven regions that submitted applications.