PILLAR OBJECTIVE

Quality of Life

Invest in quality-of-life amenities that draw young professionals and families to the region, fostering population and economic growth.

Infrastructure

Continue working to expand broadband infrastructure across the region through efforts such as Broadband Ready Community Certification and Next Level Connections Broadband Program funding.

Infrastructure

Proactively upgrade and/or extend municipal utility services to key development and redevelopment sites in alignment with growth and quality of life goals.

Governance

Work with the IND15RPC to establish and develop an economic development team that focuses on attracting new businesses and industries to the region.

Quality of Life

Work with the State of Indiana’s Family and Social Services Administration to determine a better way to assess data for childcare funding needs in rural communities.

Infrastructure

Maintain and increase sewer and water capacity to support desired development and job attraction efforts.

Education

Communicate the benefits of working locally to engage teachers, students, parents, and the broader community to highlight the training opportunities in place, and the rewarding careers awaiting them.

Infrastructure

Develop a regional infrastructure revolving loan fund to help developers or communities in the region with the cost of infrastructure expansion and/or capacity issues to support new residential or job growth.

Housing

Establish a regional land bank to acquire blighted properties and structures, prepare them for sale, hold if necessary, and then sell them so that they may return to attractive and tax positive assets in the community.

Governance

Facilitate grant writing workshops that train individuals to find, write, and submit grants on behalf of the communities and non-profits in the region.

Pillar Objective

Quality of Life

Economic

Education

Economic

Quality of Life

Housing

Develop accessible public transportation options with a focus on workers who commut to-andfrom jobs.

Create talent pipelines to meet the growing needs of regional businesses, especially in key targeted industries and growing startups.

Develop a regional plan for quality childcare for the regional workforce.

Diversify the region’s economic base towards high-skilled jobs.

Promote downtown revitalization to enhance a sense of community and attract new residents and businesses to the area.

Attract land developers and production home builders to the region to help increase housing choices and values.

Housing

Create a residential tax increment financing (TIF) toolkit to help reduce the cost of home ownership and facilitate the use of housing TIF districts in area municipalities.

Housing

Create and provide initial funding for a revolving loan fund to help fill financing gaps associated with infrastructure development for new residential construction.

Education

Foster deeper relationships with local technical colleges and universities to expand non-degree programs (e.g. certifications and credentials) that meet the needs of current and future regional employers.

Governance

Utilizing the IND15RPC, develop an implementation committee that will oversee the implementation of the Recovery & Resiliency Plan and report to the board and the communities regarding the implementation of the strategies.