IHCDA announces another round of funding with AARP Indiana to benefit Hoosiers 50-plus

 CreatINg Livable Communities , a partnership between AARP Indiana and the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA), will continue to benefit Hoosiers age 50 and over for another year. In an effort to further the missions of both AARP’s Livable Communities program and IHCDA’s CreatINg Places crowdgranting program, CreatINg Livable Communities is a partnership that assists Indiana communities in funding projects for aging in place. This year, AARP Indiana has committed an additional $25,000 to the CreatINg Livable Communities program to support placemaking projects that benefit older Hoosiers.

"CreatINg Livable Communities is not just about improving physical spaces – it’s about ensuring that Indiana remains a place where older adults can thrive," said Matt Rayburn, Chief Real Estate Development Officer at IHCDA. "This collaboration provides continued support for communities in providing accessible, age-friendly and welcoming spaces across the state to bring people of all ages together.”

Projects must provide a clear and tangible benefit to Hoosiers 50-plus, and satisfy additional requirements around the promotion of accessibility, as well as connection to existing community efforts, stakeholder engagement, and relating to AARP Indiana’s key priorities.

Over the last two years, ten communities were each awarded an additional $5,000 from AARP Indiana. These funds were in addition to the private funds from their successful crowdfunding campaigns and IHCDA matching grants for total community investments exceeding $388,301.

“As our state’s population gets older, making our communities more livable and welcoming is more important than ever,” said AARP Indiana State Director Sarah Waddle. “In the past, we have seen how much impact residents can have when they invest in the place they call home. As this partnership enters its third year, we are excited to see additional communities take exciting ideas and turn them into lasting projects.”

Eligible projects must have a total development budget of between $15,000 and $105,000. Projects must crowdfund between $5,000 and $50,000 according to CreatINg Places guidelines through Patronicity’s crowdfunding platform. Unsuccessful crowdfunding campaigns will not receive grant funding from IHCDA or AARP Indiana. CreatINg Places projects have a high crowdfunding success rate thanks to the one-on-one coaching that Patronicity provides, helping communities crowdfund more than $13 million since the program launched in 2015. Project applicants will be reviewed and approved on a first-come, first-serve, and case-by-case basis until funds are exhausted.