Indiana awards community grants to accelerate entrepreneurship resources, MCEDC awarded locally

Tuesday, Indiana’s Commerce Office awarded $925,107 in grant awards to accelerate entrepreneurial activity and resources statewide through its Community Collaboration Fund (CCF). These awards will help fuel 28 community-led projects focused on entrepreneurial education, connection, and acceleration across Indiana. 

 "Under Governor Braun’s leadership, Indiana is more committed than ever to cultivating the growth of Main Street entrepreneurship and celebrating the impact our business owners have on our economy,” said Secretary of Commerce David Adams. “These community projects will ensure that current and future entrepreneurs across the state have access to the programming, resources and support needed to start and scale a business right here in Indiana.”

CCF provides matching grants to support new community collaborations, services, and programming that will serve Indiana’s entrepreneurial ecosystem with a focus on education, connection, and acceleration. 

After receiving a large number of applications, the state’s Commerce Office selected 28 projects for matching grants based on their potential to fill critical gaps across the entrepreneurial ecosystem, support underserved markets, and collaborate across boundaries. The projects selected will result in a variety of new programs and resources for aspiring entrepreneurs and current small business owners, such as AI education, business planning, financial literacy, online visibility and prototyping design, for businesses across a variety of industries such as the creative economy, childcare, food and beverage, defense and in rural communities. 

Locally, the Marshall County Arts Entrepreneurship Program through the Marshall County Economic Development Corporation was awarded $14,100.

Marshall County Economic Development Corporation will kick off a program for local artists who wish to establish their businesses and generate revenue from their work. Through collaboration with Heartland Art Center and the Indiana Small Business Development Center, this cohort-based initiative will include workshops, peer groups, and an exhibition to showcase the work of program participants.