Lt. Gov. Crouch, OCRA announce new program for rural communities

'This exciting partnership between OCRA and Ball State University will provide another opportunity for Hoosier communities to improve their quality of life'

Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs have announced the opening of the new Rural Empowerment and Development (RED) program. The program is a capacity-building and planning initiative created in partnership with Ball State University’s Indiana Communities Institute. 

RED is designed to enhance community engagement and assist in the implementation of actionable projects. Each participating local team will undergo a four to six-month program tailored to their specific needs.

“This exciting partnership between OCRA and Ball State University will provide another opportunity for Hoosier communities to improve their quality of life,” said Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “Collaboration is key to any successful community development project, and that is a priority of the RED program. I look forward to seeing how local units of government can connect with one another to benefit their county as a whole.”  

RED begins with an intensive multi-day learning experience and continues over several months with coaching from the Indiana Communities Institute. Throughout the process, the community develops and refines a vision and community engagement plan. The team will work with Indiana Communities Institute to analyze data about its community, review existing plans, and then take steps to identify issues, opportunities and solutions.

“In successful communities, we see they prioritize leadership, readiness for change, vision, partnerships, planning and community engagement,” said OCRA Executive Director Duke Bennett. “This new program aims to help our rural cities and towns grow in these areas by providing hands-on experiences and focusing on local collaboration.”

Each applicant should be made up by a local team of community members and leaders. These local teams should be led by either a county-wide nonprofit or a county government. Additionally, local teams should include two or more incorporated local units of government within the county boundary. Any municipality included must have a population under 50,000 to participate and applicants must not be already involved in Stellar Pathways or PreservINg Main Street.

Three local teams will be selected to participate in RED, with staggering start dates throughout 2025. Applications are now open and will close at 11:59 p.m. ET on Oct. 30, 2024.

For more information on RED, the program timeline and application process, visit in.gov/ocra/red.