ONE Marshall County prepares to hire first employee, targets major regional grants

During a recent Plymouth Common Council meeting, City Attorney Jeff Houin provided an encouraging update on the progress of ONE Marshall County, announcing that the organization is preparing to hire its first employee and is actively pursuing millions in regional grant funding.

According to Houin, the new hire will fill a communications and grant-focused role. The position's costs are being covered by several local non-profits that have committed funds to support the initiative. Enfocus has been managing the hiring and interview process. Once onboarded, the new employee will assist various organizations coordinated under the ONE Marshall County umbrella.

Houin highlighted two major grant programs currently at the forefront of ONE Marshall County’s efforts. The first is a Rural Health Grant that will make $9 million to $12 million available annually over the next five years. The funding targets a multi-county region that includes Marshall, Jasper, Newton, Pulaski, Fulton, and Elkhart counties.

Houin noted that organizations across this broad region are not traditionally accustomed to working together. To bridge this gap, ONE Marshall County is taking an active role in developing coalitions and working with newly formed committees to identify the most effective programs to seek funding and improve regional health.

The second major focus is the Indiana Economic Development Corporation’s (IEDC) Lilly Grant. Through the READI 2.0 initiative, the Lilly Endowment has made additional funds available specifically for blight remediation and arts and culture projects.

With an application deadline of April 15th rapidly approaching, the city is working closely with ONE Marshall County to apply for funds to renovate Plymouth's Historic Firehouse.

The city is already applying for a grant through the Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) to improve the building's exterior, but that grant requires a substantial local match. Houin explained that the city hopes to secure the Lilly Grant to cover a significant portion of that required match, with private funds potentially covering the rest.

City officials are feeling optimistic about their chances. Because the Historic Firehouse project involves remediating a blighted property and transforming it into an arts and culture hub—with Heartland Artists Gallery slated to move into the space—it perfectly aligns with the grant's specific criteria.