Lt. Gov. Crouch, OCRA announce new training and capacity-building program for rural communities

Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs today announced the opening of the new Rural Empowerment and Development 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 Lt. Gov. 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.

More from Local News

• Callans seeks seat on Rockville Town Board

• Burkett eyes Vermillion County Council District 3 Seat

• IDHS warns against disaster assistance fraud

• Parke among the ten Indiana counties with reported measles cases

• Zamani seeks Vermillion County District 4 seat

• Vermillion County Prosecutor's Office receives STOP Violence Against Women Grant

• USDA announces record payments of $13.8 billion for 2025 crop year revenue and price safety net programs

• Nucor Corporation chooses additional expansion in Crawfordsville

• Applications open for Indiana's Advanced Nuclear Ready Communities Program

• USPS schedule for weekend into Columbus Day

• Equipment investments keep working for Indiana habitat

• Smith looks to punch ticket to Rockville Town Board seat

• Meth, ecstasy found on Clinton man during jail search

• Vermillion County Commissioners reject data center moratorium

• Pair of motorcycle crashes keep Parke County Sheriff's deputies busy

• Parke Heritage Middle School awarded multi-million dollar Next Generation School Improvement Grant from IDOE

• Hunters can donate deer to help feed hungry Hoosiers

• BMV urges Hoosiers to complete voter registration by October 5 deadline

• Gov. Braun extends gas tax suspension, releases dyed diesel for farms

• Last day to ask your question for Indiana's next Secretary Of State