The Wabash River Regional Development Authority recently announced the process for READI 2.0 as they release application guidelines and begin accepting questions from stakeholders.
While regional awards will not be announced until 2024, the Indiana General Assembly approved an additional $500 million in Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative funds in the 2023 budget Session. And the Indiana Economic Development Corporation recently launched round two of the state’s well-known regional planning and implementation initiative aimed at projects meant to attract and retain talent across the state of Indiana.
The deadline to submit questions to the RDA is Nov. 24. The application and FAQ will go live on the RDA's website on Dec. 1. The deadline to submit an application for a grant is Feb. 1.
The Wabash River RDA, which represents Clay, Parke, Sullivan, Vermillion, and Vigo Counties, plans to focus its attention on four key areas, which align with the state’s goals for funding. The key areas include housing, early childhood development and care, recreational tourism and workforce readiness and development.
“The RDA plans to utilize every dollar the state gives us to better West Central Indiana utilizing as many private dollars as possible to leave a lasting impression,” said Jon Ford, Wabash River RDA Board Chair, in a press release. “We want to feel the dollars in how we move the population needle five to ten years from now.”
The IEDC released eligibility requirements earlier this year. Public, private, and non-profit entities are eligible to receive funding for capital infrastructure projects, providing they can meet the required match. For more information on the READI program and state requirements, visit indianareadi.com/resources.
In preparation for the process to apply for READI 2.0 funds, the Wabash River RDA invites all potential project stakeholders within the five-county region to review the application guidelines and submit questions at www.wabashriverrda.com/readi-2-0-application.