Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs today announced 24 rural Hoosier communities will receive more than $15.3 million in federal grant funding to improve water infrastructure.
“By investing in our state’s water infrastructure, we are laying the foundation for regional growth and prosperity,†said Lt. Gov. Crouch. “These grants are supporting projects that are crucial to rural communities’ continual economic development and improving the quality of life for its residents.â€
The State of Indiana distributes Community Development Block Grant funds to rural communities, which assist units of local government with various community projects such as: infrastructure improvement, downtown revitalization, public facilities and economic development.
“The leadership of these grant recipients embodies strategic planning, hard work and dedication to improving their communities,†said Matt Crouch, Interim Executive Director of OCRA. “Proper planning is necessary to ensure Hoosier’s quality of life can grow as we are coping through a pandemic.â€
The second round of the 2020 CDBG program begins on August 24, 2020, with proposals due on September 24 and final applications due November 20. Additionally, the suspension of the Blight Clearance Program, Main Street Revitalization Program and Public Facilities Program will continue. Therefore, only Wastewater/Drinking Water and Stormwater Improvement Program applications will be accepted for round two.
Funding for OCRA’s CDBG programs originates from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant program and is administered for the State of Indiana by OCRA. For more information, visit www.in.gov/ocra/cdbg.htm.
