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INDIANAPOLIS (May 29, 2025) – The Office of Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs today announced a new round of the Rural Empowerment and Development program has been made available. 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 each community’s specific needs. “Indiana is taking bold steps to empower our rural communities,” Lieutenant Governor Beckwith said. “The RED program isn’t just about training – it’s a launchpad that gives local leaders the tools to innovate and create plans tailored to their needs.” 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 the Indiana Communities Institute to analyze data about its community, review existing plans and take steps to identify issues, opportunities and solutions. “The Rural Empowerment and Development program gives communities the framework to build out a plan and increase capacity for future projects,” OCRA Executive Director Fred Glynn said. “I encourage community members and leaders looking to take that next step towards meaningful development to apply.” 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 the Stellar Pathways or PreservINg Main Street programs. Two local teams will be selected to participate in this round of RED, with staggered start dates in 2025. Applications are now open and will close Wednesday, July 2, at 12 p.m. ET. |
