Federal Grant Award Summary

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) awarded Indiana 15 Regional Planning Commission a $350,000 Project Grant on July 1, 2025, under the Economic Development Support for Planning Organizations program (CFDA 11.302) to develop and implement a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for a six-county region comprising Crawford, Dubois, Orange, Perry, Pike, and Spencer counties in Indiana. The three-year award, which extends through June 30, 2028, funds the commission to serve as the regional planning organization coordinating multisector stakeholder engagement among public and private sector entities to create a strategic economic development roadmap that guides regional economic growth and job creation initiatives.

The commission will deliver core planning products and services including the development and implementation of the CEDS, coordination of regional economic development activities, and facilitation of broad-based stakeholder participation across civic, business, labor, and community interests. These efforts are designed to leverage regional economic assets, support private capital investment, and create higher-skill, higher-wage employment opportunities, particularly for unemployed and underemployed populations in the economically distressed region. The award recognizes the commission's qualifications and established track record as a designated planning organization serving the Indiana 15 Economic Development District.