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Indiana is adding $500 million to its coffers and the Lilly Endowment is throwing in $250 million for community and economic development programs designed by communities themselves, the Columbus Republic reports.
The state is investing the money in the Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative, or READI, program, which has already produced big results locally with more to come from the first round of grant funding.
Meanwhile, local officials have submitted proposals with more ambitious plans for this year's READI 2.0 program.
Among the biggest-dollar projects, leaders in our region are asking for a grant to help fund development of a potential vehicle innovation center at the former Walesboro airport.
Because so many people in our region are employed in transportation-related industry, it's hard to think of a project with more potential immediate and long-term economic impact.
In Columbus, you can see evidence of READI's first-round grant impact in NexusPark on the site of the former FairOaks Mall.
The new fieldhouse, community gathering space, and home of Columbus Regional Health professional offices got a major boost from a $6 million READI grant awarded in December 2021.
That project was part of $30 million in first-round READI grants to our region, which includes Bartholomew, Jackson, and Jennings counties,
Selected Grant News Headlines
A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.
Greece's economy grew by 0.7% in the first quarter of this year, the country's statistics service announced today, which is a lot better than the government's initial forecast of 0.3%. The...more
There's a new way to invest in the world, and it involves putting your money where your mouth is. In a new video, 3Bank's CEO Vladimir Vukotic and fund manager Tim Crijns explain how the Serbian...more
Italian food company Equita is hoping to make a name for itself in the world of green finance. The company has launched the Equita Green Impact Fund, which aims to invest in projects that have a...more
Foundation: Johnson Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is putting its money where its mouth is, investing $50 million to help communities of color get out of poverty, the New York Times reports. Zoila Jennings, the...more
Foundation: Nathan Cummings Foundation
A billionaire's foundation is investing all of its assets in companies that have a " measurable and beneficial social or environmental impact," the New York Times reports. Nathan Cummings, a...more
One of the world's largest green investment funds is set to announce its first transaction in the US. Per the Wall Street Journal, the Asia Green Fund (AGF) plans to invest up to $1 billion in a...more
Texas is following in the footsteps of Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Utah by pulling billions from BlackRock, the world's biggest asset manager. The Texas State Board of Education...more
Amazon is taking a stand against climate change, and it's putting its money where its mouth is. The company on Tuesday announced the 15 startups that have been selected to participate in the...more
The European Central Bank is expected to cut interest rates for the first time in nearly a decade this week in an effort to boost the struggling eurozone economy, the Wall Street Journal...more
Foundation: Johnson Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is giving $325 million to help communities that have suffered from "a historic lack of investment" in areas such as housing, water, and infrastructure, the New...more
Social Entrepreneurship
Spotlight
Ten Years After Katrina, A New Startup Sector Takes Hold In New Orleans
“I think, by 2018, there’s an opportunity for New Orleans to be viewed around the country, around the world, as a hub of entrepreneurship for the South,” says Tim Williamson, the CEO and cofounder of incubator The Idea Village, referring to the year the city will celebrate its 300th anniversary.
