Editorial: Regional Projects Show Benefits of State Grant Money


Foundation: Lilly Endowment

credit: Wikipedia

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,

Read the Entire Article


Selected Foundation News

A customized collection of news from foundations from around the Web.

Tampa Bay Innovation Center Names Startups for Spring Accelerator Program

The Tampa Bay Innovation Center is kicking off its spring accelerator program, and it's got eight startups on its list. Among them: AgWise, which focuses on the climate impact of agriculture's...more

Impact Pioneers Network Accelerates Growth for Filipino Impact Enterprises

A "first-of-its-kind impact investing network" in the Philippines is putting its money where its mouth is, in the form of collateral-free loans to women-led social and environmental...more

Ai for Ias: How Artificial Intelligence Will Impact Investment Advisers

"It is simply not good enough that, for many advisers, their understanding of AI is that information goes into a black box,'magic happens' and something comes out." So said the outgoing director...more

Impact Investment Strategies Unveiled in New Genconnectu Course by Vegtech ...

"The future is green, and it's ours to invest in." That's the takeaway from Elysabeth Alfano, CEO of VegTech Invest, who is offering an online course on "Impact Investing with Plant-based...more

Women of Impact: Alba Forns and Solar-Financing Platform Climatize

"Without actively looking for it, I came across a problem to solve, a powerhouse co-founder and an idea worth pursuing, so I decided to go for it," Alba Forns tellsEquities News. Forns is the...more

Positioning Kenyan Livestock Sector for Impact Investment

It's no secret that Africa's livestock industry plays a big role in the region's economy. In fact, the demand for livestock products is expected to grow by 50% by 2030, notes Business...more

El Rito 2024 Spring Arts Festival May 18-19

The New Mexico town of El Rito has been named one of America's 10 most livable cities by Time. The honor goes to El Rito for the third year in a row, thanks in large part to the work of its...more

Undergraduate Research Week Poster Competition Winners Announced

"This research pushed me outside my comfort zone and forced me to interact first-hand with hard truths about what social media is being used for in the modern day," Daisy Rehbock writes in her...more

Decision Reversed: Fair Park Ceo Put on 45 Day Paid Leave as Board Evaluates Performance

The CEO of the nation's second-oldest civic monument has been ousted over allegations of financial impropriety at Dallas' Fair Park, the Dallas Morning News reports. On May 1, Brian Luallen...more

An Evening Worth Its Weight in Art!

Quebec City's Mus ? 'e des beaux-arts du Qu'bec museum is getting a major boost from a single man. Michael Audain, chairman of the Jean Paul Riopelle Foundation, has pledged $10 million toward...more






John Converse Townsend, a Forbes contributor, shares what can the private sector do for a social enterprise. He encourages social enterprises to reach out to corporations for help to scale up their businesses.




Federal Government Grant and Assistance Programs



Edited by: Michael Saunders

© 2008-2024 Copyright Michael Saunders