USDA Rural Development Finds "High Quality" In Economic Development Plan
by carmen
The Indiana 15 Regional Planning Council’s recently completed regional economic development plan has been judged by a national panel of experts as being of “high quality” as part of USDA Rural Development’s Stronger Economies Together (SET) program. The national panel consisted of an esteemed team of professionals from USDA Rural Development and the nation’s land-grant university system.
As a result of meeting the “high quality” metrics, Indiana 15 is now qualified to receive a $5,000 grant from the Southern Rural Development Center (SRDC) located at Mississippi State University. These funds are intended to serve as seed funds for their SET regional team. Other regions across the nation that have secured the “high quality” designation have been able to capture a significant amount of resources to help move their plans in the implementation phase.
USDA Rural Development Indiana State Director Philip Lehmkuhler said, “Rural communities recognize the vital importance of economic development for the benefit of residents. Understanding the difficulty of maintaining an adequate economic development program on their own, communities are joining forces through organizations like Indiana 15 to better use resources to grow businesses and create jobs. USDA Rural Development’s SET program enhances regional economic development efforts by providing assistance in the creation of a high quality plan. The plan is produced in collaboration with local stakeholders and a state resource team made up individuals from state and federal agencies, including Purdue University Extension, and other organizations that possess expertise and knowledge in community and economic development.”
Indiana 15 Regional Planning Commission is a multi-county governmental agency that serves the counties of Crawford, Dubois, Orange, Perry, Pike, and Spencer. Indiana 15 is partially funded through annual county per-capita fees and an annual federal planning grant as an Economic Development District of the U.S. Department of Commerce – Economic Development Administration.