State assistance to boost economic development and improve quality of place may be coming to one of two regions in Northern Indiana.
- Constellation of Starke, which consists of Hamlet, Knox, North Judson and Starke County;
- Marshall County Crossroads, which consists of Argos, Bourbon, Bremen, Culver, Plymouth and Marshall County;
- Jay! Region, which is comprised of the Dunkirk, Portland, Pennville, Redkey and Jay County; and
- Safe and Welcome, which is comprised of Knightstown, New Castle and Henry County.
“Rural Indiana is comprised of so many burgeoning communities, and through this program they can really enhance the quality of life for the Hoosiers who call it home,” Crouch said. “During my travels of the state, it is truly incredible to see what some of the previous designees have done with the investments from the state. I am excited to see what the four regions that were selected unveil during this planning process.”
Finalist regions will receive a planning grant and will begin working with Ball State University’s Indiana Communities Institute to discuss project alignment and continued planning efforts. The 2019 Stellar Communities Program designation will be announced on Dec. 5.
The Stellar Communities Program, launched in 2011, is a multi-year, multi-million dollar investment initiative led by the Office of Community and Rural Affairs, which is overseen by Crouch.
The program works with self-selected regions on their vision for community and economic development, promotes local and regional partnerships and assists in implementing innovative solutions to challenges facing Indiana’s rural communities. It provides resources for transformative quality of place community improvements by utilizing previous planning efforts, leveraging existing assets, fostering regional investments and stimulating continued growth.
