OCRA PR



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE




April 30, 2020





Lt. Gov. Crouch announces additional COVID-19
Response Recipients

*INDIANAPOLIS (April 30, 2020) *Today, Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs [ [link removed] ] announced that an additional 49 rural Hoosier communities will receive more than $8.8 million in federal grant funding through the new COVID-19 Response Program [ [link removed] ].

With todays announcement, Indiana has awarded more than $10.7 million to our rural communities, said Crouch. From increasing access to necessary testing and medical supplies to providing businesses and their workers with much needed relief, these funds are directly assisting in the fight against COVID-19.

On April 22, Lt. Governor Crouch announced the first 13 recipients of the COVID-19 Response Program [ [link removed] ] who received more than $1.96 million in funding.

Public-private collaboration and intergovernmental coordination are critically important in ensuring funding is distributed to our rural communities, said Jodi Golden, Executive Director of OCRA. The creativity and local partnerships OCRA has seen in these applications is inspiring and the Hoosier spirit of collaboration continues to thrive even through this crisis.

The Office of Community and Rural Affairs is continuing to develop a long term response program. More information will be available in the coming weeks.

Below is a summary of the projects being funded under each category. For more information on the program, visit www.in.gov/ocra/3010.htm [ [link removed] ].

*Internet access*

* *Union County* is awarded $10,000 to purchase equipment and install internet hot spots around the county courthouse in the Town of Liberty.

*Provide testing, diagnosis or other services*

* The *City of Elwood* is awarded $51,280 to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) for the local fire department, police department and hospital workers.
* The *Town of Fountain City* is awarded $40,765 to purchase PPE for the local volunteer fire department, along with a commercial washer and dryer to sanitize their turn-out gear.
* The *City of Hartford City* is awarded $114,355 to provide PPE, ultraviolet wands, testing and hand sanitizer for first responders including the fire department and police department.
* The *City of Montpelier* is awarded $51,250 to purchase all the necessary supplies to conduct community-wide COVID-19 testing for the residents of Harrison Township, in Blackford County*.*
* *Marshall County* is awarded $150,000 to install electronic billboards to help communicate information about the countys response and resources available to residents.
* *Union County* is awarded $71,750 to provide COVID-19 testing and purchase PPE items for emergency response personnel.

*Increase capacity of local health services*

* *Benton County* is awarded $112,550 to purchase medical equipment necessary to increase the capacity of local health staff or services.
* The *Town of Sheridan* is awarded $102,100 to assist Riverview Health with expanding medical staff, which includes a physician.
* The *City of Tipton* is awarded $16,000 to employ two ambulance drivers to increase the response capacity of their local health care system.

*Establish delivery service *

* The *Town of Cicero* is awarded $25,549 to provide funding to the local food bank so they can purchase food and hygiene supplies.
* The *City of Hartford City *is awarded $20,510 to provide funding to the Community Health Services food pantry which serves the residents of Hartford City.
* *Floyd County* is awarded $50,000 to provide relief for the homeless and elderly in need of food and supplies. The county will coordinate with local restaurants and food service businesses to supply meals to area non-profits serving the homeless and elderly populations.
* The *City of Brazil* is awarded $75,000 to provide groceries and hygiene products through a partnership with the Clay County Emergency Food Pantry and the Senior Citizens Center Open Food Pantry.
* The *Town of Roachdale* is awarded $75,000 to purchase a month's supply of groceries for the local food pantry.
* *Starke County* is awarded $75,000 to establish service through a local non-profit to deliver needed supplies to quarantined individuals or those who are medically vulnerable.
* *Fountain County* is awarded $75,000 to engage volunteers and staff at local non-profits to create a supply delivery program to meet the increasing needs of the countys unemployed, elderly, immunocompromised, isolated and quarantined.
* The *City of Columbia City* is awarded $75,000 to provide a delivery service to 75 individuals with disabilities and who are living in group homes and supportive living, as well as 125 senior citizens.
* The *Town of Arcadia* is awarded $33,473.50 to assist Hamilton County Harvest Book with serving local food banks with additional food and hygiene supplies.
* The* City of Tipton* is awarded $29,500 to help the local food pantries facilitate a drive-up distribution center and provide workers with gloves, masks and additional sanitation equipment while distributing food. The grant will purchase hygiene boxes and provide delivery assistance to homebound individuals.
* The *Town of Sheridan* is awarded $34,792 to support an existing food program by purchasing food and hygiene products for six local facilities.

*Grants to businesses to retain jobs*

* The *City of Attica *is awarded $148,000 to provide grants to local business owners to stay open and provide for their low to moderate income workers.
* The *City of New Castle* is awarded $250,000 to fund a business grant making program to assist its hardest hit manufacturers and retail businesses.
* The* City of Oakland City* is awarded $100,000 to establish a grant program to help local small businesses, with 25 employees or less, continue to operate.
* The *City of Wabash* is awarded $250,000 to provide grants to hospitality, food and beverage, tourism, manufacturing and retail sectors. Grant amounts would range from $2,000 to $15,000 and would be available on a first come, first serve basis for applicants meeting thelow-to-moderate (LMI) criteria that are confirmed by a review committee.
* The *Town of Cicero *is awarded $134,888 to create a business and economic development retention program which will provide grant assistance for operational costs, employee retention and expansion of business services.
* The* Town of Poseyville *is awarded $150,000 to establish a grant program to help local small businesses, with 25 employees or less, continue to operate.
*

The *City of Franklin *is awarded $200,000 to offer small business grants to address the needs of the community's businesses.


*

The* City of Mitchell* is awarded $250,000 to provide small businesses, with 25 or fewer employees, funding for rental or mortgage payments, supplies to re-start business and salary dollars.


*

The* City of Princeton* is awarded $250,000 to establish a grant program to help local small businesses, with 25 employees or less, continue to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic.


*

The* City of Richmond* is awarded $250,000 to create a grant program for Center City District businesses that show the utmost need due to COVID-19 and who are at risk of low-to-moderate income (LMI) income job losses.


*

The *City of Salem* is awarded $250,000 to fund a local small business grant program to help retain jobs within local businesses. Businesses will be able to apply for $5,000 grants to sustain expenses such as rent, working capital and utilities.


*

The* City of Vincennes* is awarded $250,000 to create a loan program which will be administered through an existing revolving loan program to assist businesses affected by closures and other hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic.


*

The *Town of Edinburgh* is awarded $240,000 to provide grants to small businesses to retain LMI employees and assist with working capital.


*

The* City of Tipton* is awarded $204,500 to establish a forgivable loan program to help 25 local businesses with re-opening or continuing business operations, ultimately saving 150 LMI jobs.


*

The *Town of **Arcadia* is awarded $34,215.50 to provide grant assistance for operational costs, employee retention and expansion of business services. The funding will help local businesses with rent abatement, loss of income and continuity of operations.


*

The *Town of Corydon* is awarded $250,000 towards a local grant program. Applicants may request up to $10,000 in grant funds for working capital to assist with the payroll of essential employees and allow non-essential employees to work remotely.


*

The *Town of Clarksville* is awarded $250,000 to help fund an existing Forgivable Loan Program. The funds will be distributed to businesses that have been most severely impacted by the economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic.


*

The* Town of Newburgh* is awarded $200,000 to establish a grant program to help local small businesses, with 20 employees or less.


*

The *Town of Sheridan* is awarded $110,890 to develop a grant program for operational costs to ensure small, downtown businesses are able to operate during and after the COVID-19 emergency.


*

*Blackford County* is awarded $240,000 to fund a business grant program to assist its hardest hit manufacturers and retail businesses. This will be administered by the Blackford County Economic Development Corporation.


*

*Daviess County *is awarded $160,000 to benefit struggling businesses and entrepreneurs with workforce and business retention.


*

*Fayette County* is awarded $250,000 to provide funds for a business grant making program to assist its hardest hit manufacturers and retail businesses. The goal is to provide businesses with short-term working capital to continue operations, reopen businesses, restock inventory or pay for technology for remote working.


*

*Knox County* is awarded $250,000 to assist area businesses with operational and retention costs.


*

*LaPorte County *is awarded $250,000 to provide grants to small business to serve as working capital for the purpose of retaining jobs within those businesses.


*

*Lawrence County* is awarded $250,000 to provide working capital to businesses, assisting with operational costs and remote work capabilities.


*

*Owen County* is awarded $243,750 to provide grants to businesses demonstrating an impact from COVID-19 to be able to retain LMI employees.


*

*Morgan County* is awarded $250,000 to create a grant program to provide working capital to support the day-to-day operations of small businesses.


*

*Randolph County* is awarded $250,000 to provide grant assistance to local businesses with the assistance of the Randolph County Community and Economic Development Foundation.


*

*Warrick County *is awarded $250,000 to establish a grant program to help local small businesses, with 25 employees or less, during the COVID-19 pandemic.


*

*Wells County* is awarded $50,000 to provide small business grants to help local small businesses remain open and retain their employees.

*Loans to businesses to retain jobs*

* *Brown County* is awarded $250,000 to establish a grant program designed to provide economic relief for small businesses to retain jobs.
*

The *City of Huntington* is awarded $250,000 to fund its existing revolving loan fund framework in order to quickly deploy critical financial resources to small businesses for operations and remote work capabilities.


*

The *City of Rushville* is awarded $250,000 to help fund its existing revolving loan fund to help local small businesses and create an expedited distribution system.


*

The* Town of Windfall* is awarded $44,870 to establish a grant program to help eight local businesses with re-opening or continuing business operations, ultimately saving 40 local jobs.


*

*Kosciusko County* is awarded $245,000 to offer zero interest, forgivable loans to businesses for the purpose of business retention within the County.


*

*Miami County* is awarded $250,000 to assist small businesses in retaining employees and paying for operational expenses.

*-30-*

"Under the leadership of Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch, [ [link removed] ] who also serves as the Secretary of Rural Development, the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) mission is to work with local, state and national partners to provide resources and technical assistance to assist communities in shaping and achieving their vision for community and economic development. For more information, visit ocra.in.gov. [ [link removed] ]"





________________________________________________________________________

*Media Contact: *

Melissa Thomas
Office of Community and Rural Affairs
<[email protected]>[email protected]
(317) 727-7682
Follow us: Facebook [ [link removed] ],Twitter [ [link removed] ] & Instagram [ [link removed] ]* [ [link removed] ]*

________________________________________________________________________






SUBSCRIBER SERVICES:
Manage Preferences [ [link removed] ]|Delete Profile [ [link removed] ]|Help [ [link removed] ]

________________________________________________________________________

This email was sent to [email protected] using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: State of Indiana 402 Washington Street Indianapolis, IN 46204 800.457.8283 GovDelivery logo [ [link removed] ]