On Thursday, April 11, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) made the exciting announcement that Southeast Indiana will receive a $10 million allocation for the READI 2.0 program. These funds are expected to be invested into projects enhancing quality of life, quality of place, and quality of opportunity in Dearborn, Franklin, Ripley, Ohio, Switzerland, and Union counties.

“Southeast Indiana showed in READI 1.0 that we made meaningful investments to attract talent and grow our economy. We thank Gov. Holcomb and the IEDC for the opportunity to continue this momentum,” said Bill Schirmer, President of the SEI READI Board of Directors.

SEI READI asks our region’s citizens and community partners to keep these important points in mind:

• All official information and SEI READI updates will continue to be published at www.southeastindiana.org. Information regarding the overall READI program at the state level can be found at www.indianareadi.com.

• No projects in the Southeast Indiana region have been selected or approved for READI investment at this time.

• As previously communicated by SEI READI, a request for project information issued in Fall 2023 was strictly for aiding SEI READI in preparing its READI 2.0 application to the IEDC. SEI READI thanks those who aided and strengthened our application by sharing project information.

• SEI READI expects to issue a request for proposals (projects) later in 2024 to ensure all stakeholders have the opportunity to submit detailed information about their projects for consideration for funding. Exact timing and contents of the RFP are currently being developed.

• In the meantime, project stakeholders are welcome to discuss potential proposals with the local economic development office in the project’s respective county. Find LEDO contact information below.

• Following the closure of the RFP period and time to closely evaluate the proposals received, final decisions on which Southeast Indiana projects to invest READI funds into will be made collaboratively between the SEI READI Board of Directors and Indiana Economic Development Corporation.

General questions about SEI READI may be directed to Southeastern Indiana Regional Planning Commission Executive Director Mary McCarty, mary.mccarty@sirpc.org, 812-689-5505.

LEDO contact information:

Dearborn County – One Dearborn, Mike Perleberg – 513-256-1843 – mperleberg@1dearborn.org

Franklin County – Franklin County Economic Development Commission, John Palmer – 765-338-8201, jpalmerfcedc@gmail.com

Ohio County – Ohio County Economic Development Corporation, Mike Northcutt – 812-438-3324, mike@cityofrisingsun.com

Ripley County – Ripley County Economic Development Corporation, Gary Norman – 812-689-4344, gnorman@ripleycountyedc.com

Switzerland County – Switzerland County Economic Development Corporation, Jon Bond – 812-427-9100, jcbond@switzerlandusa.com

Union County – Union County Community Foundation, Olivia Chewning – 765-458-7664, olivia@ucspecialprojects.org