Lilly Endowment Inc. Awarded Three Grants To Organizations In Southwest Central Indiana Region

Last updated on Wednesday, December 30, 2015

(BLOOMINGTON) - Lilly Endowment Inc. has awarded three grants totaling $42 million to organizations in the Southwest Central Indiana region.

The grants will support regional development initiatives in an 11-county area that encompasses Brown, Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Orange, Owen and Washington counties.

The funds will advance a range of activities that focus on research and development, workforce and education initiatives, and projects that enhance the region's quality of life. Specific projects and the grants to support them are:

Implementation of an education and workforce plan and a regional opportunity fund for quality-of-place investments funded by a $25,870,000 grant to Regional Opportunity Initiatives, Inc. (ROI). ROI is a newly-formed nonprofit with a mission to support regional development opportunities in the 11 counties of Southwest Central Indiana. Led by a regional board of directors, ROI is affiliated with the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County
Establishment and development of an Applied Research Institute (ARI) to be located near the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane). Initially, it will be led by an advisory board comprising representatives of Crane, research universities in Indiana, and other corporate and institutional partners. Start-up expenses will be funded through a $16,225,000 grant to CICP Foundation.
Planning activities funded by $122,600 grant to Indiana University Foundation to explore the potential development of a Rural Center at Indiana University to study and address societal challenges found in rural communities.

With the support of planning grants from Lilly Endowment in 2012 and 2013, a steering committee and several regional stakeholders have been working collaboratively on strategies for advancing the region. In November 2014, the steering committee completed and released its Strategic Plan for Economic and Community Prosperity in Southwest Central Indiana, in cooperation with the Battelle Technology Partnership Practice.

The grant recipients plan to share more details with stakeholders and community leaders at an event to be organized in early 2016. The previously released regional strategic plan, Strategic Plan for Economic and Community Prosperity in Southwest Central Indiana, can be accessed at www.cfbmc.org and http://www.radiusindiana.com/strategic-plan.

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