The Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority (RDA) recently announced it’s launching a new program to help communities fund preparation for development. To help local governments build the tools, plans, and frameworks needed to attract development and expand the tax base, the Northwest Indiana RDA said it is committing $250,000 in grant funds to a new Development Catalyst Grant program. The RDA said interest in Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) has been ramping up across northwest Indiana as work was winding down on the $1.5 billion South Shore expansion, which celebrated the start of passenger service on the new Monon Corridor at the end of March.
“Successful development starts with preparation,” says RDA President and CEO Sherri Ziller. “From the start, the RDA has sought to provide our partner communities with the tools and strategies they need to be ready for developers’ calls. The Development Catalyst Grant will provide funds to boost and round out these efforts, so that communities are positioned to compete when opportunity arrives.”
Zoning code updates for TOD, housing studies, investor prospectuses for redevelopment areas, placemaking materials for station areas and downtown districts, infrastructure gap analyses identifying barriers to development and master development agreement frameworks are just a few examples of the work RDA is looking to fund with the Development Catalyst Grants. “Every community has some of these, but few if any have all that they need to attract quality development in an increasingly competitive regional landscape,” says RDA economic development director AJ Bytnar. “This grant program will help fill in the gaps and align local and regional priorities.”
Development Catalyst Grants will be available to all local government units in Lake and Porter counties, a news release said, and individual awards will range from $10,000 to $75,000, with RDA requesting at least a 10% match. “The Development Catalyst Grants aren’t only for communities with train stations,” Bytnar emphasizes, “they are open to all. The strongest applications will connect local initiatives to RDA strategic priorities: Transit-Oriented Development, brownfield redevelopment, lakefront access, tourism infrastructure and economic diversification.”
For more information on the program, see https://www.in.gov/rda/files/NWI_RDA_DevelopmentCatalystGrant_ProgramGuide.pdf .
