Editorial: Regional Projects Show Benefits of State Grant Money


Foundation: Lilly Endowment

credit: Little St Nick

Indiana is adding $500 million to its coffers and the Lilly Endowment is throwing in $250 million for community and economic development programs designed by communities themselves, the Columbus Republic reports.

The state is investing the money in the Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative, or READI, program, which has already produced big results locally with more to come from the first round of grant funding.

Meanwhile, local officials have submitted proposals with more ambitious plans for this year's READI 2.0 program.

Among the biggest-dollar projects, leaders in our region are asking for a grant to help fund development of a potential vehicle innovation center at the former Walesboro airport.

Because so many people in our region are employed in transportation-related industry, it's hard to think of a project with more potential immediate and long-term economic impact.

In Columbus, you can see evidence of READI's first-round grant impact in NexusPark on the site of the former FairOaks Mall.

The new fieldhouse, community gathering space, and home of Columbus Regional Health professional offices got a major boost from a $6 million READI grant awarded in December 2021.

That project was part of $30 million in first-round READI grants to our region, which includes Bartholomew, Jackson, and Jennings counties,

Read the Entire Article


Selected Foundation News

A customized collection of news from foundations from around the Web.

Day Seven of the Trump Trial: David Pecker, Trash Collector

David Pecker, the former CEO of the parent company of the National Enquirer, took the stand in his own defense Thursday in the trial of Michael Cohen, President Trump's former personal...more

Mike Adenuga @71: Salute to Boundless Ingenuity, Relentless Pursuit of Greatness

Nigeria's Mike Adenuga Jr. turned 71 yesterday, and in honor of the billionaire's big day, Business Insider has compiled a profile of him that includes this standout line: "In a universe often...more

Yusuf Bawangaonwala: Pioneering Excellence in Business and Philanthropy

If you're a billionaire in India, you may be on the Forbes list of the world's richest people. And if you're also a billionaire in India, you may also be on the Forbes list of the world's richest...more

Climate Solutions: Fg, Unido Award $32,500 To 3 Nigerian Startups

Three young entrepreneurs in Nigeria have won $32,500 for their clean-tech solutions to climate-related problems, the Guardian reports. Schrodinger Tech, Givo Africa, and E-Sam Energy Solutions...more

Can Climate Change Pakistan'S Economy?

"We are grappling with uncertainty about how to deal with yearly floods," says a 55-year-old resident of Pakistan's Shikarpur. "My home has been destroyed, cattle drowned, and yearly crops...more

The Impact Investing Case for Telecom Companies

"We are so used to being almost permanently online that we don't really appreciate what we have and do not really know what to do when we're not," Joni Mitchell wrote in her 1970s song "Big Yellow...more

When Does Impact Investing Make the Biggest Impact?

The concept of "impact investing" has taken off in recent years, with more than $1 trillion in assets under management. But a new study out of Harvard Business School suggests that while impact...more

Svx Launches Major Update to Impact Investing Opportunity Database

"All investments are impact investments," says Adam Spence, CEO of SVX, a non-profit financial services firm that has just launched Canada's first index designed to measure the impact of investments...more

5 Ways to Guide Clients on Esg and Impact Investing

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing has gained popularity in recent years as clients seek to align their investments with their values and promote positive change in the...more

Leading Impact Investors and Philanthropists Convene for
Foundation: Silicon Valley Community Foundation, California Endowment

In 2024, Los Angeles will host the Mission Investors Exchange 2024 National Conference, an annual conference that brings together more than 750 philanthropy and impact investing leaders from across...more






New News from...


Gates Foundation

The Neighbourhood Midwives, the brainchild of Annie Francis of Hampshire, offers midwifery services geared for the continuity of care to women and their families.




Federal Government Grant and Assistance Programs



Edited by: Michael Saunders

© 2008-2024 Copyright Michael Saunders