News Release

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect new information about Kosciusko County.

INDIANAPOLIS  – Noble and Fulton counties and the town of North Manchester were among 13 communities to receive relief funds through the state.

On Wednesday, Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) announced that 13 rural Hoosier communities will receive more than $1.96 million in federal grant funding, through the new COVID-19 Response Program.

“Our rural communities are truly the next economic frontier and we have to do all we can to ensure they survive this crisis,” said Crouch.

Kosciusko County has also applied for assistance from OCRA  through KEDCo, the Kosciusko County Economic Development Corporation.

KEDCo Ceo Alan Tio said Thursday morning that their application has been submitted to the state and that he is optimistic Kosciusko County will receive funding in the next round or two of announcements.

In March, Gov. Eric Holcomb issued Executive Order 20-05 that allowed the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) to redirect Community Development Block Grant funds to assist with COVID-19 needs, based on guidance from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

On April 1, the COVID-19 Response Program launched and, over the course of two weeks, received 108 letters of need, totaling an estimated $23 million in requests.

The following is a breakdown of what was awarded.

Provide testing, diagnosis or other services

• The Town of Lacrosse is awarded $10,000 to install four Wi-Fi hotspots for residents to access the internet to complete e-Learning activities, file unemployment claims and submit job applications.
• Cass County and Logansport Memorial Hospital are awarded $150,000 to provide COVID-19 testing at the Cass County Fairgrounds to residents of Cass County. Special hours will be set aside for those that are seniors aged 62 and older.

Establish delivery service

• Tippecanoe County is awarded $100,000 to provide a distribution service for essential supplies to families or individuals in quarantine and isolation because of positive testing for COVID-19.
• The City of Logansport is awarded $100,000 to deliver supplies and meals to LMI residents in partnership with the United Way of Cass County.
• The City of Bargersville is awarded $100,000 to deliver needed supplies to residents in partnership with the local main street organization.

Grants to businesses to retain jobs

• The Town of North Manchester is awarded $250,000 to build upon an existing Revolving Loan Fund to provide grants to local businesses with employees who have low-and-moderate income households impacted by the current COVID-19 crisis.
• Noble County is awarded $95,250 to fund a micro-grant program that will target at-risk small county businesses in partnership with the Noble County Economic Development Corporation.
• Fulton County is awarded $250,000 to provide Grants to small businesses in order to retain employees.
• The City of Delphi is awarded $198,600 to create funds for local businesses that can be used as working capital.
• The City of Knox is awarded $250,000 to provide working capital to local businesses for job retention.
• The Town of Hebron is awarded $152,500 to create a fund to provide short term working capital for small businesses in order to retain jobs.
• Pike County is awarded $60,000 to provide $5,000 grants through the county’s economic development corporation to local businesses for working capital.

Loans to businesses to retain jobs

• The City of Greensburg is awarded $250,000 to provide loans to local small business owners who are LMI or to retain LMI jobs. The funds will be processed through the local economic development revolving loan program.