South Bend-Elkhart region exploring READI priorities
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What should Elkhart and St. Joseph counties look like in the next five to 10 years?
A group of local officials, not-for-profit representatives and other business leaders have set out to answer that question this month with a series of workshops exploring regional priorities for the next round of Indiana READI funding.
The program, which launched in 2021, infused local communities across the state with $500 million of support for projects that promote investments in infrastructure, job growth and quality of life.
For the South Bend-Elkhart region, which was awarded $50 million through the program last year, that means funding for new tourism attractions, housing, parks and health care expansions.
And now, after state lawmakers directed another $500 million for a second round of READI funding, regional leaders are beginning to solicit interest for new investments.
Bethany Hartley speaks about the first round of READI grants and how it informs the region’s plans moving forward.
And, those investments should help the area grow its residents’ average personal income, educational attainment and overall population, South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership CEO Bethany Hartley told Inside INdiana Business. The partnership organizes READI goals for Elkhart, Marshall and St. Joseph counties.
“We just want to be the region that is an easy choice for a person or a company to move to and want to stay here,” Hartley said.
The process of applying for READI 2.0—or the second round of Indiana’s Regional Economic Acceleration & Development Initiative—should be similar to the first round, said Taryn MacFarlane, vice president of regional initiatives for the South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership.
Regional coalitions apply for the state funds on behalf of local communities. Once they know their total share, regional coalitions work with the Indiana Economic Development Corp. to identify specific projects fitting the area’s overall vision.
The structure of READI programs—supporting 20% of a region’s overall economic development plan and requiring at least 60% of matching funds to come from private sources—encourages private investment in projects meant to benefit quality of life and economic opportunities for the broader community.
Building off of a successful $42 million Regional Cities Initiative bid in 2015, the South Bend-Elkhart area sought the maximum total regional allotment for the initial phase of READI grants. The regional partnership’s successful $50 million pitch secured funding for capital projects like the Downtown Elkhart River District and Beacon Health’s planned integrated Health and Lifestyle District in downtown South Bend, as well as programmatic support for initiatives like the South Bend-Elkhart Regional Internship Program and the regional WE+YOU Talent Attraction and Retention Campaign.
This round’s READI funding will only support capital projects, MacFarlane said, and has performance metrics like population growth, per-capita income growth and educational attainment included to connect funding priorities to their intended outcomes.
The maximum share a region can pursue has also increased from $50 million to $75 million in this next round of funding.A spokesperson for the South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership said the group will consider how much money to request as it explores regional priorities through its ongoing workshop series.
The workshops are being led by the South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership throughout November in each of the counties included in the regional collaborative. Meeting dates include:
- 12:30-3 p.m., Nov. 9 at The REES theater in Plymouth
- 8:30-11 a.m., Nov. 14 at Shanklin Park’s Schrock Pavilion in Goshen
- 8:30-11 a.m., Nov. 17 at the St. Joseph County Public Library Main Branch in South Bend
- 8:30-11 a.m., Nov. 28 at the Bremen Community and Performing Arts Center
- 8:30-11 a.m., Nov. 30 at Mishawaka City Hall
In their first meeting last week in Elkhart, community members discussed housing and walkability as high regional priorities. Several supported suggestions to invest in Elkhart’s riverwalk with ideas of bringing dining, entertainment and recreation to the area. Others pointed to the city’s Benham neighborhood, just south of downtown, which was recently the subject of a Notre Dame study for potential redevelopment opportunities.
Hartley says projects discussed in these early workshops are just in the ideation stage and are not guaranteed funding. However, beginning the conversation allows the regional partnership’s team to hear from the community about what priorities are important to keep in mind when envisioning the area’s economic future. “We have that foundation that we can go forward in a very effective and lean way as a region,” Hartley said. “We’re well organized. We have the right people in the room, and they’re thinking about their communities.”
Bethany Hartley speaks about goals for the region’s next READI application.
Regional applications are due to the IEDC by Feb. 23. The IEDC board will review applications and decide upon regional allocations sometime in April. Local projects could then be up for funding consideration by May.
More information on South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership workshop registration is available online at southbendelkhart.org/regional-collaboration/rampup-readi. A list of past regional projects funded in the first round of READI grants can be found by clicking here.