OCRA Awards Main Street Grants
Batesville Main Street is one of 15 Indiana programs to receive grants.
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs and Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch have awarded grants to 15 Indiana Main Street programs. Crouch says Taking Care of Main Street funding totaling $205,000 will encourage advanced programs to implement COVID-19 recovery strategies.
OCRA Executive Director Denny Spinner says the goal is to support Main Street organizations providing leadership and public services, with special attention paid to organizations most impacted by COVID-19.
“The first round of this program helped 40 Main Street organizations cope with loss of funding and allowed them to provide needed support to small businesses and local leadership,” said Spinner. “Our goal is to see even more growth from these communities while they leverage opportunities with this grant funding. Rural Indiana can lead the recovery effort if given the opportunity.”
The recipients can use the funding for expenses such as salaries, administrative fees, space and equipment, or staff development.
Organizations receiving grants:
Anderson Indiana Main Street – $5,000 to offset fees related to website maintenance, materials and equipment, printing/mailing materials, marketing and an online meeting platform license.
Attica Main Street – $5,000 to obtain a keynote speaker and develop “Downtown Comeback” workshop and obtain professional photos of businesses and business owners downtown to tell their story.
Batesville Main Street – $15,000 to offset salary expenses to retain the program director and the director’s participation in the virtual Main Street America Conference.
Columbia City Connect – $15,000 to create 10, $500 grants to design or improve websites or e-commerce platforms for small businesses. The remaining funding will be allocated toward general organization salaries and program administration expenses.
Culver Second Century Main Street Organization – $5,000 to work with the Indiana Destination Development Corp. and Indiana MakeMyMove to research residency data, refine targeted new resident population, evaluate quality of life and perform gap analysis.
Develop New Albany – $15,000 to fund the salary of a part-time market manager and program coordinator for the Farmers Market.
Discover Plymouth – $5,000 to fund a business development summer intern for this year.
Greater Kokomo Downtown Association – $25,000 to offset a portion of the toward organization salaries and provide a $10,000 grant to cultivate local entrepreneurship.
Greenfield Main Street Inc. – $15,000 for the program director’s salary expenses and to assist with special COVID-19 friendly event programs throughout the year.
Jeffersonville Main Street Inc. – $25,000 to provide organization salaries and training, utilities, rental facility reservations software, farmers market administration and insurance.
Madison Main Street Program – $15,000 to purchase membership software, office supplies, office rental, and ensure a safe and clean meeting space within the office.
Main Street Marion – $15,000 to cover personnel costs to continue the execution of work plan activities.
New Castle Main Street Inc. – $15,000 to hire a downtown ambassador and help create a clean, safe, welcoming environment along with new wayfinding signage.
Richmond Main Street – $15,000 to offset salary expenses to retain the current director.
Seymour Main Street – $15,000 to offset salary expenses so that other operational funds can continue to be allocated toward local grant programming.