Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs

Colette Childress

Agency under the Office of Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch

East Central Community Liaison

Meet Your Community Liaison

• In December 2013, Colette Childress joined OCRA.

• She has a Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana Wesleyan University in Criminology with a focus in Psychology and has a combined 16 years of Project Management experience.

• Prior to working as the East Central Community Liaison, Colette served as an OCRA Project Manager where she developed and oversaw quality of life initiatives designed to cultivate placemaking and community capacity-building through the creation and award of more than $1 M in state programmatic funding.

• Inspired by the resiliency, ambition and unique identity that Indiana’s rural communities embody, Colette enjoys helping others to achieve their vision by sharing her expertise in the areas of facilitation, partnership building, community engagement and creative problem solving.

• Colette currently lives in Greenfield, IN with her husband Shaun, her two year old daughter Olivia and a feisty rescue dog named Ginger.

Mission

OCRA works with local, state and national partners to provide resources and technical assistance to aid communities in shaping and achieving their vision

for community and economic development.

Zionsville Crawfordsville

COVID-19COVID-19 Response

• In March, Governor Eric Holcomb issued Executive Order 20-05 that allowed OCRA to redirect Community Development Block Grant funds to assist with COVID-19 needs

• By April, COVID-19 Phase 1 was launched to fund the following projects:– Alter medical facilities to help in the increase patient load due to COVID-19;– Provide fixed or mobile testing;– Expand food pantry services to low-to-moderate (LMI) populations; and– Provide grants or loans to small businesses to help retain LMI jobs.

• In Phase 1: 62 rural communities received funding totaling more than $10.7 million.

COVID-19COVID-19 Response

Union County was awarded $71,750 to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) for its local first

responders and provide COVID-19 testing to its county residents.

City of Hartford City was awarded $114,355 to provide PPE, ultraviolet wands, testing

and hand sanitizer for first responders including the fire and police departments.

• In Phase 2, is a competitive process:– Apply for up to $250,000– Funds can be used to provide grants or

loans to businesses so they are able to continue operations and keep their employees working

– Communities that received an award in phase 1 may apply again for phase 2

• Applications are due July 31.

• Award announcement is expected for August 27.

COVID-19 Response

City of Brazil was awarded $75,000 to purchase two month’s supply of groceries and additional supplies. By

partnering with the Clay County Emergency Food Pantry, the City will be able to provide assistance to 4,430 LMI

families and individuals.

IHCDA COVID-19 Housing Assistance

Indiana COVID-19 Rental Assistance • Eligibility & application available:

indianahousingnow.org• Assistance up to four months of $500 per month

not to exceed $2,000

Mortgage Payment Assistance • Eligibility and application available at

877gethope.org• Assistance up to six months

Energy Assistance Program • Eligibility and application available at www.in.gov/ihcda/4067.htm• Onetime benefit of $350• Deadline to apply is July 31

IHCDA COVID-19 Housing Assistance

IHCDA COVID-19 Resource Page• Provides weekly notes from Jake Sipe and program

updates• IHCDA CARES Act funding and awards• Technical and financial assistance found at

www.in.gov/ihcda/coronavirus.htm

• This guide helps answer questions from homeowners and renters

• Available at www.in.gov/ihcda/4464.htm

Hoosier Hospitality Promise

• Businesses who make the promise will have the opportunity to offer a discount to consumers who also have made their promise. The discount will encourage visitation and spending at their business

• Consumers can find a participating business discount with an interactive map

• Consumers can take the Promise and receive a pass to receive a discount: Hoosier Hospitality Promise Pass #HHPromise

Advance Funding Program

▪ Since 1989, the IBB has offered cashflow assistance to units of government in Indiana under the Advance Funding program

o The Indiana Bond Bank offers a ‘Midyear’ round of cashflow assistance under the Advance Funding program

o Applications for the 2020 Midyear Advance Funding program are now being accepted

▪ Over $13.5 billion in cashflow assistance issued

▪ Short-term Tax Anticipation Warrants secured by property taxes and/or school tuition support payments

▪ Efficient market access through pooling

▪ Cashflow analysis and assistance from IBB’s team of professionals

Next Application Round opens in October 2020 with a December-January Closing

▪Please contact bondbank@inbondbank.com for more information!

ADVANCE FUNDING PROGRAM – 2020 MIDYEAR 10

Hoosier Equipment Lease Purchase (HELP) ProgramThe Indiana Bond Bank offers the HELP program to schools and other units of government in Indiana. This program exempts the legal requirement of local government to bid out financing for equipment leasing. Contact HELP@inbondbank.com for more information!

Financing One-to-One Technology 11

Statewide-Network of Lenders

Competitive Rates

Flexible Lease-Purchase Structure with No Long-Term Debt

Applications Accepted on a Rolling Basis

Currently Piloting “Interest Rate Buydown” Initiative

Indiana Main Street • 128 Main Street

organizations across 81counties.

• For every community with an IMS program, there’s an average of $5.5M in public and private downtown investment.

• New National Main Street educational partnership.

Main Street is a comprehensive, incremental approach to revitalization built around a community’s unique

heritage and attributes.

Downtown Franklin, winner of the 2019 Best of Indiana Main Street Contest

Historic Renovation Grant

• Exterior work only.• Rolling application process • Property must be at least 50 years

old.• Grant requests between $5,000 and

$100,000 • Local match must be greater than or

equal to 50% of total eligible project costs.

To preserve and rehabilitate historic properties in order to further incentivize downtown economic development.

Preserving Women’s Legacy Grants

• $15,000 to $40,000 awarded to 3 to 5 communities, that require a 1:1 match.

• Funds can be used to support historic preservation work, placemaking, public art, trail signage and other tangible projects that commemorate Indiana women’s history and promote visitation to Main Street communities.

• Awards will be announced on Aug. 26, Women’s Equality Day.

These grants catalyze Main Street communities to discover, preserve and activate locations that tell stories about women’s contributions in Indiana.

Community Development Block Grants

Program Maximum Grant Amount Local Match Planning Up to $50,000 10%

Blight Clearance Program* funds of up to $500,000 over a period of time 10%

Wastewater Drinking Water Up to $700,000 20%

Stormwater Improvements Up to $600,000 10%

Public Facilities* Up to $500,000 10%

Main Street Revitalization* Up to $600,000 10%

*Not accepting these applications in 2020

Hometown Business Preservation Initiative

Topics covered include: • Fund’s purpose and eligibility requirements• Primary Administrator roles/responsibilities• What is the Loan Review Committee?• Use of funds and loan amounts • Loan details (length of loans, fees, interest rates,

etc.)• Setting up the fund account• Strategic marketing• Loan application intake process• Review and funding of loans• Track results and assess fund sustainability• The program offers long-term federal tax

benefits for investments in designated zones.

• Partnership with the Purdue Center for Regional Development and The Ohio State University.

• Open to leaders from: city, county, or incorporated town; economic development corporations, main street organizations, chambers of commerce, and community foundations.

• One-on-one online webinars to walk community leadership through the process by team of experts.

Next Level Broadband

• Designed to promote access to high speed quality broadband service to rural areas.

• Round 1: $28.4 M awarded to 14 projects– 11,300 homes & commercial

locations in 18 counties • 72 Round 2 applications were

received – Awards anticipated in August

What your Liaison can do for you

Who We AreCommunity Liaisons (CLs) represent the interests of Indiana, the Lt. Governor, and OCRA, serving as a front door to state government and act as a two-way conduit between communities and state agencies.

What your Liaison can do for you

Who We ServeOCRA Community Liaisons grow and maintain working relationships with local and regional leaders including, but not limited to, elected officials, local economic development officials (LEDOs), chambers of commerce, community foundations, Main Street organizations, and regional planning organizations.

• In 2019, OCRA awarded 62 grants totaling more than $34.7 M with $55.2 M local dollars leveraged to aid these projects.

• OCRA staff dedicated: – 2,556 meetings;– Traveled 147,747 miles;– And made 8,894 calls

and emails

What your Liaison can do for you

East Central Colette Childress(317) 416-3281

NortheastAndrea Kern(317) 607-4821

Community Liaisons

SoutheastJennifer Voris(317) 690-9736

SouthwestLisa Muench(317) 504-6965

Northwest Gerry White(317) 694-8372

West CentralDeeDee Leonard(317) 450-5078

www.ocra.in.gov | One North Capitol, Suite 600, Indianapolis, IN 46204 | 1-800-824-2476

Follow us: @IndianaOCRA