Grant Program
The I-69 Community Planning Program has partnered with the Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) in executing the grant agreements. OCRA has allowed this program to reduce and streamline the contracting timeline and process.
The grant application process closed in December 2007.
- City, town, and county governments are eligible; partnering with other local governments and organizations is encouraged.
- To be eligible for base grant funding (up to $40,000), all projects:
- Must position the participating community to respond more effectively to the anticipated effects of I-69.
- Must address the program objective regarding the protection of natural resources either directly or indirectly in or near the participating community.
- May address one or more of the remaining program objectives:
- Managing growth.
- Promoting economic development.
- Enhancing local planning capacity.
- To be eligible for bonus grant funds (up to $10,000), project must involve:
- Cooperative efforts among eligible local governments or other municipalities within the 15-county program area.
- Creating a planning commission or strategic plan in communities currently without a planning commission.
- Planning for the direct protection or enhancement of natural resources, including but not limited to plans for the purchase of land or protective easements on land and habitat enhancement or restoration.
- Eligible activities include the preparation and development of plans, ordinances, and resolutions. Costs for local government professional staff, such as land use planners or economic development staff, as well as professional fees for consulting services can be paid for with this funding. Limited amounts of funding can also be used for training workshops for elected and appointed officials and staff in one of the objective areas (not to exceed $3,000).
- Successful applicants will demonstrate manner that planned growth will promote natural resource protection per the Final Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement Record of Decision (ROD).
For more information on the grant program, please reference the grant application or the PowerPoint presentation from the last community workshop.
