Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch, alongside the Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA), recognized more than 90 rural communities, including the Town of Cicero, who partnered with the agency throughout 2017 to collaboratively shape and execute their vision for local community and economic development opportunities.
“By combining the great efforts of our communities and fantastic state agencies like OCRA, we are helping establish ways local leaders can help their cities and towns grow,” Crouch said. “I am inspired by the more than 90 communities who have taken a hard look at how they can improve their neighborhoods and increase economic development and taken the steps necessary to complete those goals. I look forward to seeing the progress they continue to make.”
Crouch said more than 53 million local community dollars were combined with the funding provided through OCRA of $28 million in order to complete community wide improvements like workforce development, main street revitalization, historic renovation and downtown enhancement.
Cicero was recently awarded $400,000 dollars for their Facade Improvement Program. The project is set to begin in early summer 2018.
“Community applicants ranged from county level to local nonprofit organizations and schools, allowing for different ideas on how best to improve their communities,” OCRA Executive Director Jodi Golden said. “We worked hard to partner with local business owners, and leaders to award more than 100 grants across the state, and I am proud of the collaborative efforts of all parties involved.”
The 2017 awards ceremony marks OCRA’s 12th anniversary since the agency’s creation in 2005. State legislators, mayors, local elected officials, grant administrators, community development organizations, community partners and businesses were present at the awards ceremony and celebration.
The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs’ (OCRA) mission is to work 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.