Get READI South Bend – Elkhart Intake Form

The South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership is working with the Regional Development Authority and Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG) in pursuit of a $50 million grant from the state of Indiana’s READI program. We are building on the foundation of our current Regional Economic Development Strategy Plan and proposing that $25 million be used to continue the Regional Cities Initiative program and $25 million go toward strategies aligned with our five areas of focus: Entrepreneurship, Education & Workforce, Industry Growth, Talent Attraction & Retention, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

As part of the proposal development process, we are soliciting ideas for projects and programs that the Regional Partnership’s program committees, READI Steering Committee, and the RDA can review for potential inclusion in the final grant application.

The Submission Form is now closed as of 11:59pm EST on Sunday July 18th.

For questions related to specific projects and programs, please contact:

The intake of Strategy-Driven Programs and Projects and the Regional Cities Projects does not guarantee inclusion in the South Bend – Elkhart regional READI application. Should a project or program be selected for inclusion into the application, no promise of READI funding is being made, nor if a project or program isn’t included in the application does that mean it would not receive funding.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT READI PLEASE, CLICK HERE. TO READ THE PRESS RELEASE RELATED TO THE CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS PLEASE, CLICK HERE.

Timeline

JUNE 27 – JULY 18, 2021
Project Submission Window

  • Any projects who wish to request funding may submit a Submission Form.
  • A separate form must be completed for each project.
  • Projects can apply for a grant or no-interest loan.
  • Projects may request grants or loans for any amount up to $5,000,000.
  • The fund amount requested may not exceed 20% of the total expenditures of the project.
  • RCI funds should include matching fund amounts with a required 1:1 local public sector match and recommended 3:1 private or philanthropic match.
  • Project must be within Elkhart, Marshall, or St. Joseph counties.

JULY 19 – AUGUST 31, 2021
Proposal Development Period

  • The RDA, Steering Committee, and Regional Partnership’s program committees will review all submissions to identify common themes, a vision, and projects that may be included in the final grant submission to the State of Indiana, which is due August 31, 2021.
  • The RDA may request additional information on some projects as the proposal is developed.

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER, 2021
IEDC Review Period

  • The IEDC board of directors will form a READI review committee to evaluate the regional development plans. The review committee will establish criteria to evaluate the plans and host a series of public review meetings.
  • The region will make a presentation on our vision, goals, and strategies to the review committee.

NOVEMBER – DECEMBER 2021
Final READI Grants Announced

  • The review committee will make funding recommendations to the IEDC Board of directors.
  • The IEDC board of directors will announce grant recipients at their 4Q meeting in mid-December.

JANUARY 2022
Project Specific Funding Awards Announced

  • Should the South Bend – Elkhart region be awarded a $50 million READI grant, the RDA will request updated information from project teams that submitted a project for consideration.
  • The RDA will then work with the IEDC to determine the process for obtaining final state approval for recommended projects and the process for allocating any funds awarded.
  • The RDA may also institute a process for additional projects to be submitted for consideration at that time.