OCRA awards $10M for COVID relief to rural communities

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) – Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs have awarded additional COVID-19 relief funding. Crouch’s office says 42 rural Indiana communities will receive more than $10 million in federal grant funding through Phase 2 of the COVID-19 Response Program.

OCRA says it launched the second phase of relief funding to continue addressing the economic impact caused by COVID-19 on rural Hoosier businesses. Earlier this year, Crouch announced 61 first phase grant recipients, who received more than $10.7 million in funding.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our Hoosier economy and they have made considerable sacrifices during the COVID-19 crisis.” said Crouch “This funding will help Hoosier small businesses continue to recover and will help make investments necessary to create safer spaces for their customers and staff.”

Crouch’s office says applicants could apply for up to $250,000 in business grants or loans to retain low-to-moderate income jobs. OCRA Interim Executive Director Matt Crouch says many business owners face margins that are already slim, which makes the grants “even more essential for their survival.”

Phase 2 funding comes from Indiana’s CARES Act allocation. The recipients include:

Grants to businesses to retain jobs

• Bedford – $241,873
• Boonville – $250,000
• Charlestown – $250,000
• Jeffersonville – $250,000
• Madison – $250,000
• Monticello – $250,000
• Mount Vernon – $250,000
• Shelbyville – $250,000
• Scottsburg – $250,000
• Washington – $250,000
• Clarksville – $250,000
• Fort Branch – $250,000
• Hagerstown – $250,000
• Haubstadt – $150,000
• Nashville – $250,000
• New Harmony – $250,000
• Spencer – $250,000
• Daviess County – $250,000
• Gibson County – $250,000
• Jennings County – $250,000
• LaGrange County – $250,000
• La Porte County – $250,000
• Marshall County – $250,000
• Orange County – $250,000
• Posey County – $250,000
• Pulaski County – $250,000
• Ripley County – $250,000
• Tippecanoe County – $250,000
• Vanderburgh County – $250,000
• Wabash County – $160,000

Loans to businesses to retain jobs

• Angola – $250,000
• Hartford City – $250,000
• New Haven – $237,500
• North Judson – $250,000
• Dearborn County – $250,000
• Fayette County – $250,000
• Grant County – $100,000
• Jefferson County – $250,000
• Parke County – $250,000
• Randolph County – $250,000
• Switzerland County – $250,000
• Whitley County – $250,000