Finalist Communities
2011 Finalists: Batesville, Bedford, Greencastle, Marion, New Castle, North Vernon, Portland, Princeton, Rochester, Shelbyville, Union City, and Washington.
2012 Finalists: Auburn, Crawfordsville, Delphi, Petersburg, Princeton, Richmond and Whitestown.
2013 Finalists: Angola, Bedford, Frankfort, Petersburg, Richmond, and Wabash.
2014 Finalists: Decatur, Huntingburg, Marion, Mt. Vernon, Nashville, and Wabash.
2015 Finalists: Crawfordsville, Decatur, Dunkirk, Marion, and North Liberty.
2016 Finalists: Rushville, Shelbyville, Warsaw, Corydon, Culver, and Union City.
2017 Finalists: Churubusco, Culver, Greensburg, Madison, Union City, and Vincennes.
The analysis below provide the outcomes of finalist between 2011 and 2013.
Community Investment Plan Process Impacts/Outcomes
The ISCP community Strategic Investment Plan (SIP), which is produced by the local unit of government, identifies capital projects to be funded during the three-year program period. The purpose of the SIP is to meet ISCP comprehensive community revitalization strategy. The state’s comprehensive community development strategy is defined as “a holistic approach to community and economic development. The plan should:
1. Clearly identify the community needs, goals, and financial capabilities;
2. Create awareness for effective local planning;
3. Enhance cooperation and communication throughout the community and region; and
4. Serve to increase local government stability.
Representatives from over half of the 23 finalist communities were interviewed. Overall, the majority of respondents interviewed indicated that the completion of the community Strategic Investment Plan and application process had positive outcomes for their communities. For instance,
- Eighty (80) percent of respondents agreed that the ISCP - SIP provides communities political clout and allows them to influence public policy and public funding priorities. To illustrate,
In Shelbyville, civic leaders and stakeholders estimated an average of $12 million in both public and private investments. In the city the downtown facade program has been expanded, the city’s Blue River Memorial Trail project is underway, 14 units of owner-occupied housing renovations were completed, as well as the adaptive reuse of a vacant school building.
In Wabash, respondents identified the process as playing a large role to help to solidify regional public funding and attract outside private investment for both ISCP related and other projects.
- Eighty (80) percent of respondents agreed that the ISCP - SIP allows communities to leverages both public and private dollars for projects.
For example,
In Marian, the Vectren Corporation assembled a strategic partnership with the City, including representatives from City Hall, businesses, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and faith-based communities, to develop a unified, collaborative approach for revitalizing economically-challenged neighborhoods. The city’s community revitalization partnership known as the Magnificent Seven, led to the demolition of approximately 15 blighted and vacant units and the renovation of 100 owner-occupied housing units. In addition, civic leaders acquired riverfront properties necessary for a downtown park renovation. All of these projects were identified in the Marion’s 2012 ISCP Community Investment Plan.
In Wabash, city leaders and stakeholders, the Wabash Community Development Commission, and private developers, were able to come together to leverage community capital (in the form of cash commitment and hard and soft equity) to redevelop a blighted building into 40 rental housing units ($8.6 million worth of investments). This project was identified in Wabash's Community Investment Plan.
- Eighty (80) percent of respondents agreed that the ISCP - SIP allows communities to measure accomplishments and demonstrate impact.
For instance,
In Frankfort, the Ivy Tech development -- a complimentary ISCP project -- is complete. The Ivy Tech development created a partnership with the Frankfort Local Schools which will allow students to take classes and graduate with college credits. This partnership helps to improves educational attainment for the city and region. In addition, there were efforts to make aesthetic improvements in Frankfort. The city’s team and civic leaders completed a street improvement project and are currently in the process purchasing property to begin implementation of a facade improvement program. Both of these initiatives were highlighted in the Frankfort Stellar Team’s ISCP application and Community Investment Plan. These improvement may have a large impact on the quality of life for residents, as well as, attract additional business and residents to the community.
- All respondents (100 %) agreed that the ISCP -SIP builds relationships within the city, among community-based organizations, and with private organizations and institutions. Such as,
All respondents identified the process as helping building and strengthening relationships within their cities and communities. One respondent explains: “[ISCP] does force you to cultivate relationships among leadership organizations in the community to accomplish this goal we simply couldn’t without.”
1. Clearly identify the community needs, goals, and financial capabilities;
2. Create awareness for effective local planning;
3. Enhance cooperation and communication throughout the community and region; and
4. Serve to increase local government stability.
Representatives from over half of the 23 finalist communities were interviewed. Overall, the majority of respondents interviewed indicated that the completion of the community Strategic Investment Plan and application process had positive outcomes for their communities. For instance,
- Eighty (80) percent of respondents agreed that the ISCP - SIP provides communities political clout and allows them to influence public policy and public funding priorities. To illustrate,
In Shelbyville, civic leaders and stakeholders estimated an average of $12 million in both public and private investments. In the city the downtown facade program has been expanded, the city’s Blue River Memorial Trail project is underway, 14 units of owner-occupied housing renovations were completed, as well as the adaptive reuse of a vacant school building.
In Wabash, respondents identified the process as playing a large role to help to solidify regional public funding and attract outside private investment for both ISCP related and other projects.
- Eighty (80) percent of respondents agreed that the ISCP - SIP allows communities to leverages both public and private dollars for projects.
For example,
In Marian, the Vectren Corporation assembled a strategic partnership with the City, including representatives from City Hall, businesses, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and faith-based communities, to develop a unified, collaborative approach for revitalizing economically-challenged neighborhoods. The city’s community revitalization partnership known as the Magnificent Seven, led to the demolition of approximately 15 blighted and vacant units and the renovation of 100 owner-occupied housing units. In addition, civic leaders acquired riverfront properties necessary for a downtown park renovation. All of these projects were identified in the Marion’s 2012 ISCP Community Investment Plan.
In Wabash, city leaders and stakeholders, the Wabash Community Development Commission, and private developers, were able to come together to leverage community capital (in the form of cash commitment and hard and soft equity) to redevelop a blighted building into 40 rental housing units ($8.6 million worth of investments). This project was identified in Wabash's Community Investment Plan.
- Eighty (80) percent of respondents agreed that the ISCP - SIP allows communities to measure accomplishments and demonstrate impact.
For instance,
In Frankfort, the Ivy Tech development -- a complimentary ISCP project -- is complete. The Ivy Tech development created a partnership with the Frankfort Local Schools which will allow students to take classes and graduate with college credits. This partnership helps to improves educational attainment for the city and region. In addition, there were efforts to make aesthetic improvements in Frankfort. The city’s team and civic leaders completed a street improvement project and are currently in the process purchasing property to begin implementation of a facade improvement program. Both of these initiatives were highlighted in the Frankfort Stellar Team’s ISCP application and Community Investment Plan. These improvement may have a large impact on the quality of life for residents, as well as, attract additional business and residents to the community.
- All respondents (100 %) agreed that the ISCP -SIP builds relationships within the city, among community-based organizations, and with private organizations and institutions. Such as,
All respondents identified the process as helping building and strengthening relationships within their cities and communities. One respondent explains: “[ISCP] does force you to cultivate relationships among leadership organizations in the community to accomplish this goal we simply couldn’t without.”
- The overall value of the program is that it allowed plans to become realities. The process allowed for community investment plans to become realities by fostering regional and transformative investments for ISCP finalists. A respondent elaborates: “We were one of those cities that had tough ties economically. We had a lot of industry leave. A lot of abandoned houses in our community, high unemployment. Over the last several years we ’ve been able to turn things around. We ’ve torn down and rehabbed a lot of those properties. A lot of economic development things. So we are on the map and moving forward…..”
For example,
In Angola, city leaders and community partners acquired grants to complete downtown improvements such as the Civil War Monument repairs, new upgraded street lighting, infrastructure and streetscape improvements. The city has also been successful in acquiring an vacant commercial property for adaptive reuse as a trailhead for a bike trail project. To date, public and private investments are estimated at $2.5 million.
In Batesville, city stakeholders were able to complete over $10 million in local investments.The city implemented six projects outlined in its initial community investment plan. These projects include Main Street Facades, street infrastructure and streetscape improvements, and park greenspace improvements.
In Bedford, revitalization activities proposed in prior ISCP applications were completed or are in progress. These include, but are not limited to Harp Commons renewal of park and festival space, courthouse renovations, decorative sidewalk railings, storm water improvements, Milwaukee Depot tile roof replacement, the Historic Stalker School adaptive reuse into Stalker School Apartments, a downtown Wi-Fi Bubble (creating free internet access for downtown offices, shops, and residents), as well as, the residential housing rehabilitation of approximately 30 homes.
