The Indiana Office of USDA Rural Development (RD) announced the designation of the Southern Indiana Development Commission (SIDC) as a Stronger Economies Together (SET) region. Seven regional economic-development groups in five states were selected to participate in this latest round of technical assistance awards. “Rural communities recognize the vital importance of economic development for the …

“Small Business Starts Here” – RushCountyBiz.com That’s the message that Rushville and Rush County are championing with the launching of the community’s own entrepreneurial website. Over fifty community members gathered on Wednesday when the Hometown Collaboration Initiative (HCI) team hosted an official launch party for the new website. The Rush County Biz website is the “go-to” …

This article was originally published in the Tribune-Star on May 7, 2017. Hiring employees from various backgrounds, cultures and experiences leads to workplace diversity. The vast majority of employers view diversity as an investment toward establishing a stronger business foundation, and many benefits are associated with diversity. Managers and leaders must recognize the benefits and …

No one likes to sit through a bad meeting. Many of us can point to things we don’t like about the meetings we attend that are not productive: The purpose is unclear It feels unorganized Someone dominates the conversation We never seem to get anywhere The meeting is too long! If you had a magic …

On a beautiful May day, more than 100 people gathered at the DeKalb County Fairgrounds to learn, network and share about the local food system for Auburn, Indiana. This event is the mid-way point in the Rebuilding Your Local Food System program that the Hometown Collaboration Initiative (HCI) Team is pursuing as part of their …

The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) announced on May 4, 2017 that the Towns of Albion and Cumberland, Cities of Angola and Washington, and Brown County have been welcomed into the Indiana Hometown Collaboration Initiative (HCI). To date, nineteen communities across the State of Indiana have joined this community capacity-building initiative. “We are so pleased …

Main Street corridors and county lines no longer bound society. The geographic boundaries of business expand nationally and globally for many small businesses. With that expansion, communication is critical for their success. Various forms of communication include multiple forms of media as well as traditional, such as phone and mail. What you say and do …

More than 58 people gathered at the Spencer County Extension office on March 22, 2017 to learn and discuss issues for their local food system. As part of the Hometown Collaboration Initiative (HCI) Placemaking Track, the group has embarked on the Purdue Extension Rebuilding Your Local Food System program. As part of this six-month process, the …

This post is a part of our Local Government book club series. Join us in reading A Good Tax: Legal and Policy Issues for the Property Tax in the United States by Joan Youngman. This week’s post focuses on the fourth chapter of the book. Let’s talk about school funding and property tax. Of course …

Small businesses are the primary driver of job growth in Indiana. In fact, existing second stage businesses generated 36% of all new jobs in Indiana between 2010 and 2015. Traditionally, community leaders’ primary approach to growing their local economy has been through industrial attraction; looking for a large employer that wanted to move to their …