Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs today announced seven Indiana communities will receive $318,310 in Planning Grants through the Community Development Block Grant program. The communities will use the funds to develop plans for the implementation of community and economic development projects.

The Planning Grant program strives to encourage communities to plan for long-term community development with the aid of subject matter experts and community input. The applications being funded this quarter address utilities, public facilities and comprehensive planning efforts.

Public Facilities Planning Grants are designed to aid communities in assessing public facilities' existing conditions, needs, vision for future state and use of the facility to operationalize and implement options from the plan. Eligible facilities include fire stations, senior centers, libraries, childcare centers, community centers, facilities for special needs groups, youth centers, and museums and performance spaces that open doors to knowledge and ideas, culture and enjoyment.

Brazil was awarded $20, 000 in a Public Facilities Feasibility Study Grant.