Indiana
| Program | # of Grants | EDA Funds |
|---|---|---|
| Economic Adjustment Assistance | 1 | $150,000 |
| Public Works | 1 | $250,000 |
| Disaster Relief | 1 | $1,834,863 |
| Planning | 7 | $927,905 |
| Technical Assistance | 1 | $188,373 |
| Total | 11 | $3,351,141 |
During Fiscal Year 2013, EDA invested $3,351,141 in 11 projects in the State of Indiana. These projects are expected to create or retain 1,502 jobs and leverage $207,000,000 in private investment, according to grantee estimates. EDA’s investments help Indiana communities achieve bottom-up, locally-defined economic development goals and strategies.
EDA offers a complementary, balanced portfolio of grant programs designed to help rural and urban communities grow their private sectors and create jobs.
Investment Spotlight: River Ridge Commerce Center Business Park
With excellent access to interstate highways, ports, rail, and airports, Clark County has many strong competitive advantages in manufacturing transportation, distribution, and logistics. Built in the early 1940s, the former Indiana Army Ammunition Plant in Jeffersonville, Indiana served as a major Army manufacturing facility from World War II through the Vietnam War. When Congress decommissioned the munitions facility in 1998, the site proved to be a prime location for redevelopment as a business park.
Since its founding, the River Ridge Commerce Center Business Park has become a key component in the rapidly growing commerce center in Southern Indiana. However, the antiquated 1940’s and 50’s infrastructure at the site is inadequate for modern business needs. In order to make the site competitive for investment and attract new companies to the region, EDA awarded $1.8 million to construct road, rail, water, and other infrastructure in the River Ridge Commerce Center Business Park. This project will support the region’s transportation, distribution, and manufacturing clusters and spur job creation.
The project will help the area to recover from the recent disasters that have caused the region to suffer economically by increasing the park’s capacity to accommodate high-growth potential companies. Grantees estimate that the project improvements will generate 1,202 jobs and $147 million in private investment. Amazon.com, a Fortune 500 company with offices across the globe, has committed to build a one million square foot distribution center at River Ridge, creating 1,050 new permanent jobs and spurring $75 million in private investment. In addition, Newly Weds Foods, a world leader in food ingredient technology will open a new facility in the business park and create 152 new jobs, and invest $72 million.