Piece of the PI: Newsletter
A monthly publication for the members of Prosperity Indiana
July 2022
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Executive Director's Letter
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One of my parents’ favorite stories to tell about me as a small child is the time I asked to see a new movie that was coming out. They asked where it was playing, and I said “at a theatre near you”. Clearly, the marketing pros had done their job.
They had provided just enough info to get me interested – to get me to fill one of the theatre seats with my bottom. But that’s just the first step in a movie becoming a hit, right? I mean, if a movie stinks, we provide bad reviews – we tell others not to go.
But if it’s GOOD, watch out! People clamor to be part of something that’s inspiring, or funny, or gives them a chance to spend time with someone they care about doing something they both enjoy.
Not to oversell our regional meetings, but that’s pretty much them in a nutshell. But don’t take it from me … the reviews for the first three events speak for themselves. So what exactly are meeting-goers saying?
“The meeting included a lot of shocking and eye-opening information that proves the huge need for action!”
“Good conversations, data sharing, networking”
“Great discussions & opportunity to network - glad meetings returning to in person”
“Organized and informative; great networking opportunity”
“Info was great; conversations were also great”
“Lively discussion; interesting topics and viewpoints”
“Food was awesome”
"All of it was great! Good discussions and interactions throughout."
So, now, don’t you want to be part of what members are buzzing about?
Well, you still have a chance. We have three more meetings. At a bank, a CAP agency, or a library near you …
2022 Regional Meetings – Get your tickets here!
These events are in-person only – you will not be able to stream them later. So, this is your chance. Hope to see you soon – this week or next – in Evansville, Fort Wayne or Terre Haute!
And thanks, as always, for being a Piece of the PI Network!
So, now, don’t you want to be part of what members are buzzing about?
Well, you still have a chance. We have three more meetings. At a bank, a CAP agency, or a library near you …
2022 Regional Meetings – Get your tickets here!
These events are in-person only – they will not be going to DVD. So, this is your chance. Hope to see you soon – this week or next – in Evansville, Fort Wayne or Terre Haute!
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Jessica Love
Executive Director |
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We REAP prosperity by providing Resources, Engagement, Advocacy, and Programs that support our members' work! |
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Upcoming Trainings, Tools, & Funding Opportunities
Spotlight
on Coming Attractions
Health Is Wealth!
Join your colleagues for
the Health Is Wealth series, outlining how health and wealth are connected.
This series will highlight best practices at the critical intersection between
health and family financial stability, empowering communities to develop what the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation calls, “a culture of health.” A culture of health goes well beyond health
access and affordability by aligning programs, policies, and public/private
investments to help Hoosiers be healthy, wealthy, and wise!
Tools
You Can Use
PI’s 2022 regional meetings are utilizing a design thinking process to develop ideas on how to meet Indiana’s affordable housing and
financial empowerment challenges. Learn more
about a process that is critical to designing programs and partnerships to
solve challenges in your community.
Martindale
Brightwood Jumpstart Program
PI
is proud to be a partner in the Martindale Brightwood Jumpstart program! The United Way of Central Indiana awarded
$30,000 to Martindale Brightwood Community Development Corporation at Propel, a pitch contest for human services
organizations. Funds will be utilized to launch a program that will train and
mentor local residents interested in improving and investing in the
neighborhood by becoming real estate developers. One of the goals of the
program is to create affordable housing options so that families can stay in the
neighborhood and build wealth through homeownership.
A Not-So Fun Fact
According to a study by Bella Research
Group and the Knight Foundation, more than 75% of senior executive jobs in the
U.S. commercial real estate industry were held by white men. Black men held
only 1.3 percent. White women held 14.1 percent, while nonwhite women held less
than 1 percent of senior executive-level jobs. |
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Upcoming Regional Meetings
Regional Meetings are being held in six regions of the state this summer. If you are interested in serving as a meeting liaison with Prosperity Indiana and local community leaders in your area, please contact Rita O'Donohue.
Save the dates and register for our remaining upcoming regional meetings:
- Southwest - July 29, Evansville
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- Northeast - August 1, Fort Wayne
- West Central - August 4, Terre Haute
Thank you to those who attended and helped with promoting our previous meetings:
PI is Looking for an Administrative Assistant
Do you know someone looking for a change? Prosperity Indiana is seeking a diverse pool of applicants to join our energetic team as Administrative Assistant. This is a 15-20 hour/week, hybrid position. In addition to traditional administrative skills, the ideal candidate will have a passion for providing excellent service to our team and our members. Apply here.
Send Your Events, Career Opportunities, & Other Highlights
We want to share our members' events and career opportunities. Both are highlighted in the monthly newsletter and career opportunities are posted on our website. Send your event or job posting information to Michaela Wischmeier. |
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CRA Comments
CRA Commenting Period
The commenting period on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR) for the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) is open now through August 5. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen the impact CRA has on redlining, fair and affordable housing, and community reinvestment. Please see the analysis action toolkit on NCRC's #TreasureCRA page. PI will be hosting a conversation on how submit comments on Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET. Join the conversation here.
Medical Debt in Indiana
The Hoosiers for Responsible Lending coalition (HRL) is pleased to endorse the new report Medical Debt in Indiana co-released by The Indiana Community Action Poverty Institute (Institute), Grassroots Maternal and Child Health Initiative, and Prosperity Indiana. HRL is marking the release by encouraging Hoosiers to submit personal stories of their experience with medical debt burdens. Medical Debt in Indiana discusses the health and social impacts of medical debt, explains how individuals become indebted, provides data about financially vulnerable Hoosiers and statewide trends, summarizes recent government and private action, and recommends policy solutions to address rising medical debt. Read the report here.
A&O Learning Session Thank you to everyone who participated in the Indiana Assets & Opportunity (A&O) Network's latest learning session, Employer Options to Support Asset-Building through Retirement Savings. Included in this learning session was an introduction to the Individual Retirement Savings Toolkit, brought to you by A&O with the help of our partners at AARP. We all benefit from Hoosier asset building, so consider sharing it with your employees and clients! |
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Community Loan Centers
Community Loan Centers (CLCs) are expanding to Central and Southern Indiana
Contact Teresa Reimschisel if your organization would like to offer this benefit to your employees.
- No cost or risk to employer
- Attractive and innovative employee benefit
- Increases productivity, workplace morale, and employee retention
- Reduces costs and productivity lost from employee financial stress and absenteeism
- Easy to administer
- Access to employer portal at anytime
- Employees may apply for loan after working hours
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Sponsor Piece of the PI is sponsored by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis (FHLBI). |
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IndyGo Searching for Onboard Feedback Do you know of an individual or group of individuals who are
fluent in multiple languages who might also enjoy
engaging IndyGo’s riders while onboard the bus throughout the month of September?
IndyGo would like assistance in making the upcoming on-board rider survey as welcoming of an experience as possible. Collected once every 4 or 5 years, on‐board rider survey data provides useful insight into the nature of the markets they serve and can often reveal when our service delivery isn’t sufficient to address all the unique needs of riders.
Below is the contact information for the two temporary employment agencies to reach out to them directly for more information to participate:
A copy of IndyGo's last on-board survey is available here. |
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‘Equity Pays’ Black-led CDFI Feasibility Study Published
In 2020, the City of Indianapolis and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Indianapolis supported a feasibility study for a local Black-led CDFI. The study, ‘Equity Pays: A Case for a Black-led Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI),’ was conducted by Black Onyx Management, Inc. and is now published and available for download. |
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CDBG Planning Grant Program Open Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs has announced the Community Development Block Grant's Planning Grant program is now open for applications. Applications will be accepted until Aug. 12, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. ET via the Indiana Electronic Grants Management System. Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications prior to 4 p.m. ET on Aug. 12, 2022, as technical assistance will not be available after that time.
While a formal site visit is not required for this program, applicants must contact their OCRA Community Liaison to: 1) notify the Office of their intention to submit an application and 2) to receive technical assistance on the planning process. A map of community liaison districts can be found here.
Click here to find the Planning Grant Third Quarter application. Click here for more information on the Planning Grants program. |
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Historic Renovation Grant Program The Historic Renovation Grant Program is now open for applications. The program is designed to preserve and rehabilitate historic properties to further incentivize downtown economic development across Indiana.
Applicants with an eligible historic commercial structure can apply for project funding between $5,000 and $100,000. The request must be no more than 50% of eligible project costs, with the local match being greater than or equal to 50% of the total eligible project costs.
To be considered for funding, applicants must receive an approved Certificate of Approval from the Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology by Aug. 28, 2022. Completed grant applications must be received by OCRA before 4 p.m. ET on Oct. 5, 2022. Eligible applicants include non-profits, individuals, partnerships, firms, associations, joint ventures, limited liability companies, corporation or non-profit affordable housing organization.
Click here for more information. |
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READI Grants Governor Eric Holcomb says nearly half of the grant funding awarded through the Indiana Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative are set to be designated for projects and programs in 10 regions by the end of July.
The state approved $500 million in READI grants for all 17 regions of the state in December.
The Indiana Economic Development Corp. says the remaining $300 million is expected to be designated by the end of the year. The state says the full READI funding is expected to generate nearly $10 billion in total investment from the public, private and nonprofit sectors.
To date, 12 of the 17 regions have finalized grant agreements with the IEDC and plan to move forward with 53 projects and programs outlined in their regional development plans. Read more here. |
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COVID-19 Housing Resources
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For a complete list of the state's various emergency rental assistance programs, visit the Housing4Hoosiers COVID-19 Assistance & Resources page.
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The Indy Affordable Modification Program (IndyAMP) allows Marion County homeowners negatively affected by COVID-19 to refinance mortgage debt at a below-market interest rate for up to 30 years. IndyAMP allows owners to remain in their homes, become current with their mortgages, and lower their monthly payments.
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COVID-19 Resources for Homeowners provides information for FHA-insured mortgages on the foreclosure moratorium and how to apply for mortgage forbearance. |
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Member News & Publications
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COVID-19 & How to Stay Healthy |
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Prosperity Indiana's Response
Prosperity Indiana team members are transitioning back to a hybrid work arrangement. We are hosting in-person meetings and events and traveling to member sites for in-person gatherings. Watch for more upcoming events here. We will continue to:
The best way to reach us is always via email. Here is a link to contact information for full-time staff. Prosperity Indiana is here to support you. If you have specific suggestions for webinars, FB live chats, or other resources for us to share related to COVID-19 or other topics, please reach out to our team. We will be sure to inform you of any further updates as needed. | |
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Support Prosperity Indiana while youshop with AmazonSmile!
Shopping on Amazon.com? Switch to our AmazonSmile page, and Amazon will donate a percentage of your purchase to Prosperity Indiana! |
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If you have a success story, an upcoming event, or a job opening, please let us know! Prosperity Indiana is seeking guest bloggers and success stories from our membership to broadcast across the network. We want to highlight our greatest asset, our members!
Send your stories to Michaela Wischmeier here.
Visit our blog for more of the latest community economic development news in Indiana. |
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Prosperity Indiana 1099 N. Meridian Street, Suite 170, Indianapolis, IN 46204 (317) 222-1221 This email was sent to {Contact_Email}. If you no longer wish to receive email from Prosperity Indiana, click here. |
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