Hometown
Collaboration
Initiative
765-494-7273
765-494-7273
The Indiana HCI is not currently accepting applications. Check here periodically to find out when the next application process will begin.
For more information about HCI please call 765-494-7273 or contact info@indianahci.org
Indiana Communities of 25,000 residents or fewer are eligible to apply for the Indiana Hometown Collaboration Initiative. Five applicants will be selected from each round of applicants. Communities selected for the program should be prepared to contribute a $5,000 cost-share contribution to the program. To determine if your community may be eligible for funding, please review this data report that discloses the number of residents in Indiana cities and counties.
Indianapolis – The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) announced they are now accepting applications for Generation 5 of the Hometown Collaboration Initiative (HCI).
Communities (or counties) with a population of 25,000 or less that wish to: (1) promote the launch, survival and growth of small businesses and entrepreneurs; (2) invest in place through community design, public space developments, local foods or other quality of life initiatives; or (3) develop a new generation of local leaders, are eligible to apply.
“I am proud to have witnessed the transformation of our previous HCI communities,” said Bill Konyha, OCRA Executive Director. “HCI helps in establishing local capacity, it encourages communities to focus on collaboration as an economic driver and it is helping communities move forward. I strongly encourage all eligible communities to apply.”
HCI is a capacity-building program led by OCRA in a unique partnership with Ball State University’s Indiana Communities Institute (ICI) and Purdue University’s Center for Regional Development (PCRD). Together, these entities champion the core principles of HCI, one centered on the establishment and sustainability of a representative group of local residents that is dedicated to advancing the long-term vitality of their communities.
“HCI provides smaller communities with the ability to make a difference,” said Bo Beaulieu, Purdue Center for Regional Development Director and Extension Community Development Program Assistant Director. “HCI gives communities the tools, skills and strategies they need to make their hometowns the best that they can be.”
Generation 5 applications will be accepted beginning Monday, February 6 and should be submitted to Info@indianahci.org. Applications are due by Friday, March 31 at 4:00 p.m. EST.
To aid applicants with the HCI application process, Purdue University will host a webinar on Monday, March 6 (from 2:30-3:30 pm EST) titled ‘How to Write a Competitive HCI Application.’
Communities selected for site visits will be notified on Thursday, April 6. Next, these communities will be asked to host a visit of members of the State HCI team. HCI applicants that are ultimately selected to be part of HCI’s Generation 5 will be announced on Thursday, May 4.
The HCI Generation 5 community teams will undergo an extensive training program to help focus their energy on one of three Building Blocks designed to build on their community development opportunities. The Building Blocks include:
“Every community has strengths they utilize to make their homes a better place and HCI allows them to identify where they still have room to improve,” said David Terrell, Director of Ball State University’s Economic Development Policy. “The local HCI teams will develop a deep understanding of what their community needs to successfully maintain dedication of local leaders for years to come.”
HCI Generation 5 designees will join 14 communities that have already received the Hometown Collaboration Initiative designation. The previous 14 designees are engaged in the process and moving forward with the Building Blocks and projects to improve their communities.
For more information regarding the application, eligibility requirements or to sign up for the webinar, visit http://indianahci.org/apply. If you have any questions concerning the application process, please reach out to your OCRA Community Liaison.
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) announces they are now accepting applications for the third generation of the Hometown Collaboration Initiative (HCI).
Self-identified communities with up to 25,000 people that aim to develop a new generation of local leaders; promote the launch, survival and growth of small businesses and entrepreneurs; or invest in place through community design, public space developments, local foods, or other quality of life initiatives are eligible and encouraged to apply.
Interested communities must electronically submit their application to Info@IndianaHCI.org no later than 4:00 p.m. EDT on July 29, 2016.
“By engaging in HCI, we have already seen several communities take those essential next steps in building upon their foundations for locally determined community and economic development opportunities,” said Bill Konyha, OCRA Executive Director. “I would encourage other communities to look into HCI and see how this process can strengthen local capacity, setting up cities and towns to move forward with other impactful OCRA programs and initiatives.”
HCI is a capacity-building program led by OCRA in partnership with Ball State and Purdue Universities. Together, these entities champion the core principles of HCI, especially broad-based input and buy-in that is vital to the long-term success and sustainability of all community development initiatives.
"HCI is the right fit for local leaders and residents in Indiana’s small communities who want to commit themselves to making a difference in their communities. The program equips the local HCI team with the tools, skills and strategies that can serve as a blueprint for making their hometown an ever greater place to live, work and play,” added Bo Beaulieu, Director of the Purdue Center for Regional Development.
The application consists of open-ended questions that demonstrate the community’s commitment to reach out to a broader array of local individuals who can identify the mix of needs and opportunities present in their hometowns. This commitment to inclusion is a an essential ingredient for gaining community-wide support for the community improvement work of the local HCI team.
The community team will receive extensive training and become increasingly familiar with the following three Building Blocks before shifting focus to one block later in the HCI process:
In total, 10 communities have received the HCI designation and each are currently still engaged in the process, moving forward with projects and building blocks in their communities.
"Every community has its own strengths they bring to their region. The HCI process helps local teams both identify and learn how to come together as a community to leverage their assets in building a stronger economy – this is truly comprehensive economic development," said David Terrell, Interim Co-Director of Ball State’s Indiana Communities Institute.
For more information regarding the application, eligibility requirements and webinar sign-up visitindianaHCI.org/apply.
Additionally, contact OCRA regional Community Liaisons with questions or explore current HCI designee communities’ progress.
Make plans to attend the June 15th HCI webinar by signing up here.
Indianapolis – Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann, who also serves as Indiana's Secretary of Rural Development, today sent an electronic video to congratulate four newly designated finalists for the Hometown Collaboration Initiative (HCI). The program is administered by the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) in partnership with Ball State University’s Center for Community Economic Development , Purdue University’s Center for Regional Development and the Purdue Extension .
This initiative is open to self-identified communities of 25,000 or fewer people who want to develop a new generation of local leaders; promote the launch, survival and growth of small businesses and entrepreneurs; or enhance the natural and physical assets of their hometowns. A core principle of HCI is that broad-based input and buy-in is vital to the long-term success and sustainability of all community development initiatives.
Eligible applicants were asked to choose between three building blocks:
“We know that our rural communities play a vital role in Indiana’s economy, and I commend the finalists for working together to develop a strong local vision for the future,” Lt. Governor Ellspermann said in the video. “It is through programs, such as HCI, that we are able to foster a culture that supports capacity building, collaborative partnerships, business growth and provides a quality of place where people want to invest, live, work, and raise a family.”
2015 HCI finalist communities include:
The application consisted of six open-ended questions that demonstrated the community’s ability and need to participate in the program as well as identified the current strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, they were asked to explain why their community was prepared for this program.
After semi-finalists were announced in early November 2015, the HCI team conducted site visits and each of the local communities were able to further elaborate on their need for the program.
The congratulatory video from Lt. Governor Ellspermann is available on You Tube .
For more information about the Hometown Collaboration Initiative, contact your regional Community Liaison with questions and visit OCRA’s Hometown Collaboration Initiative webpage .
The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs’ (OCRA) mission is to work with local, state, and national partners to provide resources and technical assistance to assist communities in shaping and achieving their vision for community and economic development.
For updates from Lt. Governor Ellspermann and the agencies she oversees, go to www.lg.in.gov.
INDIANAPOLIS – Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann, Indiana’s Secretary of Rural Development, joined the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) to announce six communities have been selected as semi-finalists for the Hometown Collaboration Initiative (HCI).
This initiative is open to self-identified communities of 25,000 or fewer people who want to develop a new generation of local leaders; promote the launch, survival and growth of small businesses and entrepreneurs; or enhance the natural and physical assets of their hometowns. A core principle of HCI is that broad-based input and buy-in is vital to the long-term success and sustainability of all community development initiatives.
The program is administered by OCRA in partnership with Ball State University’s Center for Community Economic Development, Purdue University’s Center for Regional Development, and the Purdue Extension.
“HCI helps our communities come together to develop a strong local vision for their future," said Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann. “I am confident that participating in HCI will help attract and retain both businesses and residents and strengthen the fabric of the local community. Thanks to each of the semi-finalist teams for their collaborative efforts to ensure our cities and towns are poised for prosperity now and in the future."
Eligible applicants were asked to choose between three building blocks:
The application consisted of six open-ended questions that demonstrated the community’s ability and desire to participate in the program as well as identified current strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, they were asked to explain why their community was prepared for this program.
2015 HCI Semi-finalist communities include:
The next step in the selection process will be site visits conducted by the HCI team in November. Each of the semi-finalist teams will have a two hour session during the visits to further elaborate on their opportunities for the program and how it can contribute to the long-term success of local community and economic development initiatives. Finalist communities will be announced on or before December 3, 2015.
For more information about the Hometown Collaboration Initiative, contact your regional Community Liaison with questions and visit OCRA’s Hometown Collaboration Initiative webpage.
The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs’ (OCRA) mission is to work with local, state, and national partners to provide resources and technical assistance to assist communities in shaping and achieving their vision for community and economic development.
For updates from Lt. Governor Ellspermann and the agencies she oversees, go to www.lg.in.gov.
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) has announced that applications for the second generation of the Hometown Collaboration Initiative (HCI) open today.
Self-identified communities with up to 25,000 people that aim to develop a new generation of local leaders, promote the launch, survival, and growth of small businesses and entrepreneurs, or enhance community design and local spaces are eligible and encouraged to apply. Applications must be submitted electronically to Info@IndianaHCI.org by Tuesday, October 20, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. EST.
"By engaging in the HCI process, communities are taking a deliberate step towards ensuring a strong foundation is in place for community and economic development," OCRA Executive Director Bill Konyha said. "HCI guides communities to assemble a dynamic team of individuals and strengthen their core capacity which prepares them to move forward with other comprehensive programs including the Stellar Communities Designation Program."
HCI is a capacity-building program led by OCRA in partnership with Ball State and Purdue Universities. Together, these entities champion the core principles of HCI, especially that broad-based input and buy-in are vital to the long-term success and sustainability of all community development initiatives.
"Indiana is dotted with nearly 600 small cities and towns, and HCI is the right program to help strengthen the long-term vitality of these communities," director of the Purdue Center for Regional Development and Purdue Extension community development program leader Bo Beaulieu added.
The application consists of six open-ended questions designed to demonstrate the community’s ability to reach out to individuals who represent groups, organizations and demographics that are not typically engaged in community leadership, but provide a distinctive and relevant perspective. By taking this broad approach to community development, each group is able to identify a direction that supports their community’s specific goals.
The community team will receive extensive training and become increasingly familiar with the following three building blocks before shifting focus to one block later in the HCI process:
"HCI helps position communities to build quality of place to cultivate, attract and retain talent for economic, cultural and social progress," said Julie Halbig, Vice President of Government Relations and Community Engagement at Ball State University.
Last year, six communities received the HCI Designation and are currently engaged in the process, moving forward on economy and placemaking discussions and projects.
Make plans to attend the September 17th HCI webinar How to Write a Competitive Application by signing up here.
For more information about HCI, contact your Regional Community Liaison with questions or explore current HCI designee communities’ progress.
Visit OCRA’s website for general information about additional programs and initiatives.
PARTNERS
HCI program partners include Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, Purdue University and Ball State University.
