More than $11 million in federal grant funding is on its way to 21 rural Hoosier communities.
Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch and officials with the Office of Community and Rural Affairs announced the winners in third round of the 2017 Community Development Block Grant Program on Thursday. The State of Indiana distributes these grant funds to local government units with projects such as improving infrastructure, downtown revitalization, public facilities improvements, and economic development.
Marshall County was awarded $500,000 for the construction of a multi-purpose community building. The structure will be built on the 4-H Fairgrounds in Argos. The building will be approximately 8,000 square feet and will able to accommodate more than 400 community members for a variety of year-round events.
In a February meeting of the Marshall County Commissioners, Shannon McLeod from Priority Project Resources said there is a local match of $300,000 which is coming from the Town of Argos and fundraising efforts. At the request of the Marshall County 4-H Fair Association, the county council approved a motion in January to approve a $215,000 pledge toward the project instead of a bank loan. That money would not need to be appropriated until 2019.
With this grant award, the county’s annual payment agreement to the fair association of $24,000 will be suspended for a period of nine years and may not need to be further appropriated after that term.
The first round of grants in the 2018 Community Development Block Grant program will open on April 16 with proposals due on May 25.
