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IACED's annual membership drive is well underway. Please act now to rejoin Indiana's only statewide association for the community economic development industry. Together, we're making a difference for people and communities all around the state.
The first round of renewal notices were sent out the last week of January. If you did not receive a renewal notice by mail, IACED may need to update your information.
You can also renew your membership online at our web site by clicking here.
Please contact Tommy Tabor at 317-920-2300 ext. 14 or by email at ttabor@iaced.org
IACED depends on your continued support to provide the best possible services to the many organizations we serve. We wish to sincerely thank those who remained with us in 2009.
Please remember January begins a new membership cycle, and your dues will pay for services provided this current year. While some of you may have paid your dues later in 2008, they covered the membership services provided to you last year. If you have any questions, please let us know.
New Members Welcome! We are always eager to serve new member organizations. Remember to ask another organization to join when you renew your membership! They may contact IACED for a membership packet or download the membership form from our web site. |
2009 Statewide Conference
Save the Date
September 1-3, 2009
The 2009 Statewide Conference on Housing and Community Economic Development will take place September 1-3, 2009. This year the conference will be held in a new venue to help keep cost low for IACED members. The session tracks for this year's conference are:
- Leadership and Management
- Single Family Housing
- Multifamily Housing
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Homeless Intervention and Prevention
- Comprehensive Community Development
The 2009 conference will offer a mix of technical sessions for practitioners and leadership ideas to move organizations and communities forward.
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Give the Gift of Membership
IACED
will again offer the Gift Membership Program. Please consider an
investment in stronger organizations and healthier communities through this program. For an additional $250 investment, this program
funds the dues for nonprofit members facing financial obstacles but who wish to
maintain an active voting IACED membership. IACED publicly recognizes Gift
Membership Program participants.
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| Greetings!
Spring is upon us; I hope you are enjoying the warmer weather and green sprouts. IACED membership renewals arrive in the U.S. mail daily. As I reported to the IACED Board of Directors on March 20, 2009, revenue from membership renewal is 14 percent ahead of this time last year. Thank you for your investment with IACED. If you have not already done so, please renew today. You can renew or join online by clicking here.
March has been action packed. For those few who have not heard, IACED's sister association the Indiana Coalition on Housing and Homeless Issues (ICHHI) is ceasing operations. For the past 20 years, ICHHI has been a champion for those serving
people who are homeless and an advocate for Hoosiers who are low-income or in
poverty.
In the wake of ICHHI's closure, the IACED Board of Directors voted on March 20 to officially assume responsibility for the Homeward Bound 5k
Walks. Homeward Bound raises resources for agencies delivering housing and homeless services.
Since 2003, Homeward Bound has
raised more than $2.5 million for more than 90 affordable housing and homeless
providers around the state. In 2008
alone, Homeward Bound raised nearly $425,000.
Aside from raising money, Homeward Bound has also raised awareness
statewide about the community economic development benefit of providing affordable housing and ending
homelessness.
The IACED Board of Directors also voted March 20 to offer no cost 2009 membership with IACED to all ICHHI members in good standing. This arrangement will allow ICHHI's members to gain familiarity with IACED and our valuable services: training, technical assistance, advocacy, and networking. At IACED we are anxious to add these new members and will continue to provide value-added services for agencies in the continuum of community economic development activity.
To better serve members, IACED has hired two new staff, Lisa Archey as Senior Program Manager and Tommy Tabor as Member Services Manager. Lisa Archey has more than 30 years of experience in the community economic development industry. Some may remember
Lisa as a community organizer and advocate in Indianapolis in the 1990's. Lisa
founded the Indianapolis Coalition of Neighborhood Development, (ICND); Westside
CDC and was the first staff person for Local Initiatives Support Corporation
(LISC). In 1998 Lisa relocated to the
Washington, DC area to become a trainer, where she received her training
certification from Georgetown University.
Lisa directed, managed and trained in the country's two largest community economic development training programs; the Bank of America Leadership America and Achieving
Excellence with Harvard University.
During her decade in the nation's capital, she worked as an independent
consultant where she created training manuals on Leadership and Board
Development manuals for National Minority AIDS Council; created an Emerging
Leadership Program for the Center for Nonprofit Management in DC. She also lead
multiple evaluation teams across the country in the development of core
operating support programs for CDCs.
Tommy Tabor joins having just finished service with ICHHI as Director of Community Relations. Tommy brings a wealth of experience with homeless issues and technical assistance.
IACED is partnering with City Real Estate Advisors to apply for an allocation of New Market Tax Credits (NMTC) through a partnership called Indiana Development Capital, LLC (IDC). New Market Tax Credits provide a significant financial boost to many types of projects including community facilities and commercial ventures.
IDC will serve both metropolitan and non-metropolitan
areas. If awarded, we anticipate 50
percent of the tax credit allocation being used in urban communities, 25
percent in minor urban areas, and 25 percent in rural areas.
IDC will offer enhanced financing and
technical assistance to qualifying businesses in order to promote job growth,
assist economically distressed school districts, facilitate financing in
hard-to-finance areas, increase underprovided goods and services, and assist
with the affordability and preservation of homeownership. Our enhanced financing will include
subordinated debt, convertible debt and equity type investments in order to
maximize the economic success and community impact of our qualifying
investments.
The application for an allocation is due April 8, 2009. If
members have projects in development, be sure IACED is aware of them by
Friday, April 3. The pipeline could especially use an infusion of
rural projects. Contact me at afraizer@iaced.org.
To include a project in the pipeline does not require a
shovel ready project; however, it has to be a project under serious
consideration and a likelihood of execution. It will be necessary to
know and have access to the following:
- Census Tract in which your project is located. Applicants can make sure the project is in a
"qualifying census tract" by accessing the following website http://www.cdfifund.gov/what_we_do/mapping.asp. If you do not know the Census Tract, the full address can substitute.
- Draft budget or pro forma for the project, preferably
showing the anticipated use of NMTC.
- Brief summary of the economic and/or community impact
of your project.
Should IDC receive an allocation, we will explore an organization's capacity as part of the underwriting process.
If you have any questions about IACED's work or we can assist you, do not hesitate to contact us at 317-920-2300.
Sincerely,
Andy Fraizer
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Welcome New IACED Members!
IACED is pleased to welcome the following new members to our association:
Bethesda Community Housing Development - Voting Member
Kokomo Housing Authority - Associate Member
East Chicago Redevelopment - Associate Member
Strategic Capital Partners, LLC - Associate Member
Thank you for joining! We are looking forward to getting to know you and helping you serve Indiana communities and families. | |
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Training Updates
Effective Practices
and Techniques of Foreclosure Training (HomeEC Foreclosure Certification
Training)
Where: IHCDA, 30 South
Meridian Street, Suite 1000, Indianapolis, IN, 46204
When: Monday, April 20,
2009 and Tuesday, April 21, 2009, 9:00am - 4:30pm Eastern Time Zone
Fee: $40.00 - IFPN, HomeEC or IACED members; $100.00
- All other Not-for-Profit Organizations; $195.00 - For Profit
Organizations.
Contact:
Lynn Kirkland, IACED, 317-920-2300, ext. 18 or lkirkland@iaced.org
HO109
or HO109el is a pre-requisite to this course. This is a required course
for state foreclosure certification. CEUs are not available for this
course.
Indiana Foreclosure Prevention Network (IFPN)
Central Indiana Regional Training
Where: IHCDA, 30 South Meridian Street, Suite 1000, Indianapolis, IN, 46204
When: Wednesday, April 22, 2009, 1:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Fee: Free
Contact:
Lynn Kirkland, IACED, 317-920-2300 ext. 18 or lkirkland@iaced.org
A training announcement with additional information will be provided in April.
Indiana Foreclosure Prevention Network (IFPN)
Northern Indiana Regional Training
Where: Michigan City Housing Authority, 621 East Michigan Blvd., Michigan City, IN, 46360
When: Friday, April 24, 2009, 1:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Fee: Free
Contact: Lynn Kirkland, IACED, 317-920-2300 ext. 18 or lkirkland@iaced.org
A training announcement with additional information will be provided in April.
Indiana Foreclosure Prevention Network (IFPN)
Southern Indiana Regional Training
Where: Location TBD
When: Tuesday, April 28,
2009, 1:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Fee: Free
Contact:
Lynn Kirkland, IACED, 317-920-2300 ext. 18 or lkirkland@iaced.org
A training announcement with additional information will be provided in April.
Indiana Mortgage Foreclosure Defense and
Prevention Conference
Where: Indiana University School of Law-Indianapolis, 530 W. New York Street, (on the
corner of New York and West Streets) Indianapolis, IN, 46202
When: Friday, April 3, 2009, 8:00am - 4:00pm EDT
Fee: $15 reimbursable fee
Contact: Laura Knight,
Baker and Daniels, 317-274-1911 or houses@iupui.edu
This is an IFPN approved
training. Certified counselors can earn 6 CEU credits for attending.
Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority
Single Family
Housing Conference
Where: Valle Vista Golf
Club & Conference Center, Greenwood, IN, 46143
When: Thursday, April 9,
2009, 8:30am - 4:30pm EDT
Fee: FREE (If you register and fail to attend you will be invoiced
$10 per registration to help defray expenses incurred for your registration.)
Contact: Sara Hawk, IHCDA, 317-232-7777 or shawk@ihcda.in.gov.
This is an IFPN approved training. Certified
counselors can earn 6 CEU credits for attending.
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IACED TA: HOME & CDBG Applications
IACED will offer members (1) one hour of free technical assistance in reviewing HOME & CDBG applications for 2009. Any assistance needed above one hour can be contracted/billed at the discounted member rate. For more information or questions, please contact David Fredricks at dfredricks@iaced.org or 317-920-2300, Ext 13. |
2009 General Assembly
March at the State House saw IACED testifying in support of changes to the foreclosure process and additional resources for counseling activity.
Below is a sample of important bills being debated. For
additional information about the legislative session, contact IACED at 317-920-2300 or email Andy Fraizer at afraizer@iaced.org.
Foreclosure of Residential Mortgages - Settlement Conferences Senate Bill (SB) 492 and House Bill (HB) 1633 both create a step in the foreclosure process for a settlement conference. IACED supports this concept. creates a vehicle for
pre-settlement conferences as part of the foreclosure process. The differences in the two pieces of
legislation deal with whether a lender comes to the table with the authority to enter a binding agreement, responsibilities of the lender at the settlement conference,
and the reporting of conference outcomes to a third party. HB 1633 passed the House of Representatives (88-7) on February 25, 2009. SB 492 passed the Senate 46-3 on February 23. These companion bills have not changes chambers and are schedule for hearings in the coming weeks. IACED will continue to advocate for sensible legislation to prevent homeowner foreclosure.
Funding for Foreclosure Counseling
House Bill (HB) 1637 provides funding for foreclosure counseling. The legislation was amended in the House of Representatives to substitute a $50 court fee
on persons filing an action to foreclose. This revenue source is a substitute for the original language to create an assessment on
financial institutions designated as a depository of public funds for
purposes of providing sufficient money to provide foreclosure
prevention counseling and assistance programs. This legislation as amended passed the House of Representatives on February 25 (59-33). On March 11, the legislation successfully passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee by a vote of 6-0. The legislation has been recommitted to the Senate Appropriations Committee. IACED supports additional funding for foreclosure counseling.
Renters in Foreclosure
House Bill (HB) 1081
and Senate Bill (SB) 225 deal with providing notice to renters residing in properties in foreclosure.
On March 4, 2009
there was much debate in the Senate Judiciary Committee. IACED testified in favor of the bill to
provide notice to tenants. A major
concern of IACED in the foreclosure crisis is
with the fate of low income renters. The
lower a household's income, the less able the family is to cope in the face of foreclosure. IACED's testimony pointed out renters are a significant portion of families who
are losing their homes due to foreclosure.
In terms of sheer impact, a
working estimate by the National Low Income Housing Coalition is 40 percent of
foreclosures involve a rental property. There is concern certain provisions of this legislation would affect multifamily property financing in Indiana. This is a potential unintended consequence and IACED is working to mitigate such impact. |
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State Launches Federal Stimulus Website
The State of Indiana has launched a website to provide information about the federal stimulus package and use of the funds in Indiana. The address for the website is INvest.in.gov.
Invest.in.gov provides information about the federal legislation and has a frequently asked questions section as well links to announcements that are made in Indiana.
This website will be maintained to keep Hoosiers fully informed about uses of federal stimulus funds. You are encouraged to visit often. INvest.in.gov will be the central point for state communication about the federal funds. It will be updated frequently as additional information becomes available. |
Weatherization Funding Opportunity
On March 20, 2009 Governor Mitch Daniels outlined the state's stimulus energy conservation plan. The state plans to use nearly $132 million in
federal stimulus funding for energy conservation efforts which are 11
times the current annual program.
Here are the features of the state's plan:
Goals
- Maximize energy conservation by lowering energy costs for as many
Hoosier homes as possible. Energy savings per household are estimated
by the federal government at 30 percent. (Energy audits of the
existing Indiana energy conservation program show savings of around 15
percent for electric and 20 percent for natural gas.)
- Reaching the governor's goal of a 20 percent to 30 percent
reduction in energy consumed by each home would result in average
savings of $15 to $25 per month.
- Permanently reduce the state's energy consumption. Avoid future
energy use of 25MW per year, equal to one small power plant every 10
years.
Funding
- Indiana will receive $131.8 million in stimulus funding
for energy conservation (weatherization) efforts. When this new effort
and existing programs are combined, the state program will be 11 times
the total of all current annual weatherization programs, which will
continue.
- Funding will come in two increments of 50 percent from the
U.S. Department of Energy. The first funding will be available upon
approval of the state plan, which will be submitted to the U.S.
Department of Energy by April 1, 2009.
- States are required to use the Weatherization Assistance
Program funds by September 30, 2010. With a focus on speed, Indiana
will work to complete its conservation activities as soon as possible
and well before the federal deadline.
Jobs
- The state's conservation program will fund at least 2,300 jobs.
- 300 energy assessment and inspection workers will be
trained, and about 2,000 energy contractors will be needed to complete
the energy-savings home work.
Program and participation
- More than 30,000 low-income households will receive
assistance. Participation will be from among those who have already
qualified for the state's Energy Assistance Program. This will reduce
the opportunity for favoritism or fraud, which is of significant
concern to the federal government.
- Participants must be at or below 150 percent of the
federal poverty level. Priority will be given to elderly and disabled
residents and families with children. Eligible households will be
notified.
- Up to $5,000 per household energy conservation
expenditure, beginning with an energy audit, and followed by
installation of energy savings equipment such as programmable
thermostats, LED lighting, insulation, caulking or even new furnaces or
hot water heaters.
- To serve more homes and maximize support of Indiana
businesses, a state quantity purchasing plan will be used to purchase
materials in bulk using the state's Buy Indiana initiative, to the
extent allowable by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
legislation.
- The state will issue a Request for Proposals the week of
March 23 for the first 50 percent of the energy conservation funds.
Bids will be sought from qualified non-profit entities such as
Community Action Programs, Rural Electric Membership Corporations
(REMC) and the Indiana Builders Association, to administer the funds
and ensure that work is begun quickly and completed as soon as
possible.
- Respondents will be required to demonstrate how
efficiently the funds will be used and how many Hoosier households will
be helped. Contracts will be performance based and respondents will be
measured on how much conservation is achieved per dollar spent: the
faster and more efficiently work is done and conservation is achieved,
the more dollars a contractor will be awarded.
Transparency and oversight
- Oversight, transparency and accountability will be strict.
The federal government has targeted this program for audits nationwide
based on concerns about fraud and waste.
- Additional controls such as criminal background checks,
legal status checks on workers, and quality assurance reviews will be
incorporated.
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U.S. House of Representatives Passes Mortgage "Cramdown" Legislation
Courtesy of The National Low Income Housing Coalition
The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1106, the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009 on March 5 by a vote of 234-191. H.R. 1106 contains the long sought reform of bankruptcy law that would allow bankruptcy judges to modify the terms of a first mortgage on the borrower's primary residence, including reducing the principal amount of the mortgage, in the case of a Chapter 13 bankruptcy. This is the so-called "cramdown" provision that consumer, civil rights and low income housing advocates have been seeking in response to the foreclosure crisis.
Under current law, judges cannot modify the terms of the primary mortgage on a borrower's principal home in bankruptcy, but can modify mortgages on investment properties and vacation properties, a circumstance that advocates consider fundamentally unfair. In addition, lenders have had little motivation to modify mortgages for troubled homeowners before the borrower goes into bankruptcy. The threat of a modification in bankruptcy will induce more lenders to modify troubled loans earlier in the process. Financial services company Credit Suisse estimated that allowing bankruptcy judges to modify the terms of a principal mortgage on a primary residence could reduce foreclosures by 20 percent.
As passed by the House, H.R. 1106 would require the bankruptcy judge to consider whether a modification under President Barack Obama's plan had been offered to the borrowers before proceeding to modify the mortgage loan. Borrowers who receive a modification of the principal amount of their loan must agree to return to the lender a share of any increase in value of their home if the home is sold within the first four years after the bankruptcy.
The Senate may consider a companion bill, S. 61, the Helping Families Save Their Homes in Bankruptcy Act of 2009, introduced by Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL). As introduced, S. 61 would allow a judge in bankruptcy to modify the mortgage on a borrower's primary residence, but it does not contain the provisions that are in H.R. 1106 relating to deposit insurance, the servicer safe harbor, or the Hope for Homeowners changes.
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Federal Legislation Would Help Localities with Vacant Properties
Courtesy of the National Low Income Housing Coalition
Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) introduced on February 23, S. 453, the Community Regeneration, Sustainability, and Innovation Act of 2009. The bill would establish a'Regeneration Communities' demonstration program at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to encourage and test innovative vacant property reclamation and urban infrastructure renewal strategies in older industrial cities, suburbs of such cities and metropolitan areas that have a history of severe population and employment loss, blight, and decay caused by vacant properties. Assistance would be provided through grants and technical support. The bill would spur innovation by supporting sustainable and green infrastructure programs.
The bill would also create the Federal Interagency Regeneration Communities Coordinating Council, which would develop support plans for the communities receiving the new funds.
The bill calls for authorizing $300 million over the next three fiscal years for the Regeneration demonstration program and $24 million each year for the next three fiscal years for the Federal Interagency Regeneration Communities Coordinating Council.
S. 453 is cosponsored by Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and was referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs. |
Renters in Foreclosure: A Legal Review of the Rights of Tenants
Courtesy of the National Low Income Housing Coalition
The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty and the National Low Income Housing Coalition have published a joint report reviewing the rights (or lack thereof) of tenants in foreclosure in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
The study's conclusions include in the majority of states, a renter's tenancy would be automatically terminated following a foreclosure; however, the circumstances vary greatly. Indiana's processes fall in the middle of the continuum. The report points out foreclosures properly naming the tenant in the action immediately cut off the right of the lessee at the time of the foreclosure sale.
In general, the study finds that there are three ways in which the interplay between foreclosure and eviction occurs within states. First, there are states that have an integrated process that notifies tenants of any foreclosure proceedings and may require them to be joined as parties in the foreclosure in order to be evicted. The second group of states has completely independent foreclosure and eviction processes. In these states the status of tenancy is often unclear after foreclosure and left to a separate eviction process. Finally, there are hybrid models in which state law offers some specific guidance on tenancy after foreclosure, but a significant lack of clarity often remains regarding rights of possession.
The report recommends that in order to stem renter eviction and the subsequent rise in homelessness, the federal government needs to take immediate action to protect tenants in cases of foreclosure. Recommendations include requiring fair notice to tenants, preserving existing tenancies, and providing renters with legal assistance.
The report includes an appendix with state-by-state policy descriptions.The report, Without Just Cause: A 50-State Review of the (Lack of) Rights of Tenants in Foreclosure, can be found here. |
New Tool for Green Home Development
Courtesy of Enterprise Green Communities News
"Green Single Family Rehabilitation Specifications" is the
latest tool to help affordable housing professionals go green on a
cost-effective, environmentally rigorous basis. The specifications enable
construction professionals to meet the Green Communities Criteria, with
appropriate adjustments for local climate and housing stock. Enterprise is
available to work with interested parties on training and technical assistance
to implement the specifications at the local level.
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Jefferson
Home Ownership Incubator
Courtesy of the East 10th Street Civic Association
The East 10th Street Civic Association is helping to support the efforts of IACED member the John H. Boner
Community Center as they develop a Home Ownership Incubator. The Jefferson Apartments renovation is supported by the Whitsett Group, an IACED member. The incubator is
designed to help families become permanent stakeholders in the community. The
program will provide families with various sources of financial and social
support over the course of three to four years, as they make the transition from
renter to homeowner.
The incubator will be located on the 10 East Main
Street district, housed in the Jefferson Apartment Building. The building is
located across the street from the John H. Boner Community Center at 2207-2213
East 10th Street. The Jefferson Building will be renovated and expanded to
create live/work space that includes 18 units of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments
and two affordable condos. The Civic Association will help drive business
recruitment for the work space, including assessing appropriate uses for the
space and finding appropriate business tenants through their business tenant
recruitment program.
Other stakeholders involved in the effort include Halstead Architects, the Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership, and IceMiller, all IACED members. Other stakeholders include the Great Indy Neighborhoods Initiative, the Near Eastside Community Organization, and Indy-east Asset Development.
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Never Too Old to Learn
Courtesy of the Urban Institute
Working longer is commonly seen as the key solution to improving retirement financing. However, poor job prospects prevent many older people with limited education from working into later life. Congress could improve their economic security by increasing government-funded employment and training services, Richard Johnson told the Senate Special Committee on Aging. Read his full testimony here. |
Looking Downtown: How Nonprofits can Partner with Local Government
Found in Grassroots Fundraising Training
Getting to know your local government agencies - and making
sure they know you - can position your nonprofit for funding opportunities you
may never have dreamed of. The April/May issue of Grassroots
Fundraising Journal's cover article "Looking Downtown: How Nonprofits Can
Partner with Local Governments" by Mike Roque. In the article he offers "5
practical tips from an outsider-turned-insider on how to put your group in a
position to partner with your local, state, or federal government to achieve
your goals".
Read the article here.
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Review of Homelessness Prevention Programs
Courtesy of the National Low Income Housing Coalition
The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty (NLCHP) released on February 25 a report reviewing homelessness prevention programs in 25 states. The report argues that the economic downturn has significantly increased the demand for homelessness prevention efforts and makes recommendations for the most effective use of Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) and Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) funds in the recently passed economic recovery legislation.
For each of the 25 states, NLCHP's overview includes a description of the homelessness prevention programs and the types of assistance available, the eligibility requirements for receiving the assistance, program effectiveness, and agency contact information. The report demonstrates that some states have significant funding shortfalls for these programs and concludes that the $1.5 billion in ESG funds and the $100 million in EFSP funds in the recent economic recovery bill are good steps toward bolstering homelessness prevention programs and fortifying state efforts.
In order to maximize the impact of ESG funds, the report says that HUD guidance should allow households that are doubled-up due to economic hardship to receive assistance. HUD should also include legal services and an evaluation of program effectiveness among the eligible uses of the funding. Finally, the report notes that a comprehensive effort to prevent homelessness must include the production of housing for households with the lowest incomes. |
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Increasing Housing Demand
Courtesy of the Urban Institute
In this Washington Times commentary, Institute Fellow Robert Lerman says that, if Congress and the Obama administration want to encourage housing demand without breaking the government bank, they should allow low-income recipients of rent subsidies to buy homes and use their subsidies to help pay the monthly mortgage, tax, and insurance costs. Read his full report here. |
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Q & A About the New 990
How will the phase in period work? Is my organization required to file the Form 990, 990-N, or 990-EZ? What filing schedules apply to the 990-EZ? What organizations are now required to fill out a 990?
Sound familiar? These questions and many others are answered in detail in Tax Talk Today, a publication produced for educational use after an audience Question and Answer session on November 4, 2008. |
Indiana Companies to Watch Awards: Taking Nominations and Applications
Courtesy of the Indiana Small Business Development Network
Nominations and applications for the second annual
Indiana Companies to Watch awards program, highlighting some of the state's top
privately held companies have opened.
Presented by the Indiana Economic Development
Corporation, its Small Business Development Center network (SBDC), Purdue
University and the Edward Lowe Foundation, Indiana Companies to Watch recognizes
privately held Indiana businesses that employ six to 150 full-time employees and
have between $750,000 to $100 million in annual revenue or working
capital. "This program spotlights companies who have demonstrated
growth and the intent and capacity to keep growing in any industry throughout
the state," said Jeff Heinzmann, IEDC's state SBDC director. "We want to
recognize these companies who are the foundation of Indiana's entrepreneurial
culture."
Anyone may nominate an eligible business or apply for
the awards by completing the application form online at www.Indiana.companiestowatch.org.
A panel of judges will review the applications and select the top companies to
receive the awards based on past growth, projected success, innovation,
technology application and community involvement. Nominations will be accepted
through March 27 and applications will be accepted through April 10.
An awards ceremony will be held August 27, 2009 at the
Indiana Roof Ballroom, Indianapolis, IN
For further
information email the Edward Lowe Foundation at IndianaCTW@lowe.org or call
888.472.3244
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2009 Call for Entries: National Award for Smart Growth Achievement
Courtesy of the National Center for Environmental Innovation
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for the eighth annual National Award for Smart Growth Achievement. This competition is open to public-sector or private sector applicants that have used the principles of smart growth to create better places. Private-sector applicants are encouraged to submit applications for projects that demonstrate a significant public-private partnership.Smart growth development serves the economy, the community, and the environment. Smart growth approaches to development create clear environmental benefits, including improved air and water quality, preservation of critical habitat and open space, and more cleanup and re-use of brownfield sites.This year, applications will be accepted in five categories:- Built Projects
- Policies and Regulations
- Smart Growth and Green Building
- Smart Growth Streets
- Overall Excellence in Smart Growth
Interested parties are encouraged to submit applications for smart growth activities that have shown significant activity between April 23, 2004, and April 23, 2009. Successful applicants will have incorporated the principles of smart growth to create places that respect community culture and the environment, foster economic development, and enhance quality of life and public health.This year, the public sector winners will receive support for further implementing smart growth strategies in their communities. In addition, public sector winners will receive one complementary registration to the New Partners for Smart Growth Conference in 2010.Applications are due on April 23, 2009. Up to five winners will berecognized at a ceremony in Washington, DC in December 2009.For more details about the National Award for Smart Growth Achievement, including an application packet, go here. |
Edy's Slow Churned Neighborhood Salute
Ice Cream Block Party Contest
Courtesy of the Indianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center
Whether celebrating with a friend over a scoop of Strawberry, or serving up a hot fudge sundae to make someone's day a bit brighter, ice cream has a unique ability to bring people together. Edy's is delighted to host its 5th annual Slow Churned Neighborhood Salute ice cream block party contest.
Neighbors nationwide are invited to enter to win one of 1,500 free ice cream socials by submitting an essay, 350 words or less, explaining why their neighborhood deserves a Slow Churned Neighborhood salute. Winning neighborhoods will scoop up 10+ cartons of Edy's Slow Churned Ice Cream in a variety of flavors and a "Party in a Box" filled with enough supplies (bowls, scoops, spoons, napkins, tablecloth, etc.) to host a summer gathering for up to 100 neighbors, family and friends.
Visit www.slowchurned.com beginning March 3, 2009 through May 29, 2009 to nominate your neighborhood. Contest rules are available at the website or by calling (888) 590-3397.
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Send us Your Stories!
IACED knows IACED members are doing great work - we'd like to spread the word! If you've had a successful project or remarkable experience, send your story to ncarnagua@iaced.org or call 317-920-2300 ext. 17.
Don't have time to send the whole story now? Just send an email expressing interest, and an IACED staff member will follow up with you.
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