October 1, 2008

Program helps rural communities build on strengths

Indiana HomeTown Competitiveness (IHTC) provides rural areas the tools to discover and more fully utilize their existing assets. The program recently completed a pilot program and is accepting applications through Oct. 31 for another group of communities.

"This program builds local task forces and energy around four pillars: leadership development, entrepreneurship, investment mechanisms and youth engagement," said Sam Cordes, co-director of PCRD. "Indiana HomeTown Competitiveness is a more holistic, long-term approach to rural economic development than simply addressing a single issue.

"We anticipate between six and 12 communities will be selected for the next round of inclusion in IHTC. While we're focusing on smaller rural communities, that doesn't mean we'll consider individual towns only. A rural community could be defined as an entire county or two or more neighboring towns."

IHTC is based on a program developed in Nebraska and closely aligns with the Rural Indiana Strategy for Excellence 2020 (RISE 2020), a 15-year initiative addressing regional planning, education, health care and natural resources, among other topics. Other IHTC partners include Ball State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Rural Development, Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, Indiana Rural Development Council and Indiana Grantmakers Alliance.

Nine rural communities took part in the IHTC pilot program, including Alexandria, Ferdinand, Oxford, Decatur County, Greene County, Henry County, Lawrence County, Washington County and White County. The pilot communities completed the first phase of the IHTC program, which involved a thorough assessment of community assets and opportunities. They now will move on to phase two, where specific long-term strategies will be developed and begin to be implemented.

"We are very encouraged with the progress made by the inaugural group of nine pilot communities, including the role played by Purdue Extension educators," Cordes said. "We look forward to continuing to work with these communities and a new group of communities and with our other five organizational partners that provide support to the communities and help form this unique collaboration."

Greg Bossaer, Purdue Extension White County educator, serves on the IHTC core committee in his county. He said the program already is having positive effects on White County.

"IHTC put the whole concept of mobilizing local leaders on our community's radar screen," Bossaer said. 'The program will help kick-start the development of a community-based leadership program. Our core committee has evaluated leadership programs in other counties and will develop a program tailored to meet our community's needs this fall, to be implemented in 2009.

"Additional programming for the other three IHTC pillars are already on the drawing board. Given the current state of this country's financial picture, rural communities need IHTC now more than ever."

For more information on Indiana HomeTown Competitiveness or to download a program application, visit the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs Web site at https://www.in.gov/ocra/ .

Writer: Steve Leer, (765) 494-8415, sleer@purdue.edu

Sources: Sam Cordes, (765) 494-7273, smcordes@purdue.edu

Greg Bossaer, (219) 984-5115, gbossaer@purdue.edu

Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Beth Forbes, forbes@purdue.edu
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