The READI program always prioritized redevelopment over greenfield development, understanding that the financial and cultural ROI for communities is much greater when we grow through reconnect our cities and towns, and don’t encourage sprawling. In 2024, READI received a $250M gift from the Lilly Endowment Inc. to intentionally invest into blight and redevelopment projects, and perhaps more importantly into capacity building statewide. If Indiana can build muscle in its communities, they can be better equipped for growth on their own.

With the project funding of this initiative, led by Jim Rawlinson, the IEDC was able to coinvest $185M into projects statewide to spur redevelopment. These projects included office tower to residential conversions in downtown Indianapolis, regional single family housing infill across Fort Wayne, district-wide brownfield redevelopment in South Bend, riverfront district creation in the Louisville region, infill housing and vertical development attraction in Gary, and much more. Through this program, the IEDC was able to invest at scale in communities, meeting the needs for redevelopment in both small rural and large urban areas.

In addition to this project funding, Jim led the creation and implementation of the Community Impact Accelerator. This program is able to come alongside communities statewide and meet them where their needs are. It focuses on addressing three common gaps statewide: Staff capacity; Community fragmentation; and Capital attraction. In addition to the programmatic engagement, the CIA will manage and place fellows in communities statewide to provide boots on the ground, and encourage stable, long term capacity in participating communities. More on the Community Impact Accelerator and READI Blight programs can be found here.