STATEHOUSE–It was announced by Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman that Vanderburgh, Warrick and Spencer Counties will each receive Community Focus Fund (CFF) grants for water projects in their communities. State Rep. Suzanne Crouch (R-Evansville) represents portions of each county, which will receive $497,000 for a wastewater project, $500,000 for a wastewater project, and $500,000 for a water project, respectively.

“I’m so pleased that our communities will be the recipients of these grants,” said Rep. Crouch. “These funds will be used for the benefit of all their residents. I look forward to seeing the improvements made with the use of these grants.”

These grants are part of the 16th round of CFF grants announced by Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman, which are funded by the federal Community Development Block Grant program. Thirty-eight Hoosier communities will receive CFF grants, totaling over $16M in community investment.

The grants assist smaller cities and towns in Indiana with long term development initiatives. The types of projects that were funded by these grant dollars include: sewer upgrades, new fire trucks, libraries and community centers.

“The CFF program provides an opportunity for our rural areas to achieve goals they otherwise may not be able to,” said Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman. “The fruition of the various projects will give each community a boost in a variety of ways from economic development to safety to infrastructure.”

The grants are administered by the Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA), which also provides technical assistance to community leaders during the 18-month implementation of their CFF projects.

Lt. Gov. Skillman will host an awards ceremony at the Indiana Statehouse on Sept. 21 at 1 p.m. to honor the grant recipients.

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