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Stellar Pathways Program

Stellar Pathways 2024 Designees

The following regions have been chosen as the 2024 Stellar Pathways Designees:

  • One Dearborn County: Stellar Pathways for Indiana Gateways, including, Dearborn County Economic Development Corporation, Dearborn County, Dillsboro and Greendale. For more information on Dearborn County's Stellar Pathways projects, click here.
  • Wabash County, including, Wabash County, City of Wabash, North Manchester, Roann, La Fontaine and Lagro. For more information on Wabash County's Stellar Pathways projects, click here.

For more information on the two 2024 Stellar Pathways designated regions, view the press release here.

Check out past Stellar designees here.

Stellar Pathways Overview

In January 2024, OCRA launched the improved Stellar Pathways Program, building off of previous reiterations of the Stellar Communities Program. The Stellar Pathways Program is a multi-agency, multi-million-dollar investment initiative led by the Office of Community and Rural Affairs.

The program works with communities within a county boundary on a shared vision for community and economic development, promotes local and regional partnerships, and assists in implementing sustainable solutions to challenges facing Indiana’s rural communities. The Stellar Pathways program will provide resources for transformative quality of place, community, and regional improvements by:

  • Enhancing Regional Planning
    • Stellar Pathways, built on OCRA's extensive experience with Stellar Communities, Regional Stellar, and the Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program, is focused on accelerating regional planning. The program is designed to scale up local capacity while regional teams create holistic, collaborative plans for community and economic development.
  • A Collaborative Approach
    • The Stellar Pathways program embodies a spirit of collaboration, mirrored by State partners: the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, Indiana Destination Development Corporation, Indiana Department of Transportation, Indiana Department of Health, and Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
  • Resource-Rich Partnerships
    • Through these strategic partnerships, Stellar Pathways is poised to offer the necessary resources for transformative quality-of-place improvements. Participants will tap into time-tested community development strategies by leveraging existing assets to stimulate increased regional investment through state and local partnerships.

Any incorporated Indiana community of any size that are not entitled to direct Community Development Block Grant funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development are eligible to apply in partnership with either a County Government or a non-profit County leader such as a community foundation or an economic development agency.

Resources

To learn more about the updated program and ways to get involved, visit the following resources:

Frequently Asked Questions

Featured Quick Facts / Questions

Click here for the full Stellar Pathways Program FAQ.

After careful consideration of funding considerations, staffing capacity, and the need to evaluate 2024 programmatic changes, communities’ next opportunity to apply for the Stellar Pathways program, following the 2024 round, will be in 2026. This decision is rooted in our agency’s mission to create valuable and responsive programming. It also enables the agency to create additional opportunities for capacity-building programs and work towards the ultimate goal of offering the program annually.

Stellar Investment Statistics 2011-2023

The graphic shows the level of investment from the State of Indiana, local unit of government match and investment and private investment. Of the 17 designees to date, the state has dedicated approximately $193 million. Local governments, including counties, cities, and towns, have allocated approximately $154 million towards local investment in the Stellar projects and complementary projects. Lastly, Stellar Communities designees have received an outstanding $831 million in private investment to support their economic development efforts to create safe, sustainable, and thriving communities.

Total Stellar Investments

Stellar Communities was recognized nationally as a premier community development program when it received the 2012 President's Award for Innovation from the Council of State Community Development Agencies.

To date, more than 107 communities have participated in the process; 33 have completed Strategic Investment Plans/Regional Development Plans, and 17 have received the Stellar Communities Designation.