Community Collaboration Fund (CCF) Grants is sponsored by Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC). Matching grants supporting community-led projects focused on entrepreneurial education, tech enablement, and acceleration across Indiana.

Indiana Awards Community Grants to Accelerate Entrepreneurship Resources, Support Statewide Indiana Awards Community Grants to Accelerate Entrepreneurship Resources, Support Statewide INDIANAPOLIS (June 24, 2025) – Today, Indiana’s Commerce Office awarded $925,107 in grant awards to accelerate entrepreneurial activity and resources statewide through its Community Collaboration Fund (CCF).

These awards will help fuel 28 community-led projects focused on entrepreneurial education, connection and acceleration across Indiana. "Under Governor Braun’s leadership, Indiana is more committed than ever to cultivating the growth of Main Street entrepreneurship and celebrating the impact our business owners have on our economy,” said Secretary of Commerce David Adams.

“These community projects will ensure that current and future entrepreneurs across the state have access to the programming, resources and support needed to start and scale a business right here in Indiana. ” CCF provides matching grants to support new community collaborations, services and programming that will serve Indiana’s entrepreneurial ecosystem with a focus on education, connection and acceleration.

After receiving a large number of applications, the state’s Commerce Office selected 28 projects for matching grants based on their potential to fill critical gaps across the entrepreneurial ecosystem, support underserved markets and collaborate across boundaries.

The projects selected – which are outlined below – will result in a variety of new programs and resources for aspiring entrepreneurs and current small business owners, such as AI education, business planning, financial literacy, online visibility and prototyping design, for businesses across a variety of industries such as the creative economy, childcare, food and beverage, defense and in rural communities.

AI for Business Growth | Saint Michael’s Youth Center ($21,200 award) Saint Michael’s Youth Center will equip small business owners with practical AI skills to drive scalability and innovation. By offering seasonal training modules, expert-led workshops and multi-county networking events, AI education will be more accessible for rural and urban entrepreneurs alike.

Business and Entrepreneur Launch Tool (BELT) | Historic Downtown Kendallville ($33,475 award) Historic Downtown Kendallville will launch a 10-week business accelerator cohort, providing hands-on training to 20 local entrepreneurs to help launch and expand their businesses. Once completed, participants will participate in pitch and business plan competitions.

Childcare Entrepreneurial Training Program | SEED Fort Wayne ($40,000 award) SEED Fort Wayne and Brightpoint Development Fund will address a critical ecosystem gap by providing structured education, mentorship and resources to childcare entrepreneurs.

The training program will equip current childcare providers with the business knowledge, financial skills and operational strategies needed to successfully launch and sustain childcare enterprises.

Growth Accelerator for Business Succession | Lower Lincoln ($38,747 award) In this two-phase program, Lower Lincoln will focus on educational workshops and outreach efforts to introduce succession planning to existing business owners in northwest Indiana. Phase two includes up to three cohorts, projected to be four-weeks, that will provide expert-led training and mentorship to develop an actionable business transition plan.

Marshall County Arts Entrepreneurship Program | Marshall County Economic Development Corporation ($14,100 award) Marshall County Economic Development Corporation will kick off a program for local artists who wish to establish their own businesses and generate revenue from their work.

Through collaboration with Heartland Art Center and the Indiana Small Business Development Center, this cohort-based initiative will include workshops, peer groups and an exhibition to showcase the work of program participants.

NWI Launch Pad: Start-Up Prototype & Production Resource | Vidette Makes ($20,000 award) NWI Launch Pad is a collaborative effort led by Vidette Makes designed to provide affordable, high-quality prototyping and small-batch production services to founders in northwest Indiana. This highly accessible program will help participants from product validation stage all the way to launch support. Social Savvy | Sisterhood Social Co.

($40,000 award) The Sisterhood Social Co. will create an interactive business education initiative that combines the aspects of a live podcast with the depth of a strategic workshop. Through one-to-two sessions per month, participants will enhance their digital fluency, improve online visibility and implement cost-effective marketing strategies.

Trades Spark | Elevate Youth Mentoring Inc. ($25,500 award) Through Trades Spark, Elevate Youth Mentoring Inc. will equip local youth and young adults with hands-on learning experiences and entrepreneurial training tailored to the trade industry. This five-week program will help students secure city contracts and launch sustainable ventures.

AI Awareness, Education and Support | Innovation Connector ($40,000 award) The Innovation Connector will provide a structured, five-part curriculum with instructors to help entrepreneurs integrate AI into their daily operations. The project will culminate in a one-day AI conference with keynote sessions, breakout discussions and networking opportunities.

Base Camp | Owen County Chamber of Commerce ($25,000 award) The Owen County Chamber of Commerce will begin a six-week long program that delivers an intensive curriculum to equip rural entrepreneurs with the tools, knowledge and connections necessary for stability and growth.

Connection Capital Series | Community Investment Fund of Indiana ($39,000 award) The Community Investment Fund of Indiana will re-introduce a Connection to Capital series, bridging the gap between businesses and financial resources. This program will connect founders with technical assistance, advisory services, contracting opportunities and bank partners during events hosted across Indiana.

CreateWay | Pattern Inc ($26,000 award) Pattern will launch CreateWay as a targeted initiative designed to support and develop young creative entrepreneurs across Indiana. Serving college students statewide, participants will gain access to tailored mentorship, expert-led talks and insights into creative business models.

Downtown Lafayette Retail Pop-Up Retail Program | Downtown Lafayette Business Owners Association ($40,000 award) The Downtown Lafayette Business Owners Association will build a city-owned pop-up retail space on Main Street that serves as an incubator for microbusinesses. These businesses can use the space for retail operations to gain exposure, cultivate a loyal customer base and expand their businesses.

Founder Growth Network | MatchBOX Studios ($38,063 award) MatchBOX Studios' Founder Growth Network strengthens Greater Lafayette’s economy by supporting post-revenue entrepreneurs through 10-month peer advisory groups. Founders gain strategic insight, trusted connections and leadership support resulting in stronger, more resilient businesses that create jobs and invest locally.

Ignition | 16 Tech Community Corporation ($39,500 award) 16 Tech Community Corporation is introducing Ignition, an incubator designed to support early-stage collegiate founders. Through this incubator, participants will form peer networks, develop mentorship relationships and establish investor connections that will incentivize students to stay in Indiana post-graduation.

INdiana Strategic Defense Accelerator (INSDA) | Defense Innovation Networking Group ($40,000) The Defense Innovation Networking Group (D! NG) will bridge a gap in Indiana’s defense ecosystem by creating a unified accelerator for small businesses.

This training program will help businesses compete for DoD opportunities through education, connection initiatives and utilizing Indiana’s already vast number of business and DoD related resources.

Level Up Business Branding | Greater Kokomo Economic Development Alliance ($40,000 award) The Greater Kokomo Economic Development Alliance will begin a 12-month initiative designed to empower local small businesses through professional marketing and branding support. Each participant will receive services such as business introduction videos and product photography to amplify their business’ reach.

Making an Entrepreneurial Culture | Main Street Greencastle and Castlemakers ($27,300 award) Main Street Greencastle and Castlemakers will help creatives and potential entrepreneurs in Putnam County through an entrepreneurial fellowship. Through structured programming, mentorship and access to a makerspace, participants will gain the knowledge and experience necessary to develop, produce and sell their own products.

Muncie Regional Mentorship Hub | City of Muncie ($40,000 award) The city of Muncie will establish a structured mentorship program that spans the entirety of east central Indiana. The Muncie Regional Mentorship Hub connects business owners to experienced mentors, essential resources and collaborative networks.

The Film Loft | Weatherhouse Institute ($40,000 award) The Weatherhouse Institute will start an incubator to equip youth Hoosier filmmakers with business skills, technical training and networking opportunities to build their careers in the media industry. By addressing the economic challenges young creatives face, this program retains talent in Indiana.

The Unstoppable Cohort | PitchFeast ($40,000 award) PitchFeast will collaborate with Create, Connect and Collab to develop a 16-week business accelerator tailored to support small businesses and startups within the food industry. The program will combine Kauffman FastTrac training, branding support and certifications to equip participants with the resources to build sustainable businesses.

Chapter One Business Incubator | Jeffersonville Township Public Library ($40,000 award) Jeffersonville Township Public Library Foundation, in collaboration with seven community partners, is launching an innovative incubator program serving five counties.

This comprehensive initiative will offer participants a cohort-based educational experience alongside access to non-dilutive seed funding, empowering local entrepreneurs and fostering regional economic growth. Flywheel Fund Evansville | Dimension Mill, Inc. DBA The Mill ($39,735 award) Flywheel Fund will expand its operations to Evansville in partnership with Circular Venture Lab to serve Vanderburgh, Warrick, Posey and Gibson counties.

The program aims to resolve the lack of early investor capital in southwest Indiana through small, regional funds from local angel investors.

Generation Innovation | Maker Mobile, Inc. DBA Maker13 ($40,000 award) Through collaborations with local organizations, Maker13 will offer a cohort-style education course that takes budding entrepreneurs through business plan development, prototyping and creation, market testing, mentorship and connections to accelerate their idea.

SPARK Shop Connections | Jackson County Chamber ($40,000 award) SPARK Jackson County will foster community by hosting recurring events centered around small businesses in Jackson County. Once the SPARK Shop co-working studio opens, CCF funds will be used to engage and attract entrepreneurs and innovators to the space in southeast Indiana.

The Catalyst Academy: Incubator & Fund | Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce ($40,000 award) The Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce will expand its entrepreneurial academy and incubator through an online education platform. Participants who complete the self-directed learning course and coaching will pitch for funding. The D.

I. C. E.

Challenge – Community Competition | Ripley County Community Foundation ($40,000 award) The Ripley County Community Foundation is expanding its D. I. C.

E. Challenge competition to include a community-focused component. This new and enhanced edition will empower local start-up entrepreneurs by creating more accessible pathways to funding, fostering innovation and strengthening southeastern Indiana’s economic vitality.

The Pantheon’s Blueprint to Business | The Pantheon ($15,550 award) The Pantheon will pioneer an 8-week session-based education program to fuel business growth in their community. Weekly in-class workshops will cover topics ranging from interpersonal communication to process optimization.

About the Indiana Office of Commerce The State of Indiana’s Office of Commerce was created by Governor Mike Braun to align and accelerate the state’s economic development efforts and is led by Indiana Secretary of Commerce David J. Adams. Erin Sweitzer (IEDC) – 317.

296. 2556 or esweitzer@iedc. in.

gov Indiana Celebrates First Milestone in Creating Future Epicenter of Animal Health and Innovation Indiana Celebrates First Milestone in Creating Future Epicenter of Animal Health and Innovation Indianapolis Agbioscience Industry Grows with Intelinair Opening New Company HQ