Greencastle named quarterfinalist in America's Best Communities competition, receives $50,000

Thursday, April 30, 2015

Greencastle is one of 50 communities celebrating victory today as quarterfinalists in the America's Best Communities competition, a $10 million initiative to stimulate economic revitalization in small towns and cities.

The community will now be awarded $50,000 to develop a comprehensive strategy to accelerate the revival of the local economy and improve quality of life.

Frontier Communications, DISH Network, The Weather Channel and CoBank -- the contest's sponsors -- have announced Greencastle has advanced into the quarterfinals of the innovative competition, following selection from a pool of about 140 applicant teams by an independent group of expert judges.

A representative of Frontier Communications is scheduled to visit City Hall in Greencastle at 11:30 a.m. Monday to make a formal presentation of the first-round grant.

The competition's 50 quarterfinalist communities now have six months to complete their revitalization plans for an opportunity to win up to an additional $3 million to bring their ideas to life.

"Greencastle has always been a strong, vibrant community, and it is such a thrill for our town to earn this recognition on a national stage," Marc Evans, Frontier general manager for Southern Indiana, said. "The dedicated community leaders who worked so hard to complete the America's Best Communities application deserve our gratitude for helping Greencastle achieve this moment of pride."

"Indiana's strong and vibrant communities didn't just happen," Frontier Midwest Region President Greg Stephens of Terre Haute said. "They're the result of hardworking people and determined local businesses coming together to make their communities great places to live, work and raise a family.

"I'm proud to congratulate our neighbors in Greencastle for advancing in the America's Best Communities competition. We're looking forward to seeing the Community Revitalization Plan they build and implement with this new financial support."

After launching in September 2014, the America's Best Communities competition successfully attracted entries from 138 applicant teams, representing 347 communities across the country.

In Indiana, a total of 23 communities applied, and Greencastle and 10 other cities made the cut.

Other Hoosier cities earning their way into the competition quarterfinals are Angola, Jasper, Lafayette, LaPorte, Madison, Richmond, Terre Haute, Valparaiso, Wabash and Westfield.

"This is an exciting time for community planning and economic development activities taking place in small towns and larger cities throughout Indiana," Hoosier Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann said Thursday.

"This national recognition is evidence of the collaborative work," added Ellspermann, who spoke in Greencastle just last Sunday at the annual Lincoln Day Dinner of the Republican Party. "I congratulate those communities on the local leadership's hard work and dedication to ensuring Hoosiers continues to have thriving cities and towns to work, live and raise a family."

The 50 quarterfinalist communities have six months to complete their comprehensive Community Revitalization Plans and compete for additional investment.

Fifteen semifinalists will be selected in early 2016 to attend the America's Best Communities summit to present their strategies. Eight finalists then will be awarded another $100,000 to continue implementation of their plans.

In April 2017, America's Best Communities will name its three competition winners -- those communities best able to dream big and deliver on those dreams. The winning community will be awarded $3 million, with $2 million for second place and $1 million for third.

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