Blackford County Featured in Statewide READI Grant Investigation

From a statewide investigative report published May 26, 2026

Blackford County is prominently featured in a major statewide investigation of Indiana's READI grant program, published today by the Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism and the Indiana Capital Chronicle.

The report highlights Warren Brown, Blackford County's Economic Development Director, as an example of how rural Indiana communities navigate the READI program. Under READI 1.0, Blackford County received $700,000 toward the approximately $3 million needed to install internet fiber county-wide. The county partnered with Purdue Extension, the economic development commission, and local governments to conduct its own broadband tests after a state survey inaccurately reported the county had adequate internet access.

"The state was actually able to see that we were in many places unserved totally, and in almost every place underserved," Brown said. He added that even though READI was not the full solution, "it was a good part of it."

Brown noted his office has a staff of just two people but faces the same compliance timelines as larger communities. "We still have the same timelines, and we still have to produce the same volume of work as the counties and the cities with larger staffs," he said.

Statewide, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation has distributed approximately 85% of READI 1.0 funds — $423 million — and about 11% of READI 2.0 funds, $44 million of $391 million approved. Some rural communities argue the program disproportionately benefits urban areas.

The report also notes that Senate Enrolled Act 1, passed in 2025, will reduce local government revenue by a projected $1.5 billion statewide from 2026 to 2028. New rules allow municipalities to impose local income tax rates up to 1.2% within a lower county cap of 2.9%, down from 3.75%. These revenue changes will directly affect Hartford City and Blackford County budgets in the upcoming cycle.

Source: Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism / Indiana Capital Chronicle via WTHI