News Release

Madison, Indiana, July 9, 2012 –

The Jefferson County EcO₁₅ Talent Initiative, along with the Madison Chamber and Economic Development Alliance and the Community Foundation of Madison and Jefferson County, thank the Lilly Endowment Inc. for awarding an additional $5 million in grants to support the work of the Economic Opportunities through Education (EcO₁₅) Initiative in 10 Southeast Indiana counties.  The Community Education Coalition (CEC) will receive $2.1 million, and $2.9 million will be awarded to the Heritage Fund – The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County - on behalf of the region.

“Since the beginning of EcO₁₅ in 2007 we consciously built elements of sustainability into our plans here in Jefferson County.  With this announcement, an additional $470,000 is coming our way and provides a strong foundation for moving ahead faster than anticipated.  We look forward to continued collaboration with The Heritage Fund, the CEC, all our regional partners, and especially our partners here in Jefferson County,” said Kathy Huffman, Talent Initiative/EcO₁₅ Jefferson County Coordinator. 

"Grote Industries has actively participated both locally and regionally in the EcO₁₅ Initiative since its inception.  Building the talent pipeline in Jefferson County, and the region, is vitally important to our current and future economy.  Within the Madison Chamber and Economic Development Alliance, EcO₁₅ is the bridge for collaboration between industry and education," said Jim Braun, Vice President and CFO at Grote Industries and member of the EcO₁₅ Advisory Council. 

Creating a regional learning system that trains educators in project-based learning (PBL) has taken hold, impacting thousands of students.  Within Jefferson County the implementation of PBL is a direct response to needs identified within industry to develop the skills of collaboration, team work, inquiry, and problem solving in the emerging workforce.

Noted Bill Barnes, Executive Director of The Community Foundation of Madison and Jefferson County, “This Initiative has engaged the Foundation in new ways and is a model for how communities can form networks to make real and sustainable progress in developing a workforce prepared to meet the demands of the 21^st Century work place. It is very rewarding to receive this additional grant support from the Endowment.”   

“The additional grant funding will carry the momentum forward and aids us in offering a unified presence that fosters a friendly climate where both large and small businesses succeed,” said Corey Murphy, Executive Director, Madison Chamber and Economic Development.  “Due in part to the hard work of the initial EcO₁₅ grant, our region is known as an excellent place for companies to locate. Companies will invest in locations where they believe a qualified workforce is available now and in the long-term. Such investments add to the quality of life because simultaneously they support small businesses, shops, restaurants, festivals and more,” he added.

“With the initial grant, EcO₁₅ helped build and sustain STEM-based programs such as Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Engineering programs and training equipment in Ivy Tech’s Advanced Manufacturing Lab.  Looking forward, our work will continue breaking down educational barriers, creating seamless educational pathways leading to careers in the industries that drive our local and regional economies.   It’s all about developing local talent, the human capital within our community,” said Kathy Huffman, Talent Initiative/EcO₁₅ Jefferson County Coordinator.