For the Republican — (Editor’s note: An expanded version of this story, with additional quotes from community leaders, will be featured in Saturday’s Rushville Republican.)

Rush County Disaster Coordinating Committee has received a grant of $410,486 from the 2008 Indiana Natural Disaster Fund (IND Fund) to help support recovery work from the storms and floods in June and September last year.

Rush was one of the nine counties with funded projects.

The total of the grants in Cycle 4 of Round 2 funding is $15,838,663 million.

The grants come from the 2008 Indiana Natural Disaster Fund (IND Fund), established with a $45 million grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc. to the Indiana Association of United Ways (IAUW).

The Rush County United Fund, Rush County Chamber of Commerce and Rush County Community Foundation formed a long-term recovery committee to propose projects ranging from assisting individuals rebuild homes to reconstructing or repairing public facilities.

“It takes time for people and communities to recover from the worst Indiana disasters in 100 years,” Larry Welker, IND Fund chairman and IAUW board member, said. “Our reviews recognize a range of recovery work that is needed even a year after the flooding. We have worked hard to coordinate with the state and other funding sources.”

Specific projects funded by the INDFund grant are, $355,486 to rebuild the Moscow Covered Bridge, and $55,000 to repair the Rush County Courthouse roof.

“This award is a great win for Rush County! The disaster coordinating committee, led by Garry Cooley and myself, worked diligently compiling a very strong, collaborative grant application and the results will impact the citizens of Rush County for many years to come,” Rush County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Pam Leisure said.

The Rush County Disaster Coordinating Committee members include Leisure, Cooley, Tom Barnes, Ken Masters, Marvin Cole, Bruce Levi, Al Hodge, Mike Ooley, Rob Puckett, Mark Bacon, Larry Stout, Greg Hall, Marvin Rees, Mike Riggs, Phil Mitchell and Wayne Goodman.

“Indiana’s recovery efforts are large and ongoing,” Roger Frick, IAUW president, said. “Over 7,500 volunteers have been engaged in flood recovery work across the state in the last 12 months. There are Long Term Recovery Committees still at work in over 10 counties. Homes, roads, sewers, and community landmarks all still need attention.”

Factors determining the competitive grant awards include local needs, available resources, the scale and type of the damage, local demographics and other funding commitments.

Applications are based on the recommendations of local United Ways or community foundations, which work with other local groups to set priorities for the funds.

The IAUW grants advisory committee includes IAUW board members and citizens with judgment and expertise in areas such as community development, financial affairs, neighborhood revitalization, rural development, local government and nonprofit organizations.

Round 1 grants provided for immediate response and funded the creation of infrastructure and support to organize and carry out the recovery work. More than four million dollars was awarded for that work in 50 counties.

Specifically, Rush County was awarded $52,500 in Round 1 for immediate needs and to begin the long-term recovery planning process. Total award amount from round one and round two in Rush County is $462,986.

IND Fund Round 2 comprised four application cycles. The final application cycle has concluded. Proposals for projects in the hardest-hit counties in June were made in Cycle 1 in November 2008, and received $14.3 million.

Proposals for additional projects were reviewed in December 2008, including the hard hit areas in the northwest corner of the state and received $4.3 million. Other counties with disaster declarations were reviewed in February 2009 for Cycle 3 and were awarded $2,285,031.

Counties that have received funding in this fourth cycle of Round 2 are the following:

Bartholomew County $4,393,892 for equipment at the community hospital

Clay County up to $340,000 for documented levee work

Jefferson County $13,900 for work on historic sites

Lake, Porter and LaPorte Counties $10, 219,235 for individual assistance

Monroe County $300,000 for individual assistance

Putnam County $165,150 for agricultural stabilization and drainage

Rush County $410,486 for historic sites and public facilities

Additional projects in six counties have been tabled pending resolution of other funding sources.