Grant County Economic Growth Council awarded $200,000 Community Foundation grant to expand support for local entrepreneurs
The Grant County Economic Growth Council recently received a $200,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Grant County, Indiana, Inc. The funding will establish the Growth Council as Grant County’s Entrepreneurial Support Organization (ESO), coordinating training, coaching, mentorship and pathways to capital for entrepreneurs and business owners at every stage.
About the Project
The Grant County Economic Growth Council was recently awarded a $200,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Grant County through the Foundation’s Give to Grant Summer Cycle. The funding will support the Growth Council’s launch as Grant County’s Entrepreneurial Support Organization (ESO), a permanent, countywide resource that coordinates programming and resources for businesses at three stages: those still shaping an idea; those newly launched; and long-established companies pursuing modernization, growth or succession.
With funding from the grant, the Growth Council will launch a professional feasibility study, to map the county’s entrepreneurial landscape and evaluate a multi-hub model serving Marion, Gas City, Upland, and extend throughout Grant County. Additionally, the ESO initiative will offer ongoing workshops led by recognized experts in the field of entrepreneurship and business development; enhance the partnership and services through East Central Indiana Small Business Development Center; facilitate entrepreneurial-specific coaching built on Gallup’s Builder Profile 10 assessment; establish participation in Business Showcase Week, support Business-Pitch competitions; and establish an “Adopt-a-preneur" program pairing established business owners with newer entrepreneurs for one-on-one mentorship.
The initiative also creates pathways to better connect entrepreneurs to local sources of capital, including the Growth Council’s two revolving loan funds, up to $30,000 countywide and up to $50,000 within Marion city limits, and other community investment resources, creating a path from an initial idea to an investable business.
"True economic development starts from within. Becoming Grant County’s certified Entrepreneurial Support Organization isn’t just about adding new programs; it’s about surrounding our local business owners, entrepreneurs, and other innovators with an intentionally connected and accessible ecosystem of resources. Together, we are ensuring that anyone in Grant County with a business vision has the coaching, capital, and community backing to grow right here in our home community,” shared Ted Ward, executive director of the Grant County Economic Growth Council.
"Strong communities are built when organizations work together around a shared vision. The Growth Council has assembled an exciting framework for supporting entrepreneurs at every stage, and we're proud to invest in a collaborative model that strengthens our local economy while creating new opportunities for innovation, business growth, and long-term community prosperity," said Dawn Brown, President & CEO of the Community Foundation of Grant County.
The award builds on the Growth Council’s ongoing work supporting Grant County employers, from workforce development and site selection to administering revolving loan funds and partnering with the region’s small business development center.
The Growth Council’s mission is to promote a vibrant, sustainable economy that attracts and empowers business growth and innovation in Grant County.
"This investment reflects a shared conviction that Grant County's economic future rests as much on the businesses we grow here as on the ones we recruit. We're grateful to the Community Foundation for its partnership and its confidence in this work," said Ashley Hurd, Board President of the Grant County Economic Growth Council.
The grant period runs from July 31, 2026 through June 30, 2027. In its first phase, the Growth Council will execute the feasibility study, formalize and expand its business-coaching partnership with the Small Business Development Center, and complete the industry credentialing required to operate as an Entrepreneurial Support Organization (ESO). Public programming, including the ongoing workshops and participation with Business Showcase Week, will follow into 2027.
Through this investment, the Growth Council plans to:
Operate as Grant County’s credentialed Entrepreneurial Support Organization
Offer monthly expert-led workshops open to entrepreneurs countywide
Connect professionals to one-on-one coaching through the East Central Indiana Small Business Development Center
Host a Business Showcase Week and Pitch Night Awards
Launch an Adopt-a-Preneur program pairing established and emerging business owners
Commission a feasibility study to guide a multi-hub model that starts with Marion, Gas City and Upland
Community members, business owners, and especially budding entrepreneurs interested in learning more can visit grantcounty.com.
About the Grant County Economic Growth Council
Founded in 1985, the Grant County Economic Growth Council is Grant County’s primary economic development organization. Its mission is to promote a vibrant, sustainable economy that attracts and empowers business growth and innovation in Grant County. For more than 40 years, the Growth Council has supported local employers through business retention and expansion, workforce development, site selection and connections to capital and community resources.
About the Community Foundation of Grant County
The Community Foundation of Grant County, Indiana, Inc. is an advocate for local philanthropy and is dedicated to connecting people who care with causes that matter. An effective steward of the community’s charitable resources since 1984, the Foundation works with donors to establish charitable funds and supports non-profit organizations through a variety of grant-making efforts. The Community Foundation connects people, resources, and causes to promote sustainable impact towards the betterment of Grant County. Currently, the Community Foundation holds over 400 different funds that benefit worthy charities and charitable causes in Grant County. For more information, please visit www.GiveToGrant.org.