NWI RDA Offers New Grants to Prep Communities for Development

The grants will help cities update zoning, conduct housing studies, and create master plans to attract transit-oriented projects.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 5:49pm

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A photorealistic studio still life featuring a stack of architectural plans, a surveyor's transit, and a model of a modern train station, all arranged elegantly on a clean white background to symbolize the preparatory work required for transit-oriented development.A conceptual still life highlighting the planning tools and infrastructure needed to attract transit-oriented development projects.Hammond Today

The Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority (RDA) has launched a new $250,000 grant program to help communities in Lake and Porter counties prepare for transit-oriented development. The Development Catalyst Grants will provide individual awards of $10,000 to $75,000, with a required 10% local match, to fund initiatives like updating zoning codes, conducting housing studies, and creating investor prospectuses and placemaking materials for redevelopment areas.

Why it matters

As the $1.5 billion expansion of the South Shore Line nears completion, cities like Hammond and Michigan City are seeing a boost in development interest around new train stations. The RDA grants aim to help more communities get ready to capitalize on this transit-oriented growth by addressing key planning and infrastructure gaps.

The details

The new grant program comes after Hammond and Michigan City mayors highlighted how expanded commuter rail access is driving development in their cities. Hammond is starting construction on a new downtown South Shore station, while Michigan City's $101 million mixed-use Franklin project is set to open soon near the 11th Street Station. The RDA grants can fund a range of preparatory work, from updating zoning to analyzing infrastructure needs, to position communities to attract quality development.

  • The RDA has allocated $250,000 for the new Development Catalyst Grants program.
  • The grants will provide individual awards of $10,000 to $75,000, with a required 10% local match.
  • The grant program is open to communities in Lake and Porter counties in Northwest Indiana.

The players

Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority (RDA)

A regional economic development agency serving Lake and Porter counties in Northwest Indiana.

Thomas McDermott Jr.

The mayor of Hammond, Indiana.

Angie Nelson Deuitch

The mayor of Michigan City, Indiana.

AJ Bytnar

The economic development director at the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority.

Sherri Ziller

The president and CEO of the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority.

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What they’re saying

“Successful development starts with preparation. From the start, the RDA has sought to provide our partner communities with the tools and strategies they need to be ready for developers' calls. The development catalyst grant will provide funds to boost and round out these efforts so that communities are positioned to compete when opportunity arrives.”

— Sherri Ziller, President and CEO, Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority

“The strongest applications will connect local initiatives to RDA strategic priorities: transit-oriented development, brownfield redevelopment, lakefront access, tourism infrastructure and economic diversification.”

— AJ Bytnar, Economic Development Director, Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority

What’s next

The RDA will begin accepting applications for the new Development Catalyst Grants on April 15, 2026. The application deadline is May 31, 2026, and grant recipients will be announced by June 30, 2026.

The takeaway

As Northwest Indiana continues to invest in expanded commuter rail, the RDA's new grant program aims to help local communities get ahead of the curve and prepare their downtowns and transit hubs for the anticipated development opportunities. By funding initiatives like zoning updates, housing studies, and master planning, the grants will position more cities to attract quality, transit-oriented projects.