FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Inside Indiana Business): The Northeast Indiana Regional Development Authority has submitted its proposal for Indiana’s Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI) program.

The 11-county region is seeking $50 million of the $500 million pledged to the economic development program by the state. Eighteen regions around the state are preparing and submitting their proposals.

Northeast Indiana RDA says its plan reflects the region’s top three focus areas for economic impact: workforce growth, downtown vibrancy, and entrepreneurship and innovation.

The organization says it is building upon the success of the Regional Cities Initiative in which the area was awarded $42 million in 2015. Fort Wayne’s Promenade Park was among projects receiving Regional Cities funds.

“The RDA board witnessed first-hand the positive economic impact Regional Cities funding had in our 11-county region. We are here to build on that, and the Growing with Vision plan is the first step in that process. Northeast Indiana is prepared to put this shared vision into place and accelerate our region’s growth together,” said Northeast Indiana RDA Board President Gene Donaghy.

The development authority says it received 130 applications from organizations seeking their share of the funding if northeast Indiana receives it.

The Indiana Economic Development Corp. will award READI funding in December to selected regions.

Click here to view the northeast Indiana plan.