" Build Noble" Noble County EDC Work Plan 2021/22 - Prepared January 2021
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“ Build Noble”
Noble County EDC Work Plan
2021/22
Prepared January 2021
Noble County EDC Mission:
Ensure a thriving Noble County economy
Table of Contents
Target Industries ........................................................................................................................................... 3
Advanced Manufacturing.......................................................................................................................... 3
Agribusiness .............................................................................................................................................. 3
Vehicle Components ................................................................................................................................. 3
Medical Devices and Technologies ........................................................................................................... 3
Small Business/Entrepreneurs .................................................................................................................. 3
Strategic Priorities ......................................................................................................................................... 4
Business Retention and Expansion ........................................................................................................... 4
Build Development Sites ........................................................................................................................... 4
Build a World Class Talent Development System ..................................................................................... 5
Build an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem ......................................................................................................... 7
Build Housing Stock................................................................................................................................... 9
Build a Coalition in Preparation for Stellar Communities 2022 ................................................................ 9
Build an Effective Child Care Infrastructure............................................................................................ 10
Enhance organizational sustainability .................................................................................................... 11
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Target Industries
Advanced Manufacturing
Advanced manufacturing is the use of innovative technology to
improve products or processes, with the relevant technology
being described as "advanced," "innovative," or "cutting
edge." Advanced manufacturing industries increasingly integrate
new innovative technologies into both products and processes.
Agribusiness
Agribusiness is the business sector encompassing farming and
farming-related commercial activities. The business involves all
steps required to send an agricultural good to market, including
production, processing, and distribution.
Vehicle Components
The vehicle component sector is a broad range of companies
involved in the design, development, and manufacturing of motor
vehicle components. This includes components used in the final
manufacture of automobiles, trucks, construction equipment, and
RVs.
Medical Devices and Technologies
Medical device manufacturing includes all aspects of the
fabrication of a medical device. This includes the design and
manufacturing of implants and instruments used in the medical
field.
Small Business/Entrepreneurs
Cutting across every sector of our economy, eight of every 10
businesses in Noble County employs 10 or fewer workers. This
entrepreneurial community is the backbone of the Noble County
economy.
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Noble County EDC
2021/22 Strategic Priorities
Strategic Priorities
In order to achieve the mission, the EDC will support existing employers and will engage in a series of
efforts to expand and build the infrastructure required to support growth. For 2021/22, the EDC will
focus on the following strategies for building Noble County to ensure economic growth:
Business Retention and Expansion
Engage with existing businesses and industry partners to support their retention, expansion, and
growth.
BRE is core to the mission of the EDC and will drive prioritization of efforts. Overall, this will happen
through a combination of activities including:
▪ Meet directly with at least 60 industry partners to identify issues/concerns that the EDC can
help address. Examples include assistance with accessing tax abatements and other forms of
local/regional support, assistance with the development and coordination of workforce training
activities, provision of information on wages/benefits that help employers assess budgets, and
assistance in accessing grants and other forms of state support.
▪ Aggressively share information with HR contacts and others as appropriate. Such sharing will
feature information/updates on workplace issues such as COVID, legal issues, local/regional
initiatives, new programming, new grants/funding opportunities for employers, new data when
relevant to industry, and similar information that may be helpful to industry partners.
▪ Re-establish an HR Roundtable with key HR talent from across the county. The roundtable will
work on issues that are of collective importance to industry such as childcare, leadership
training, and more. The roundtable will present opportunities quarterly for small groups of HR
leaders to offer input, thought, and perspective on the larger issues that challenge virtually
every employer in the county.
Build Development Sites
Expand industrial development sites in Noble County to support business retention, expansion, and
attraction efforts
Currently, Noble County has limited inventory to compete effectively for economic development
projects. Three key observations about this include:
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▪ Sites: There is one 36-acre site available in the Kendallville East industrial park and one 50-acre
site in the Ligonier industrial park. There are currently no significant sites available in the Albion
industrial park, although one lot has become available on the north end of town (48 acres). The
78-acre Avilla industrial Park is new, and the first lot has already been developed and two
additional lots have been sold. The park is strategically located and projected to fill up quickly,
with sites available ranging from 3.5 to 33 acres.
▪ Buildings: The current building inventory includes structures with significant age, low ceilings,
and generally smaller square footage than what is typically sought. Currently, there is just one
existing building that meets many of today's economic development requirements.
▪ Missed Opportunities: An analysis of economic development projects issued in 2020 reveals
that many prospects want 50+ acres or buildings that are 75,000 to 100,000+ square feet. Right
now, Noble County has one site option and one existing building that would meet these
requirements (however, the building has 16’ ceilings in much of the building, lower than the
20’+ height typically sought).
To compete for economic development “wins”, this lack of inventory must be addressed. The EDC will
address this in two strategic ways. First, over the past few months, multiple potential industrial
development sites have been identified near the four existing Noble County industrial parks. In
2021/22, in partnership with Noble communities, the EDC will focus on getting these sites “shovel-
ready” to ensure that Noble County can compete effectively for industry expansion and attraction
projects. In 2021/22, all new Investment Trust Fund (ITF) commitments will be in support of efforts to
acquire, develop, or ensure these sites are shovel-ready and prepped for development. This could
include Phase 1 environmental assessments, soil borings, surveys (with wetland delineations if
appropriate), and other items required to get these sites certified as shovel ready.
Second, the EDC will be the lead Noble County organization involved with the Indiana Strategic Sites
Inventory (SSI) Program being conducted through the IEDC. The IEDC, through its contractor, has been
working in counties across the state to complete a site discovery process where sites with the greatest
development potential are being identified. Sites have now been identified in Noble County and the
EDC will engage with the appropriate communities and leaders to fully explore the development
potential that these sites may offer.
Between both efforts, the EDC’s goal will be to have at least 2 additional sites in shovel-ready status in
the next two years. This will allow Noble County to better compete for business retention, expansion,
and attraction projects more effectively.
Build a World Class Talent Development System
Enhance the existing talent development system in Noble County and build in a new focus on
advanced manufacturing skills
5In 2021/22, there is a unique opportunity to build a world-class manufacturing talent development
system to support Noble County learners and employers. This talent development system must
continue to offer training opportunities that teach the skills required by existing industries (machining,
welding, maintenance, etc.). Noble County is already doing well in this regard. However, this talent
development system must be expanded to include new programming that focuses on Industry 4.0 skills
as defined below:
Definition of Industry 4.0: In the past decade, a fourth industrial revolution has emerged,
known as Industry 4.0. Industry 4.0 takes the emphasis on digital technology to a whole new
level with the help of interconnectivity through the Internet of Things (IoT), access to real-time
data, and the introduction of cyber-physical systems. Industry 4.0 offers a more comprehensive
and interconnected approach to manufacturing. It connects physical with digital, and allows for
better collaboration across departments, partners, vendors, product, and people. Industry 4.0
features what many are calling ”smart manufacturing” which couples physical production with
smart digital technology, machine learning, robotics, and cloud-based data systems to create a
highly connected system for manufacturers and their supply chains.
For 2021/22, the EDC will work with K-12 partners, the Impact Institute, Freedom Academy, the
Community Learning Center, Ivy Tech, and others to develop and implement a robust Industry 4.0 skill
program for high school students, adult learners, and employers. When the Industry 4.0 program is fully
implemented, Noble County will be home to a world class manufacturing skills development program
with a focus on robotics, industrial automation, control systems, and applied digital technology. This
kind of talent development initiative will be one of the first of its kind in Indiana (and the Midwest in
general) and will become a major differentiator for Noble County in the critical talent development
arena.
To move this forward, the EDC will lead efforts by:
1. Bringing educators and training providers to the table to understand the best way to
incorporate Industry 4.0 skills training
2. Engaging industry partners to secure significant employer input into needed program
content/curriculum
3. Developing meaningful work-based learning opportunities for students through relationships
with industry partners
4. Working with education/industry partners to secure the significant funding required to
capitalize this effort and ensure a successful implementation.
The goal for this effort will be to define the content/scope of the program and secure funding in support
of this effort during calendar year 2021. Following completion of these two milestones, Industry 4.0
advanced manufacturing training will be available for high school and adult learners by the fall of 2022.
6Build an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
Identify and execute on a series of strategies designed to create an ecosystem of supports that will
foster and develop entrepreneurs in Noble County
Entrepreneurship is a cornerstone of community and economic development. Entrepreneurs start
businesses, create jobs, and launch products and services that serve and generate wealth in a
community. While Noble County has a rich history of entrepreneurship, to ensure a thriving economy
we must become a community that supports and provides the environment required for the next
generation of entrepreneurs to succeed. Doing so will not only serve to retain and develop local talent,
but it can also serve to attract talent to the region as well.
To help facilitate this, the EDC will work with partners across the community to develop and execute on
a strategy for creating and growing an entrepreneurial ecosystem. To be effective, the Kauffman
Foundation believes that an entrepreneurial ecosystem must “allow for the flow of talent, information,
and resources so that entrepreneurs can quickly find what they need at each stage of growth.” Such a
system must include space for collaboration and open communication between networks of
entrepreneurs, business support organizations, business incubators, training institutions, libraries, and
foundations. This kind of community infrastructure supports growth in a way that differs from
traditional, formal infrastructure because an entrepreneurial ecosystem creates connectivity between
individuals, services, and opportunities. The EDC will lead efforts in Noble County to create this kind of
ecosystem – one that will include the following five critical elements:
▪ Champions, Leaders and Conveners: These individuals promote entrepreneurs, organize the
ecosystem, and build awareness and support across the community. They advocate for local
entrepreneurs and their companies, bring them together in collaboration, challenge them to
grow, and create a culture that supports entrepreneurs. In other words, they are the catalysts,
connectors, cheerleaders, and changemakers. The EDC will serve as a lead champion/convener
and will also identify key individuals in the county who can serve in this role and bring them
together in new ways to support a culture of entrepreneurialism.
▪ People and Institutions with Knowledge: A thriving ecosystem requires an environment that
encourages entrepreneurs to ask questions and offers an abundance of easy ways for them to
get answers. Such questions can focus on everything from help with a business plan to help
growing a business by building solid marketing, e-commerce, accounting, or HR systems that
support growth. The EDC will work with business support organizations such as SCORE, the
SBDC, local chambers, the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center (NIIC), lending institutions,
insurance agents and others to develop a network of knowledge-based resources that can
support entrepreneurs. This would also include formal personal and business development
training opportunities that entrepreneurs can access at little/no cost to them.
▪ Physical Infrastructure: Early-stage entrepreneurs often need access to physical assets that will
support the planning and early activities of their new business. Examples of such physical assets
include co-working spaces, business incubators, business accelerators, and entrepreneurial
7support centers. Such physical spaces offer entrepreneurs access to office space, high-speed
internet, and technology that they might otherwise not be able to access. Working with
community partners, the EDC will explore options and develop a strategy for creating such a
space in Noble County to support early-stage entrepreneurs.
▪ Access to Capital: Financial capital limitations in rural ecosystems can significantly constrain
business growth and development. To address this, the EDC will pursue several strategies. First,
the EDC will work towards securing funding to support a revolving loan fund to support small
businesses in either start up or growth mode. Second, the EDC will engage with community
lending partners and the SBA to identify opportunities for working collaboratively in support of
entrepreneurs at all stages of development. Third, the EDC will work with partners to develop
both digital and network approaches for entrepreneurs to access capital through such strategies
as establishing links to sector-specific networks of equity investors, digital financial platforms
including crowdfunding, and business angel groups. And fourth, the EDC will support
entrepreneurs by providing entrepreneurial competency programs to help them develop
fundable businesses that are attractive investments to both local and external sources of
finance.
▪ Entrepreneurial Pipeline: Creating an entrepreneurial pipeline is critical to ensure long-term
success and the overall sustainability of these efforts. Baseball has a talent pipeline. Kids start
early and talented kids with promise get scouted and move into travel and high school/college
ball. The most talented players get a shot at minor league baseball and some eventually play in
the major leagues. Truth be told, sports, corporations, skilled trades, and many others have
utilized talent pipelines for decades. The same concept should be applied to developing
entrepreneurial talent. While there are many groups that could be targeted for the pipeline, the
EDC will focus its efforts on two groups: (1) K-12 learners and (2) existing small businesses. This
will involve developing stronger partnerships with many organizations including K-12 systems
that can incorporate entrepreneurial experiences into their curriculum. However, this must also
occur outside of the school environment. An example would be to cultivate business plan pitch
competitions for area high school students, creating an entrepreneurial pipeline for the next
generation of Noble County business leaders.
▪ Talent Attraction: As many people migrate away from cities to seek more business-friendly
environments and a better quality of life, entrepreneur-friendly communities, and remote work
opportunities, having an established entrepreneurial ecosystem will serve as an asset to
promote in talent attraction marketing campaigns.
The goals of this effort will be as follows: (1) within the next two years, have an Entrepreneurial Center
that supports entrepreneurs and business start-ups, (2) within the next 12-18 months have a revolving
loan fund and a network of investors willing to consider projects, (3) within the next 12 months have key
elements of an entrepreneurial pipeline in place with K-12 partners and others, and (4) over the next 2
years, engage with at least 25 Noble County entrepreneurs and provide support that enables their
growth (striving for at least 1 break out entrepreneur per year).
8Build Housing Stock
Work to increase housing starts through a strategy that includes developing relationships with home
builders across the region; work with communities to identify target locations for future
developments, and marketing these locations to developers/home builder
Noble County cannot simply wait for home builders to reach out and/or find us; rather, Noble County
must go on the offense and aggressively communicate opportunities to developers and home builders.
This effort will be premised on data and insight from the Noble County Housing Study released in 2018,
such as the following:
▪ 37.4% of Noble County housing was built prior to 1960 (this is the second highest percentage in
the region). Noble County also has the smallest share of homes built since 2000 in the region
(11.2%). Clearly, Noble County has an older housing stock. However, with few homes built in
the last two decades, the county is largely an open market for developers/builders.
▪ In a survey of residents conducted in the spring of 2018 (806 respondents) 25% indicated their
future plans included buying a home. 26.5% of these respondents indicated a desire to
purchase a home in the $150,000-$200,000 price range, while an additional 23.1% of
respondents indicated a desire to purchase home with a value over $200,000.
▪ Noble County imports over 6,000 workers who are employed each week at locations across the
county. As part of the 2018 survey, 6.9% of respondents who lived outside of Noble County
identified a lack of quality housing in Noble County as the reason they could not move here.
To facilitate this effort, the EDC will coordinate efforts with community partners and develop a county-
wide strategy (with associated materials) that targets home builders in the region/state. This effort will
begin with community conversations about the best locations for future residential development in the
county. Once these sites have been fully identified and vetted, an outreach campaign will be developed
that targets home builders in the region. This campaign will feature specific sites that would be
appropriate for residential development, any incentives that may be available to assist in site
development, and a Google Earth map that allows developers to explore these sites in an interactive
manner. In short, this effort will resemble the EDC’s approach to industrial site development: identify
good sites, know these sites inside and out, and aggressively market them to residential developers and
home builders.
The goals of this effort are twofold: (1) to develop relationships with home builders across the region,
and (2) to secure at least one additional commitment for a housing development in the next two years.
Build a Coalition in Preparation for Stellar Communities 2022
Although Stellar Communities has been put on hold for 2020-2021, the EDC will work with
communities and key partners to develop a framework for an aggressive Stellar Communities Program
application in 2022.
9The Stellar Communities program is a multi-year, multi-million-dollar investment initiative led by the
Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA). The program supports communities in their efforts to
develop strategic community investment plans, enhance local and regional partnerships, and implement
comprehensive solutions to challenges facing rural communities. The Stellar Communities program
provides resources for transformative quality of place community improvements by building on existing
planning efforts, leveraging existing assets, fostering regional investments, and stimulating continued
growth. Noble County and its cities and towns must come together in the next 12 months and lay the
groundwork for an eventual program application in 2022.
To facilitate this, the EDC will encourage, coordinate, and when appropriate, facilitate collaborations
that lay the foundation for application by working to foster a stronger collaborative culture. This will
involve forging new and innovative collaborations between county leaders, mayors and town managers,
and key partners who can support and benefit from Stellar Communities projects (e.g., utilities,
foundations, human service, and quality of life organizations).
The goals of this effort will be as follows: (1) to seek out opportunities for collaborative work and work
collaboratively on these opportunities, and (2) develop a framework for addressing these challenges in a
way that prepares the community for an eventual Stellar Communities program application. A multi-
year, multi-million-dollar investment could absolutely be transformative for Noble County, so building
the framework in advance of the 2022 application process is key.
Build an Effective Child Care Infrastructure
With the Community Foundation and United Way, serve as one of the lead organizations in the
development of the Noble County Early Childhood Education (ECE) Coalition and a comprehensive
plan for improving access to affordable and quality child care
It is common sense that parents with young children need access to child care in order to obtain and
retain employment, which makes a strong child care system a critical component of a growing Noble
County economy. There is also a two-generational role that child care plays with regard to families and
young children. Child care certainly offers work-related support for parents, but also enables children to
be in a setting that promotes healthy development and school readiness (while their parents are at
work). In this way, child care not only has a direct impact on today’s workforce, but it also impacts the
workforce of tomorrow. With employers struggling to find the talent they need to sustain and grow,
this issue has quickly become front and center for the EDC.
With its partners at the Community Foundation and the United Way, the EDC will continue to work
collaboratively with others in the county to launch the Early Childhood Education (ECE) Coalition. This
coalition includes individuals and organizations from a variety of disciplines to work together to develop
strategies and a system of affordable and quality child care for Noble County families. As an example,
one effective strategy may be to work with employers in industrial parks and create private/public
partnerships that keep quality child care close to concentrations of jobs.
10Goals for this coalition effort include: (1) identify child care effective implementation strategies in the
next 12 months to expand access to quality child care programs, and (2) engage industry partners in the
effort and get commitments from 5-10 employers to participate in the implementation of strategies.
Enhance organizational sustainability
Develop and steward relationships with business leaders, partners, and community leaders to
encourage new and ongoing public and private investment in local economic development initiatives
To be effective at executing this work plan, the EDC must also work in 2021/22 to develop more long-
term sustainability. While there are many ways to move forward on this goal, the EDC will focus on the
following two strategies to enhance the organization’s effectiveness and sustainability:
1. CVB Collaboration: The relationship between the CVB and the EDC is young, but full of
potential. In 2021/22, the EDC will work with the CVB staff to develop a more formal
relationship that focuses on joint efforts that enhance economic activity. Examples could
include working together to bring a new hotel to the county, promoting the county as a great
place to live/work/play, and supporting small businesses that operate in the tourism arena.
2. Financial Sustainability: Through all of its touchpoints with stakeholders, the EDC will strive to
increase overall investment in local economic development with two specific goals: (1) Increase
the percentage of private/public contributions over the next 12 to 18 months to a 25/75 ratio
respectively and (2) increase funding commitments that will allow for the support of initiatives
such as WorkNoble and ShopNoble.
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