Boone County Economic Development Corporation

10/29/2026

Boone EDC is honored to have received a $10,000 unrestricted grant from the Community Foundation of Boone County to support the creation of the Boone County Main Street Alliance. To help increase collaboration and connection among the Main Street Organizations in Boone County, this group will provide quarterly meetings, professional development, and a pilot innovation fund for the non-profit boards of the Main Street Organizations. This will help support resource sharing, collaboration, and peer to peer education efforts, which will ultimately help strengthen the collective growth and economic impact of Boone County’s downtowns. We are so grateful for the Community Foundation of Boone County for supporting this work!

10/28/2026

The Boone County Economic Development Corporation attended the 2026 State of the Town event hosted by the Zionsville Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Zionsville today!

Mayor John Stehr shared updates on Zionsville’s progress over the past year, current initiatives, and priorities for the future. This event provided a valuable opportunity to connect with community leaders, strengthen partnerships, and stay informed about the growth and development shaping Boone County.

Thank you to the Zionsville Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Zionsville for hosting this informative event!

10/27/2026

A major new industrial development is planned for Lebanon!

Strategic Capital Partners is planning a $103 million industrial park near I-65 featuring four buildings totaling nearly 1.5 million square feet. The large-scale project adds to the continued industrial development taking shape in Lebanon and Boone County.

Read more from the Indianapolis Business Journal:

The four-building, speculative project from Strategic Capital Partners is expected to total nearly 1.5 million square feet.

10/26/2026

Final Call for Applicants: Boone County Storefront Design Accelerator Program

Boone County small businesses: Applications are still open for the Boone County Storefront Design Accelerator Program!

This countywide initiative supports local small businesses in enhancing their storefront interiors, improving the customer experience, and creating more welcoming spaces for customers.

Selected businesses will receive:
* A professional storefront interior design assessment
* A $1,000 grant to implement a recommended interior improvement
* The opportunity to connect and collaborate with a cohort of 15 Boone County small businesses

Eligibility requirements: Businesses must be located in Boone County, operate a physical storefront, and currently be open to the public.

Boone EDC is proud to partner with Main Street Zionsville, Heart of Lebanon, the Town of Whitestown, the Jamestown Community Partnership, Thorntown Main Street, and the Town of Advance to support local businesses and strengthen Boone County’s commercial corridors.

Interested businesses are encouraged to apply today! Applications close on November 2nd, 2026.

Learn more and apply:�https://info.betterinboone.org/boone-county-storefront-program

This initiative is supported by the Community Collaboration Fund (CCF), a program of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) that supports community-led collaborations and programming focused on entrepreneurial education, technology enablement, and small business acceleration across Indiana.

10/26/2026

Thank you to everyone who attended our first Storefront Branding, Design & Layout Workshop as part of the Boone County Storefront Design Accelerator Program, presented by the Boone County Economic Development Corporation.

We extend our sincere appreciation to Ryan Locke of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) for sharing information about the Community Collaboration Fund, and to Studio RD for leading an engaging and informative session focused on storefront branding, design, and layout.

We would also like to thank our partner organizations for their support and collaboration: Heart of Lebanon, Main Street Zionsville, Jamestown Community Partnership, the Town of Advance, the Town of Whitestown, and Thorntown Main Street.

We appreciate the participation of our local small business owners and their commitment to strengthening their businesses and enhancing Boone County’s commercial spaces. We look forward to building on the ideas and connections established during this first workshop as we continue working together to create welcoming, vibrant storefronts throughout our community.

10/22/2026

That's a wrap for our 2026 event series!

We recently closed out our Behind-the-Scenes and HR Roundtable series for the year with two great opportunities to learn, connect, and collaborate!

Behind the Scenes | The Arc of Greater Boone County

Our final Behind-the-Scenes tour took us to The Arc of Greater Boone County, an organization dedicated to empowering individuals with disabilities and creating opportunities for greater independence, inclusion, and meaningful community impact. One of the highlights of our visit was touring the workspace where The Arc's team fulfills orders for Mr. Canary!

HR Roundtable | 2026 Wage & Benefits Study

Our final HR Roundtable of the year brought together local HR professionals and business leaders to explore findings from the 2026 Boone County Wage & Benefits Study. Beyond discussing compensation trends and evolving employee expectations, attendees had the opportunity to share feedback and recommendations to help shape the 2027 Wage & Benefits Study, ensuring it continues to provide meaningful insights for our local employers.

As we wrap up these series for 2026, we want to thank everyone who attended, hosted, and contributed to the conversations throughout the year. These opportunities to connect, share ideas, and learn from one another are what make our Boone County business community so special!

10/19/2026

Boone EDC’s Program Manager, Dorothy Widelka, is one of 29 leaders selected to participate in Early Learning Indiana’s inaugural Civic Impact Academy. The program started last week with a lecture led by Harvard University professor Dr. Junlei Li, a community mapping activity, and a brain architecture program for participants. The Civic Impact Academy brings together professionals from business, government, and civic sectors to explore how early childhood education drives economic growth and strengthens Indiana’s workforce. Through this exciting opportunity, Boone EDC will continue to gain valuable insights and connections to help support early learning and address childcare challenges in Boone County.

Click this link to learn more about the Civic Impact Academy:

INDIANAPOLIS – Early Learning Indiana has selected 29 leaders from business, economic development, government and civic organizations to participate in

10/16/2026

Boone EDC is proud to celebrate 500 Sycamore Founder and Boone EDC Board member, Braden Nicholson for being named a finalist for the 2026 Monumental Awards in recognition of his Thorntown Main Street revitalization project. Hosted by the Indy Chamber, the Monumental Awards celebrate outstanding achievements in economic growth and development across Central Indiana. Nicholson and Boone EDC were finalists in the Neighborhood Revitalization category, highlighting the commitment to strengthen communities and support downtown revitalization efforts in Boone County. Although the Thorntown Main Street revitalization project ultimately did not win in the Neighborhood Revitalization category, being named a finalist is a huge honor and a strong testament to the hard work and dedication that went into this project.

Click the link below to learn more about the project that received this incredible nomination!

https://betterinboone.org/main-street-momentum-thorntowns-downtown-revival-takes-shape/

10/14/2026

Exciting news for Lebanon!

Pharmaceutical company, Eli Lilly and Co., has proposed a decade-long, $19.3 million investment to Lebanon to upgrade local hazardous materials response services. The funding would initially hire 12 new firefighters, a hazardous materials response fire engine, and advanced training at the new Lebanon Fire Department Station 213. This partnership would require Lebanon to continue meeting regular performance targets for personnel levels, certifications, and equipment upkeep to continue receiving yearly payments. Investments like these directly support Lebanon residents and the community by enhancing public safety, high accountability standards, and improved hazardous materials response services.

Eli Lilly and Co. is proposing to provide up to $19.3 million over 10 years to the city of Lebanon to expand the Lebanon Fire Department’s ability to respond to hazardous materials emergencies, according to documents filed with the city.

10/09/2026

Storefront Branding, Design & Layout Workshop

Calling all Boone County small business owners! Join us for an engaging and practical workshop as part of the Boone County Storefront Design Accelerator Program, presented by the Boone County Economic Development Corporation.

We’re excited to welcome guest speakers from Studio RD, a local interior design firm, who will lead a hands-on session focused on storefront branding, design, and layout. Whether you’re looking to refresh your current storefront, improve your customer experience, or simply explore new ideas for making your business stand out, this workshop will provide inspiration you can put into practice.

📅 October 26th
⏰ 9:30 AM–10:30 AM
📍 Lebanon, Indiana Public Library
104 E Washington St, Lebanon, IN 46052

The workshop is open to all Boone County small businesses, and we encourage business owners to take advantage of this opportunity to learn from design professionals and connect with other local entrepreneurs.

Light breakfast and coffee will be provided. Link to register below.

https://info.betterinboone.org/boone-county-storefront-program