Sustaining Hoosier Communities
The Indiana University Center for Rural Engagement and Brown County will work together to advance community-identified projects through the center’s Sustaining Hoosier Communities initiative in 2026-27. The partnership marks a new chapter in a century-long relationship between Brown County and IU.
Sustaining Hoosier Communities brings together IU Bloomington faculty, their courses and the dedicated work of hundreds of students to support local initiatives in areas including quality of place, public health, business development, education and natural resources.
Links and Resources
News at IU news release:
https://news.iu.edu/live/news/48333-brown-county-iu-to-collaborate-through-sustaining
Brown County SHC community web page:
https://rural.indiana.edu/get-involved/shc/brown-county/index.html
Brown County is beginning a new partnership with Indiana University through the Sustaining Hoosier Communities (SHC) initiative. This partnership creates an opportunity for the county to pause, listen, and better understand community perspectives as we consider next steps for the future.
As part of this process, SHC hosted two community listening sessions to hear directly from residents (February 12 and 26, 2026). These sessions provided a space for open conversation about Brown County—what people value, what feels challenging, and what they hope for moving forward.
If you weren’t able to attend the listening sessions or have additional project ideas, go to https://iu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ex7tjZjeSbh0FEi
Thank you for taking part in this community conversation.
Want to know more? Click here: Brown County: Sustaining Hoosier Communities: Get Involved: Center for Rural Engagement: Indiana University Bloomington
If you have questions, please contact the Brown County Convention & Visitors Bureau at info@browncounty.com or (812) 988-7303.
For more information about the Center for Rural Engagement’s Sustaining Hoosier Communities program and past projects, visit shc.indiana.edu.