By ANDY OBER
InsideINdianaBusiness

FORT WAYNE — The Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership and Greater Fort Wayne Inc. have completed their Regional Cities Initiative proposal. The organizations say the application includes 38 projects and $400 million in investment.

The plan focuses on the region’s “Road to One Million,” an effort to increase its population to one million.

Vision 2020 Coordinator Lauren Zuber says the region must focus on quality of life initiatives to attract millennials and young professionals. She says one key aspect is to create a vibrant arts and culture scene.

The Regional Cities Initiative, which will award $84 million over the next two years, encourages communities throughout the state to fight population stagnation. The partnership says northeast Indiana’s population is growing at a rate of .7 percent, well behind benchmarked communities elsewhere in the United States, averaging around 2 percent.