Employer Resource Navigator

Strategic Planning & Culture

BRE consulting, culture diagnostics, leadership development, succession & retention.

20 resources in this category

Power Up Indiana
State · DWD
Reimburses companies up to $5,000 per trainee ($50,000 max per company) for employee training that results in industry-recognized credentials, cross-training/reskilling, leadership development, or registered apprenticeships. Minimum starting wage: $23.50/hr.
Workforce Retention & Recruitment Program
State · DLGF
Indiana statute (IC 36-1-29.5) authorizes local governments to establish workforce retention and recruitment programs. Hamilton County has not yet enacted this program — listed here for awareness.
Indiana SBDC (Small Business Development Center)
Federal · SBA/IEDC
Free confidential business advising, training workshops, and up to $15,000 in professional services through the INTAP program. 10 regional offices across Indiana.
InvestEd — K-12 Employer Engagement (via The Pursuit Institute)
Local · IHC
Direct employer access to Hamilton County's 6 school corporations through The Pursuit Institute (TPI). Sponsor a Modern Youth Apprenticeship (MYA), host paid interns, mentor capstone projects, or run workforce-readiness sessions. 100+ apprentices currently placed; 9 active career pathways (450+ supporting courses).
Youth
Alex Site Intelligence — Free Workforce Dashboard
Local · IHC
IHC's flagship workforce intelligence platform: 619 occupations across 23 SOC major groups, hiring/turnover data, education pipeline, commute flows, wage curves, career ladder networks. Live data updated monthly. Free to all Hamilton County employers via the City BRE add-on.
Hercules Culture & Performance Toolkit
Private · IHC
Research-grounded culture diagnostic + performance operating system: 4-shift framework, decision rights, meeting architecture, team agreements, quarterly facilitated deep-dives. Grounded in Edmondson, Brown, Grant, Scott, Buckingham, Lencioni. For employers wrestling with morale, retention, supervisor capability, or training that didn't stick.
Benefits Intelligence — Employer Gap Reports
Local · IHC
Custom benefits gap analysis comparing your benefits package to the Hamilton County market across 28 BLS-tracked benefit categories. Shows where you're competitive, where you're underwater, and which specific benefits would close the biggest retention gaps. Free for HC employers.
Indiana Skills Enhancement Fund (SEF) — Training Reimbursement
State · IEDC
Indiana state grant reimbursing up to 50% of training costs for new or incumbent workers (up to $5,000/employee). Stacks with WOTC + OJT. Best for technical training, certifications, leadership development. Application processed by IEDC; turnaround 30-60 days.
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) — Indianapolis District Office
Federal · SBA
Federal lending + business advisory for HC small businesses. SBA 7(a) loans (up to $5M), 504 loans (real estate + equipment), HUBZone certification, government contracting prep. Indianapolis district office covers Hamilton County; Fishers + Carmel SBDC chapters provide free 1:1 advising.
OneZone Chamber Programming — Hamilton County Networking
Private · OneZone
OneZone Chamber serves Carmel + Fishers + Northern HC (1,200+ members). Networking events, leadership programs (Manager Accelerator), advocacy on local business issues, professional development. Best general-purpose chamber for HC small/mid businesses needing peer networks + visibility.
Indiana Health Care Association (IHCA) — Long-Term Care Workforce & Training
Private · IHCA
Trade association for nursing homes, assisted living, and post-acute care providers in Indiana. Workforce program portfolio includes CNA & QMA training (online + clinical), Activity Director Certified (ADC) course, Health Facility Administrator (HFA) and Residential Care Administrator (RCA) leadership courses, Preceptor Online Course, Gero Nurse Prep, AAPACN tools for SNF nurses, Infection Preventionist Specialized Training, and the 'Mastering Recruitment & Retention' webinar series. Member discounts apply across the catalog.
ASPIN — Community Health Worker & Peer Recovery Specialist Certification (Carmel-based)
State · ASPIN
ASPIN, headquartered in Carmel (Hamilton County), is Indiana's oldest CHW training provider (since 2009) and an approved Indiana Employer Training Grant provider. Two core certifications: Certified Community Health Worker (CCHW, $1,250, 47+ hours, Medicaid-billable per IHCP Bulletin BT2024198) and Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist (CPRSS, $2,000, includes NAADAC credentialing, requires 2 years SUD recovery). Specialty add-ons in chronic care, domestic violence, opioid-impacted families, and leadership.
FSSA HCBS Direct Service Workforce Investment Grant
Federal · Indiana FSSA
Indiana FSSA dedicated $130M to direct-service workforce grants for HCBS Medicaid providers, requiring 95% of awarded funds pass through directly to direct-service workers as compensation, retention bonuses, or wraparound benefits. The first round (January 2023) awarded 826 HCBS providers; FSSA continues the Direct Service Workforce strategy under the broader HCBS spending plan, with future rounds tied to the HCBS Provider Readiness Grant program.
Indiana Bankers Association — Future Leadership Division & BankTalentHQ
Private · Indiana Bankers Association
The Indiana Bankers Association (rebranded indiana.bank) is the statewide trade association for Indiana banks. Member resources include the Future Leadership Division (next-generation banker development), the Commercial Lending School, Universal Banker Certification, a Soft Skills Webinar Series, the BankLEAD Internships student pipeline program, BankTalentHQ (the national banking job board), an annual industry compensation survey, and Google Groups peer-learning forums. Most resources are member-only; BankTalentHQ job postings are open to any banking employer. Built for community and regional banks of all sizes.
Big I — Independent Insurance Agents Virtual University & Hires Toolkit
Private · Big I / Big I Indiana
The Big I is the national federation of independent insurance agencies (IIABA), with an Indiana state affiliate. Member benefits include the Big I Virtual University (18,000+ pages of agency-specific reference content, on-demand webinars, and CE), Big I Hires (recruiting/onboarding/training toolkit), perpetuation and succession-planning resources for owner transitions, agency E&O coverage designed specifically for independent agencies, and the Young Agents emerging-leader network. Membership is per-agency through the state affiliate.
AICPA Private Companies Practice Section (PCPS) — Free Toolkits for Small Firms
Private · AICPA & CIMA
The Private Companies Practice Section is AICPA's resource hub for small and mid-size CPA firms. Free downloads include the PCPS Burnout Prevention Toolkit, the AICPA Small Firm Generative AI Policy Template, Small Firms Solutions practice-management articles, the 'Transforming: Tales of Business Evolution' podcast, and access to PCPS Networking Groups (peer cohorts of similarly-sized firms). PCPS membership ($35/yr per CPA on top of AICPA membership) unlocks deeper member-only toolkits including HR policy templates, succession planning tools, and the firm-of-the-future content library.
Center for Creative Leadership — Free Leading Effectively Library
Private · CCL
CCL is one of the world's top-ranked leadership-development providers. The Leading Effectively article library is free and open: hundreds of research-backed articles, downloadable guides, white papers, the Lead with That podcast, and free webinar series. Designed for managers and emerging leaders at any size organization. CCL's paid programs (coaching, 360 assessments, leadership academies) start in the thousands of dollars per participant; the free library is an excellent low-budget alternative for HC small firms wanting research-grounded content for internal lunch-and-learns or 1:1 manager coaching.
SHRM Toolkits & Ask an HR Advisor
Private · SHRM
SHRM is the largest HR professional association in the world. SHRM members access an extensive library of free toolkits (sample policies, I-9 audit checklist, job analysis toolkit, performance review templates, employee handbook templates), the Ask an HR Advisor service (unlimited phone/email questions answered by a certified HR consultant), the Vendor Directory for HR tech selection, and the SHRM Foundation's free workforce-development research. Professional membership ~$264/yr; one membership covers an HR practitioner who can serve a small firm with no dedicated HR staff.
7shifts — Restaurant Scheduling, Time Clock & Tip-Pool Software
Private · 7shifts Inc.
Restaurant-specific workforce management platform (scheduling, time clock, team chat, tip pooling, labor budgeting, hiring) used by 50,000+ restaurants. Free 'Comp' tier supports unlimited shifts at one location for up to 15 employees with scheduling, availability, time-off requests, and one-way announcements — fits the median HC independent restaurant. Paid tiers ($39.99 / $79.99 / $134.99 per location/month) add time clock, tip pooling, labor compliance alerts, payroll integration, and engagement scoring. Built for the restaurant tip-credit edge cases DIY scheduling tools miss.
Toast Restaurant Resources Hub — Free Operator Guides & Templates
Private · Toast, Inc.
Free library of restaurant operator guides, templates, benchmarks, and on-demand webinars from Toast, available without being a Toast POS customer. Topics include hiring (interview questions, job descriptions for FOH/BOH), staff retention, tip-pooling models, labor cost benchmarks, food cost calculators, employee handbook templates, opening checklists, and the annual Restaurant Industry Report. Built for operators who can't afford a consultant but need the playbook.