SIRPC has subscribed to defining resiliency as:

The ability to recover quickly from a shock;
The ability to withstand a shock and;
The ability to avoid the shock altogether.

A shock is any unexpected event which has extreme negative impacts on people, infrastructure, and an economy.

Why do we need to be resilient, and why is resiliency important?
For an individual it can be described as having grit, the inner strength to keep going when things are tough. When applied at the group level, resilience is the manifestation of how a community rebounds from, endures, and learns to prevent future shocks–bypassing their negative effects.

Read our strategy for improving our region's resilience. Investigate the data and engage with us! This project is a process, a living document. It will not end when the final version is in your hands.

This project was made possible by the partnership and financial support of the U.S. Economic Development Administration.

We also want to recognize the long hours and support of SIRPC staff and project planning team, the leadership and technical support of Purdue Center for Regional Development as a key project partner, and the time and support of our region’s organizations, not for profits, local units of government, and individuals way too numerous to mention.