An active “Offender Against Children” listed on Indiana’s Sex and Violent Offender Registry is leading a nonprofit seeking a $750,000 state-administered federal grant that will ultimately be reviewed by the Indiana Lieutenant Governor’s office.

LaGrange County officials voted unanimously last week to partner with Inspiration Ministries to apply for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). In Indiana, the program is administered through the Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA), which operates under the authority of the Lieutenant Governor.

According to local reporting by WTHD Radio, Inspiration Ministries has operated for approximately 15 years and focuses on faith-based addiction recovery services. The organization previously opened a men’s recovery house in Kendallville in Noble County and is now seeking funding to purchase land and build a similar facility in LaGrange County to help men seeking recovery from drugs and alcohol.

Public registry records show that Andrew Loyd Foster, who uses the alias “Andy Foster,” is currently listed as an active offender against children, with registration running through June 19, 2028.

According to the Allen County/DeKalb County OffenderWatch registry:

  • Andrew Loyd Foster

  • Alias: Andy Foster

  • Status: Active registration

  • Conviction: Unlawful Sexual Activity with Certain Minors (Florida, 2008)

  • Indiana Equivalent: Child Seduction

  • Registration Number: 1581778

The registry entry lists “Inspiration Ministries, 136 W Main St, Butler, IN” under “Other Known Addresses.”

The registry indicates Foster was convicted in Florida in 2008 and released in 2011. He is not listed as a lifetime registrant.

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Because nonprofits cannot apply directly for CDBG funds, LaGrange County would serve as the applicant and fiscal agent, passing any awarded funds to Inspiration Ministries as a sub-recipient. The grant has not yet been awarded.

There is no indication in publicly available county records that commissioners discussed the registry status before voting to move forward with the application partnership.

That now places OCRA — and by extension the Lieutenant Governor’s office — in both a compliance and political spotlight.

CDBG funds originate federally and require state-level vetting. If approved, the state would effectively be certifying that the project meets eligibility and regulatory standards.

Politically, the stakes extend beyond grant compliance. The Lieutenant Governor’s broader political orbit has previously weathered controversy involving sexualized political disputes, including fallout from an AI-generated pornographic video incident and internal party turmoil surrounding the Peternel matter. While unrelated substantively, those episodes heightened scrutiny around judgment and optics.

If this application advances without clear documentation of due diligence, opponents are likely to frame it as another example of preventable political risk tied to issues involving sexual misconduct. In a statewide political environment where coalition-building matters — particularly among suburban and swing voters — optics surrounding oversight decisions can carry real electoral consequences.

No allegation of wrongdoing has been made regarding the grant application itself. But when public dollars, vulnerable populations, and an active offender registry listing intersect, oversight becomes more than procedural — it becomes political.

Indy Politics will be submitting an Access to Public Records Act (APRA) request seeking:

  • The full CDBG application

  • Compliance certifications

  • Vetting documentation

  • Correspondence between LaGrange County and OCRA

This story will be updated as responses are received.