In 2017, the NewAllen Alliance and Sturtz Public Management Group, LLC received the Outstanding Planning Initiative Award from the American Planning Association, STAR Division for the NewAllen Alliance Strategic Investment Plan. This project involved creating a collaborative investment plan between seven rural communities in rural East Allen County, Indiana. What set the plan apart was the innovative approach to establishing shared priorities and core values for the region in addition to individualized community plans. The planning initiative was also supported by an interactive website built to help support and build capacity for this rural region.

Under the coordination efforts of Ms. Sturtz as the NewAllen Liaison, the NewAllen Alliance received the first Indiana Regional Stellar Communities Designation from the State of Indiana for the development of the East Allen Rural Revival Development Plan (2018). This plan focused on a $65M portfolio of coordinated quality of life investment in parks, downtowns, sidewalks, trails, housing, and other economic development and community health efforts throughout the region. Ms. Sturtz facilitated the implementation of the East Allen Rural Revival Plan from 2019 to 2022.  An impact report for the initiative highlights over 10% growth in population throughout the region. 

The NewAllen work has been recognized through the receipt of the NIPSCO Luminary Award for Economic Development (2019) and has been highlighted as a New Ruralism Case Study.