Photo: Iowa State University
(Des Moines, IA) -- The state of Iowa is awarding a half-million dollars in economic development grants to 32-rural Iowa communities. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds says grants will go toward expanding broadband and improving affordable housing and childcare, and other projects. Reynolds says the program is designed to attract new residents to move and/or work in rural Iowa.
The grants are part of the Governor's Empower Rural Iowa Initiative.
The grants cover 38 projects:
- Sac Development Corp will put Rural Innovation funding toward a feasibility study for a soon-to-be-vacated school building and adjacent green space.
- In its inaugural year, the Rural Return grant is funding five innovative recruitment programs across the state, including a business incentive strategy in Jefferson. The program through Jefferson Matters: A Main Street & Chamber Community will provide a start-up incentive fund for new businesses and complimentary use of shared workspace for remote workers.
The Governor’s Empower Rural Iowa Initiative developed the following grant programs for rural communities:
- The Rural Innovation Grant program supports creative, nontraditional ideas to overcome rural community development challenges, such as workforce development and housing shortages.
- The Rural Housing Assessment Grant program supports efforts to expand access to quality housing tailored to communities. The program leverages data from the Iowa Finance Authority’s Profile of Iowa tool and provides support through a partnership with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.
- The new Rural Return and Rural Child Care Market Study grant programs: The Rural Return Grant program supports creative programming that attracts new residents to move and/or work in rural communities. The Rural Child Care Market Study Grant program supports the use of data and analysis by rural communities, in partnership with First Children’s Finance, to determine the specific needs and solutions for their area.
In addition the cities of Red Oak, Albia, Ocheyedan, Emmetsburg, Columbus Junction, Ashton, Sibley, Wapello, Keota, and Buffalo received Rural Housing Assessment grants. Those communities will work with with Iowa State University Office of Extension and Outreach to do an assessment and implementation process.
The cities of Keosauqua, Emmetsburg, Lee County, Clarinda, Grinnell, Forest City, and Wayne County received Rural Child Care Market Study grants and will be working with First Children’s Finance to undergo a data and analysis study.
A full list of the of the 2022 Rural Grant recipients is available here.