United Group Insurance

Avoca Mainstreet, Inc. awarded $100k Main Street Iowa Challenge Grant

News

October 20th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

October 20, 2021 (DES MOINES) — The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) today awarded $1,205,000 in Main Street Iowa Challenge Grants to 13 communities around the state. Among the grant recipients was Avoca Mainstreet, Inc., which was awarded $100,000 for Radberry’s Bakery and Cafe. The grant will allow for the transformation of a vacant office building in Avoca into a bakery and café for brick-and-mortar expansion of a popular farmer’s market vendor.
Each of the grants will benefit local building projects that contribute to the economic development of designated Main Street Iowa Districts, including:
  • Giving new life to a long-closed landmark restaurant building on the Washington Square, and
  • Activating an unoccupied upper story with four short-term stay units to meet local lodging and housing needs in Elkader.
The grants are administered through IEDA’s Iowa Downtown Resource Center and Main Street Iowa programs. The funding will be distributed in the form of matching grants to the selected Main Street programs. The estimated total project cost of these 13 projects is over $3.6 million.
Since the first Challenge Grants were awarded in 2002, approximately $12.8 million in state and federal funds have leveraged nearly $65 million in private investment.