Governor Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) Tuesday announced $385,000 in Empower Rural Iowa grants supporting 15 rural communities across the state.
The funding will help expand housing, strengthen child care and encourage business and community growth.
In Atlantic, Trivium Life Services will receive $50,000 to create an affordable. accessible home for people with disabilities, with features that support greater independence and safety.
In Greenfield, Paramount Development of Clive will retain and relocate 10 federally assisted senior cottages to a 1-acre site in Greenfield. Six modular homes currently in storage will be rehabilitated and installed on permanent foundations. Four occupied cottages will be rehabilitated and relocated as they become vacant. The project addresses housing needs intensified by a 2024 tornado and will provide 10 affordable, accessible rental homes for seniors earning 30% or less of area median income.
Rural Housing Readiness Assessment grants of $20,000 were awarded to the cities of Avoca, Alta, Bellevue, Washington and Winterset. These communities will partner with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach to assess housing needs and guide local development strategies.
Administered by IEDA’s Center for Rural Revitalization, Empower Rural Iowa grants are funded through an appropriation from the Iowa Legislature for the Governor’s Empower Rural Iowa Initiative. Applicants are required to provide matching funds and are evaluated on economic need, partnerships, project readiness and alignment with strategic goals.
The grants support Iowa communities with fewer than 20,000 residents that are not adjacent to cities of 40,000 or more.
