Iowa & Federal Resources for Community Development

Tools and Resources for Strategic Plan Implementation

Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA)

  • IEDA Community Development Programs - A full listing of financial and technical assistance programs available to Iowa communities.
  • IEDA Water and Sewer Fund (CDBG) – Funds for projects that include sanitary sewer system improvements, water system improvements, water and wastewater treatment facilities, storm sewer projects related to sanitary sewer system improvements and rural water connections.  
  • IEDA Community Facilities and Services Fund (CDBG) – Funds for facilities and services including day care facilities, senior centers, vocational workshops and other community services such as storm water projects.
  • IEDA Opportunities and Imminent Threat Program (CDBG) – Emergency funding for projects that address imminent threats to public health, safety or welfare. This program has also been used to fund projects that demonstrate sustainable community activities.
  • IEDA Downtown Revitalization Fund (CDBG) – Communities may apply for funds to rehabilitate blighted downtown buildings to revitalize downtown areas.
  • Enhance Iowa: Improving Community Vitality through Recreational Attractions: - Enhance Iowa provides grant funds to assist projects that provide recreational, cultural, entertainment and educational attractions, as well as sports tourism. Funds are available for vertical infrastructure projects (land acquisition and construction, major renovation and major repair of buildings, all appurtenant structures, utilities, site development and recreational trails).
  • Endow Iowa Tax Credits – A state tax credit equal to 25% of the gifts given available to donors to a community foundation.
  • County Endowment Fund - A percentage of the state's gaming tax revenue is distributed to community foundations in the 85 counties that do not hold a state issued gaming license.
  • Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program –This program offers tax credits of up to 25% of the qualified rehabilitation expenditures associated with the project to developers who sensitively rehabilitate historic buildings to give them new life. 
  • Downtown Assessments – The Downtown Resource Center offers a range of services to help communities identify opportunities for downtown revitalization and improvement.  Services include Downtown Assessment Visits, a Downtown Walk Around and a Downtown Exchange Program.
  • Community Catalyst Building Remediation – The program assists communities with the redevelopment, rehabilitation or deconstruction of buildings to stimulate economic growth or reinvestment in the community.  Funding is based on annual availability and applicants may apply for grants up to $100,000 for the rehabilitation of one commercial building per community or two adjacent buildings with same ownership.
  • Nuisance Property and Abandoned Building Remediation Loan Program - This program provides financial assistance through 0% to 2% interest loans to help communities demolish or remediate buildings and structures that are a hazard to public health and safety.
  • Redevelopment Tax Credits Program for Brownfield and Grayfield Sites - Tax credits available to developers in Iowa for redeveloping abandoned or underutilized industrial spaces, commercial properties or public buildings, known as brownfield and grayfield sites.

 

Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT)

  • IDOT Funding Guide – This guide can help local governments, organizations and individuals with preliminary searches for funding assistance from the Iowa DOT and offers more details on the programs that follow.
  • IDOT Revitalize Iowa’s Sound Economy (RISE) - Communities can apply for grants or loans to fund the establishment, construction, and improvement of public roads and streets that promote economic development, such as access roads, industrial parks or tourist attractions.
  • Railroad Revolving Loan and Grant (RRLG) Program – Financial assistance through loans or grants to improve rail facilities that will create jobs, spur economic activity and improve the rail transportation system in Iowa in three separate categories: targeted job creation, rail network improvement, rail port planning and development.
  • IDOT Traffic Safety Improvement Program – Can provide funding for traffic safety improvements or studies on any public roads.
  • IDOT Pedestrian Curb Ramp Construction – This program can provide funding to assist communities in complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on primary roads. The community must engineer and administer the project and improvements must involve a municipal extension of a primary road.  Contact your District Engineer.
  • Iowa Living Roadway Trust Fund - Funds are available to support “Implement Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management” (IRVM) programs. Eligible projects on city, county or state rights-of-way or publicly owned areas adjacent to traveled roadways include roadside inventories; gateways; education/training; research/demonstration; roadside enhancement; seed propagation; and special equipment.
  • IDOT Recreational Trails Program – This program was established to fund public recreational trails.

 

United States Department of Agriculture – Rural Development (USDA-RD)

  • USDA Programs & Services for Communities and Nonprofits – Contains a full list and links to all Community and Nonprofit USDA-RD opportunities.
  • USDA Community Facilities Grants/Loans – Available to fund the development of essential community facilities for public use in rural areas and may include hospitals, fire protection, safety, child care centers and many other community-based initiatives.
  • USDA Rural Community Development Initiative - Provides technical assistance and training funds to develop the capacity and ability of private, nonprofit community-based housing and community development organizations and low income rural communities to improve housing, community facilities, community and economic development projects in rural areas.
  • USDA Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee Program - This program is available to local nonprofit and for-profit entities and provides loans and loan guarantees for funding the costs of construction, improvement and acquisition of facilities and equipment to provide broadband service to rural communities.
  • USDA Community Connect Grants - This program helps fund broadband deployment into rural communities where it is not yet economically viable for private sector providers to deliver service.
  • USDA Water and Waste Disposal Direct Loans and Grants –  This program provides funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage to households and businesses in eligible rural areas.
  • USDA Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants (ECWAG) – These funds are available to assist rural communities that have experienced a significant decline in quantity or quality of drinking water due to an emergency, to obtain or maintain adequate quantities of safe drinking water.

 

Iowa Department of Natural Resources

 

Other Community Development Programs

  • State Revolving Fund (SRF) – The SRF can be used to finance the design and construction of water and wastewater infrastructure.  Two programs are available:  the Clean Water SRF, to fund wastewater treatment, sewer rehabilitation, and stormwater quality improvements, as well as non-point source projects; and the Drinking Water SRF, which funds water treatment plants or improvements to existing facilities, water line extensions to existing unserved properties, water storage facilities, wells, and source water protection efforts.
  • Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs – A listing of funding resources and programs for organizations and communities to support projects that enhance quality of life in Iowa through arts, history and culture.
  • Iowa Department of Human Rights – Division of Community Advocacy and Services (CAS) – Resources to build connections between Iowa's diverse communities (Native Americans, African Americans, Asian and Pacific Islanders, Latinos, Women, Persons with Disabilities, and Deaf Services) and the programs, events and information that can provide understanding and equity.
  • Ethnic Minorities of Burma Advocacy and Resource Center (EMBARC) - Provides resources to over 6,000 Burmese refugees in Iowa to help them successfully settle into their new home.
  • Iowa Center for Immigrant Leadership and Integration – Houses a number of resources to help Iowa communities and businesses prepare for and accommodate newcomers living and working in Iowa.
  • Trees Forever - This statewide nonprofit organization was formed to protect Iowa’s natural resources. Trees Forever works with communities to improve water quality, preserve and enhance forest areas and beautify roadsides. Trees Forever provides facilitation for a wide range of activities including community tree planting, youth engagement programs, Iowa’s Living Roadways Community Visioning, trails visioning, watershed protection and many more programs. Trees Forever also maintains a funding guide for community projects and other community resource guides.
  • Iowa Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HSEMD) – HSEMD manages both disaster and non-disaster grants to communities.
  • EPA Brownfields Program - Communities can apply to a number of funding and technical assistance programs to address Brownfield properties.