Impacts in Bremer, Butler, Cass, Clayton, Clinton, Hardin, Johnson, Lee, Madison, Polk, Sac, Sioux, and Wayne counties
DES MOINES, Iowa, Oct. 23, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director in Iowa Theresa Greenfield today announced that the Agency is investing $3,807,390 in 11 grants and $13,000,000 in three loans to projects in Iowa that spur economic development through rural cooperatives, promote small businesses, support infrastructure, assist with disasters, and create jobs.
“In reviewing this week’s loan and grant funding, I am reminded of how critical it is to have functional equipment to respond to fires, snowstorms, and health emergencies in rural neighborhoods,” said Director Greenfield. “Under the leadership of the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is championing rural Iowa communities. These investments are one more way that President Biden’s Investing in America helps rebuild the economy from the bottom up and middle out.”
The 14 investments were funded through six different USDA programs.
3 Rural Business Development Grant Recipients
The Rural Business Development Grant program is designed to provide technical assistance and training for small businesses.
-The Iowa Area Development Group LLC received a $46,890 grant to facilitate business development in north central Iowa. The funding came through the Rural Business Development Grants program. This project will analyze and market business park locations along the U.S. Highway 20 corridor. Based in Des Moines, the Iowa Area Development Group is a state-wide development organization serving multiple localities. The project is expected to promote economic development in rural northern Iowa.
-Sac Economic And Tourism Development LTD received $90,000 in a grant from the Rural Business Development Grants program to facilitate business development in rural north central Iowa. This project will provide planning, analytical and technical assistance to certify Sac City as a bioeconomy development opportunity zone to assist in attracting new bio-based businesses to the area. This project will also help provide technical assistance to local feedstock producers and supply chain businesses. The project will promote rural economic development in Sac County.
-Clayton County Development Group Inc. in Elkader received $30,000 in a grant from the Rural Business Development Grants program to replenish an existing revolving loan fund. This project will provide loans to small and emerging businesses. The project is expected to create 12 new jobs and save 14 jobs with the initial round of funding. This project will help expand small businesses and promote rural economic development in Clayton County.
4 Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Recipients
The Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program provides zero-interest loans to local utilities organizations which in turn pass the funding through to local businesses. Recipients are:
-Eastern Iowa Light and Power Cooperative to DeWitt Family Practice PLLC received a loan for $1,200,000 from the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program. The co-op will pass the loan through to the DeWitt Family Practice PLLC and Next Wave Developments LLC. This project will construct a new medical clinic in DeWitt, in Clinton County, Iowa, to provide medical care for residents of Dewitt and the surrounding communities. The project will create 25 jobs and promote rural economic development.
-Butler County Rural Electric Cooperative received a $2,000,000 loan to pass through to AMS Memorial LLC to help reopen a skilled nursing and assisted living facility in the town of Greene. This project will renovate the living facility's interiors and purchase equipment. This project is expected to create 34 new jobs. The project will promote economic development in this rural Butler County community and was funded through the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program.
-South Slope Cooperative Telephone Company in Johnson County received a $300,000 grant from the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program to establish a revolving loan fund. This project will provide a loan to partially finance construction of a community facility that will allow the city of North Liberty to offer space for public and private events. The project will create two new jobs. This project will spur economic development in this rural area of Johnson County.
-Winterset Municipal Utilities received a $300,000 grant from the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program to establish a revolving loan fund. This project will provide a loan to MCDP Real Estate, LLC/Madison County Dental Partners, LLP to help construct a new dental clinic in Winterset, Iowa, and to purchase equipment for the clinic. This project will create 10 new jobs. This project will promote economic development in rural Madison County.
Community Facilities Direct Loans and Grants Recipient
The Community Facilities Direct Loans and Grants program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial, or business undertakings. Recipients are:
-Dordt University in Sioux County received a $9,800,000 loan as additional funding for renovation and expansion from the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Guaranteed Loan program. This project will construct a new dining hall, offices, and classrooms on its existing campus center. The project will also renovate and expand the auditorium.
3 Community Facility Disaster Grants
This program is designed to provide eligible rural communities with grants that address eligible disaster parameters.
-City of Cumberland received a grant for $40,800 from the Community Facility Disaster Grants program to purchase essential equipment. This project will provide a new warning siren, a snow blower, a dump trailer, a snow plow, and accessories for the equipment. This project will promote the safety of the 251 residents and visitors of this rural Cass County community.
-City of Corydon received a $48,700 grant from the Community Facility Disaster Grants program to purchase a vehicle. This project will provide a grass-fire truck for the city's fire department. This project will improve fire protection services and promote the safety of residents in this rural Wayne County community and surrounding area.
-City of Whitten received a grant of $12,000 from the Community Facility Disaster Grants program to purchase equipment. This project will provide turn-out gear for the city's fire department. This project will improve fire protection services and promote the safety of the 149 residents of this rural Hardin County community.
2 Community Facilities Grants
-Sumner Daycare and Learning Center Inc. received a grant for $750,000 from the Community Facilities Grants program to construct a childcare facility in the town of Sumner. This project will help provide a facility with an enrollment capacity for 100 children. This project will better serve the childcare needs of local families and will promote economic development in this rural Bremer County community and surrounding areas.
-Lee County received a grant for $2,159,000 from the Community Facilities Grants program to construct a health department. This project will provide a facility with supporting mobile vaccination bays in the city of Fort Madison. Lee County has also received Emergency Rural Health Care program funding to assist with this project. The project will serve the health care needs of residents of this Lee County community and the surrounding rural area. This project was provided Congressionally Directed Spending.
SEARCH Grant Recipient
The Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households (SEARCH) program helps very small, financially distressed rural communities with predevelopment feasibility studies, design and technical assistance on proposed water and waste disposal projects.
-City of Steamboat Rock received a $30,000 grant from the SEARCH program to expand its wastewater system. This project will produce, in coordination with professional engineers, a preliminary engineering report which will detail recommended improvements. This project is the first step in developing a plan for necessary upgrades to the wastewater system for residents of this rural Hardin County community.
Contact USDA Rural Development
USDA Rural Development has 11 offices across the state to serve the 1.3 million Iowans living in rural communities and areas. Office locations include a state office in Des Moines, along with area offices in Albia, Atlantic, Humboldt, Indianola, Iowa Falls, Le Mars, Mount Pleasant, Storm Lake, Tipton and Waverly.
To learn more about investment resources for rural areas in Iowa, call (515) 284-4663 or visit www.rd.usda.gov/ia. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs, and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety, and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, Tribal, and high-poverty areas.
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.