The Rural Innovation Grant program seeks to support creative ideas that address current issues and challenges faced by rural communities associated with the themes of community investment, growth and connection.
Donor Name: Iowa Economic Development Authority
State: Iowa
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 09/01/2022
Size of the Grant: $50,000
Grant Duration: 21 months
Details:
The Rural Innovation Grant program aims to support creative ideas that address current issues and challenges faced by rural communities associated with the themes of community investment, growth and connection. This program is a result of the Governor’s Empower Rural Iowa Initiative’s 2018 Recommendations.
Projects should align with one of three focus areas:
- Growing Rural Iowa – Supports community leaders as they think holistically and act collaboratively to inform and connect leaders to rural issues, grow vibrant community gathering places, and develop tools to train and educate the next generation of leaders
- Investing in Rural Iowa – Projects that develop creative, scalable development solutions, including but not limited to projects addressing rural housing solutions, infill and reuse strategies, and affordable, sustainable designs
- Connecting Rural Iowa – Projects that improve and expand opportunities for diverse members of Iowa’s rural communities to utilize high-speed broadband service
Funding Information
- Applicants may request funding for eligible one-time project expenses that are incurred and expended within the eligible funding period.
- Minimum Grant Request: $10,000
- Maximum Grant Request: $50,000
- All project activities and incurred expenses must occur within the eligible contracted funding period, October 1, 2022 – June 30, 2024.
Eligibility Criteria
- Iowa businesses, colleges and universities, city or county government, and private 501(c)3 nonprofit agencies and foundations are eligible to apply. A single entity must be selected to serve as the primary applicant for grant funding applications; however, the project should include collaboration between a consortium of partners. The selected primary applicant must meet the definition of eligible applicant. The applicant will be responsible for submitting eligible material during the funding application process and will be the entity legally obligated to the terms of an agreement if awarded funding. Partners and collaborating entities are not subject to the eligibility requirements but may be subject to financial and programmatic review during the selection process.
- Projects/programs must exist in and benefit a community in Iowa with a population of 20,000 or fewer and not contiguous (sharing a common border) to a city with a population of 40,000 or greater.
- Any eligible applicant may submit an application that includes one or more partners.
- Any eligible applicant will be allowed to submit one application per funding announcement. An applicant who has applied as the principal entity for an application may also be named as a partner on additional applications submitted but may not be named as a primary entity.
- Federally tax exempt nonprofit organization incorporated and physically located in Iowa.
- Physical location of the organization is defined as maintaining a current home office and registered agent address in Iowa defined by Iowa Code 490.501, as well as maintaining a primary staff presence physically located and working in Iowa.
- Public or private school serving grades pre-K through 12 and physically located in Iowa.
- Nonprofit institution of higher education physically located in Iowa.
- Unit of local, county or federally recognized tribal government physically located in Iowa.
- For-profit corporation or business located in Iowa.
- A business will be considered an Iowa business if the business is incorporated in the state of Iowa or authorized to do business in the state of Iowa.
For more information, visit IEDA.
