State gives 26 communities downtown grants

Independence, Williamsburg among recipients near Corridor

Jul. 1, 2021 6:00 am

Iowa Economic Development Authority Director Debi Durham speaks during the 2018 Iowa Ideas Conference in Cedar Rapids. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

The Iowa Economic Development Authority gave $100,000 grants to 26 communities Wednesday, including several near the Corridor.

Atkins, Belle Plaine, Independence, Monticello, West Liberty and Williamsburg all received grants. Each community matched the $100,000 from IEDA with local funding.

IEDA’s Community Catalyst program, which started in 2018, gives funding to cities for downtown revitalization, with at least 40 percent of grants going to cities with fewer than 1,500 people.

“Downtown districts are the heart and soul of our communities, and their strength is critical to the state’s overall well-being,” said Debi Durham, the director of IEDA and Iowa Finance Authority, in a news release.

“The Community Catalyst program not only helps strengthen our downtowns at a critical time of economic recovery, it also inspires growth and development for years to come.”

Projects were scored based on criteria that include funding/partnerships and impact as well as incorporating sustainability and smart growth principles, IEDA said in the release.

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