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Capitol Notebook: Child care grants for Iowa businesses available again
Also, Iowa ag secretary Mike Naig appoints members to a restructured state panel on soil conservation and water quality
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DES MOINES — A grant that supports Iowa businesses expanding their child care options for workers has been reopened for previous awardees and new applicants, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Wednesday.
The Child Care Business Incentive Grant, launched in 2022, helps businesses cover the costs of child care centers in their communities, either on-site or in local centers.
The grant is funded by federal pandemic relief assistance funding from the American Rescue Plan Act.
The grant is available to any Iowa business with at least 75 full-time employees and is not a child care business. Awards are administered as reimbursements and require a 50-50 private match for all grant funds provided.
Grant funds can be used to support the expansion or new construction of child care or day care facilities for employees. The employer must serve as the child care provider or partner with a local provider.
According to the governor’s office, priority will be given to applicants who are located in areas classified as in high demand for child care, projects planning to increase child care capacity by creating new slots across multiple age groups, and projects planning to build on-site child care centers.
Applications are open at iowagrants.gov through 2 p.m. on Dec. 23, according to the governor’s office.
“While we’ve made great progress in supporting our labor force coming out of the pandemic, challenges remain, and it’s important to recognize the connection between child care and a successful workforce,” Reynolds said in a news release. “We encourage any eligible employer to apply for this unique opportunity that can jump-start the child care options that support their employees and allow their businesses to grow.”
Naig appoints Iowans to soil and water quality committee
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced the appointment of Iowans to serve on the newly constructed State Soil Conservation and Water Quality Committee.
The panel, which was established in 1939 to promote proven water quality practices and provide expert advice on state agriculture programs, was altered by legislation that continued Gov. Kim Reynolds’ reorganization of the executive branch of state government.
Under the new law, the committee went from having authority over rule-making and budget approval, to providing advice and recommendations. Those authorities were transferred to the Secretary of Agriculture and Department of Natural Resources.
The process of appointing committee members also changed under the new law. Previously, nine members were appointed to six-year terms by the governor and were subject to confirmation by the Iowa Senate. Now, 12 members are appointed to two-year terms by the Iowa Secretary of Agriculture.
“We are continually innovating, recruiting new partners, and looking for the best ways to efficiently get more conservation work done, and so we value the perspectives, ideas, and input of these passionate stakeholders,” Naig said in a news release. “I appreciate their willingness to serve as we all work together to improve our water and conserve our soil in the years ahead.”
By law, the members represent various regions of the state and relevant areas of expertise.
The newly appointed committee members are: Bruce Barnhart, Melbourne; Dennis Carlson, Hampton; Steve Hofmann, Lamoni; Jody Kerns, Edgewood; Mike McGhee, Indianola; Colleen Miller, Albert City; Luke Monat, Urbandale; Ramona Nitz, Cherokee; Kent Stuart, West Branch; John Tuthill, DeWitt; and Ashley Utt, Bloomfield.
Iowa AG Bird announces new chief of staff
Zach Hoffman, political director for the Republican Party of Iowa, will serve as Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird’s Chief of Staff, Bird’s office announced Wednesday.
Hoffman previously clerked in the Iowa House of Representatives and served eight years in the Iowa National Guard. He is a graduate of Drake University.
“(Hoffman) is a proven leader with an unwavering commitment to service, whether it be in the military or for the state,” Bird said in a press release. “He will be a key asset in our mission of serving crime victims, keeping Iowa communities safe, and defending Iowans’ rights and freedoms.”
Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau
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