Awards totaling $4.1 million were announced for 12 communities across the state. The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) awarded the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to support community water and sewer infrastructure projects.
IEDA received 14 applications totaling $5 million in funding requests. The grants are awarded based on benefit to low- and moderate-income persons, financial need, project impact and readiness and commitment of local resources to the project.
“Assisting communities to invest in their infrastructure projects is an important step in helping them become development-ready,” said Debi Durham, director of the IEDA and the Iowa Finance Authority. “These federal funds will have a significant impact on many communities in our state.”
CDBG funds enable communities to make needed improvements to water and sewer systems, improve housing conditions for low-income homeowners, provide facilities for disabled and at-risk individuals, and make transformative improvements to the downtown.
The Community Development Block Grant program is federally funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. IEDA is responsible for administering the CDBG funds in the non-metropolitan areas of the state.