The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) Tuesday announced that $951,000 in Main Street Iowa Challenge Grants will be awarded to 14 Iowa communities to complete projects estimated to have a total project cost of more than $3.6 million. The funding will be distributed in the form of grants to the selected Main Street programs including those in Dunlap, Manning and Woodbine.

In Dunlap, the Dunlap Legion Hall Building project received a $75,000 grant toward the $389,700 cost of the project. In Manning, the Cliff’s Place Interior Renovation project received a $75,000 grant award toward the total project cost of $91,242.  In Woodbine the 413 and 415 Walker Street projects received a $75,000 grant toward the $425,250 total project cost. MainStreet Iowa State Coordinator Michael Wagler  said “Each project must provide at least a dollar-for-dollar cash match. Overall, these projects will leverage almost three times that amount of private investment.”

Representatives from the Iowa Economic Development Authority’s Main Street Iowa program made the announcement during a special check presentation ceremony held at the Des Moines Botanical Center. The grants will benefit local improvement projects such as façade improvement and restoration, stabilizing buildings devastated by fire, upper floor rehabilitation and stabilizing and rehabilitating severely deteriorated buildings.

This year, the Challenge Grant program will be funded through an appropriation from the Iowa Legislature. Previous Challenge Grants were funded through a federal appropriation. Since the first federal appropriation in 2002, approximately $4.9 million in grants leveraged over $36 million in private reinvestment in 83 projects throughout 41 Main Street Iowa districts.