Rural Housing Assessment Grant Program
Empower Rural Iowa
Helping Rural Communities with Housing Development
The Rural Housing Assessment Grant program supports the use of publicly available, online information through the “Profile of Iowa” tool and rural community efforts to interpret publicly available hard data to implement changes through development codes, local ordinances and housing incentives specific to individual community needs.
Informational Webinar
In partnership with Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach’s Rural Housing Readiness Assessment workshops, program funding will empower communities to assess the current development environment and enact changes resulting in the creation of policies and procedures attractive to potential developers.
The program is administered by the Iowa Economic Development Authority’s (IEDA) Center for Rural Revitalization in consultation with the Governor’s Empower Rural Iowa Initiative Task Forces and ISU Extension and Outreach.
Funding is based on annual availability. Grant amounts are $10,000 with a cash match of $5,000.
Who Qualifies?
- City must be the applicant with a population of 20,000 or fewer and not contiguous to a city with a population of 40,000 or greater
- An eligible city may submit an application that includes one or more partners and may apply on behalf of an entire county assessment if the county is one of the 88 least populous counties in Iowa
Scoring Criteria
- Timing and Need
- Housing Committee and City Resolution
- Existing Documentation
- Implementation
- Budget and Local Support
How Do I Apply?
Application Window Opens December 12 on IowaGrants.govPlease review the Grant Guidelines found in the Resources area below for additional information on eligibility requirements, use of funding, reporting requirements and the review process. A copy of the scoring rubric has also been provided.
The deadline to apply for funding is 11:59 p.m., January 31, 2023. Applicants must submit applications via IowaGrants.gov, the online application portal. Applications will not be accepted in any other format. Late, incomplete or ineligible applications will not be accepted. Applicants must create a login to view the full application for the program.”