Butchery Innovation and Revitalization Program
Growth Programs
Assisting the Expansion, Renovation & Establishment of Butchery Facilities
The Butchery Innovation and Revitalization Fund, administered by the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA), was created in 2021. The fund provides financial assistance in the form of grants to businesses for projects relating to small-scale meat processing, licensed custom lockers and mobile slaughter units.
For Fiscal Year 2023, the State of Iowa appropriated $1,000,000 to IEDA with direction to administer these funds for continuation of the program.
The application window for the Butchery Innovation and Revitalization program closed at noon on December 21, 2022. Award notifications for successful applicants will be announced in the first quarter of 2023, pending IEDA Board review and approval.
Types of Eligible Projects
- Expanding, refurbish an existing, or to establish a new business in the areas of:
- State inspected or federally inspected small-scale meat processing business
- Licensed custom locker
- Mobile slaughter unit
- Renting or purchasing buildings, refrigeration facilities, freezer facilities, or equipment necessary to expand processing capacity. This includes projects for:
- Mobile slaughter or refrigeration units used exclusively for meat or poultry processing by a federally inspected, small-scall meat processing business
- Licensed custom lockers
- Mobile slaughter units
- State inspected small-scale meat processing businesses
Grant Amount Available and Matching Support Requirement
- Maximum amount of grant award to a business shall not exceed $100,000.
- Matching financial support on a one-to-one basis in the form of cash will be required.
- Must be obtained from private sources
Please see the below information for qualifications and application process.
Who Qualifies?
Businesses applying for the grant program must first complete a CIRAS assessment and meet all requirements outlined in Iowa Code section 15E.370 as well as the administrative rules. Requirements include that the business must be:
- Incorporated or authorized to do business in Iowa
- Employ less than fifty (50) individuals
- An establishment that holds a current license from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) OR an establishment that documents it is actively working with IDALS to obtain a license (per IDALS/Meat and Poultry Inspection Service, Iowa Code section 189A)
Review/Approval Process
- Grant program committee will evaluate the applications and provide a numerical score and recommendation to the IEDA Board.
- IEDA Board will consider recommendations at its monthly meetings.
- IEDA Board-approved applications will be notified in writing.
- If funds are still available following the first application process, a second application period will be announced.
How Do I Apply?
Step 1: An assessment provided by the Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS) must be completed before applying for the Butchery grant program. CIRAS will provide you a feedback report, which is required as a part of your IEDA grant application.
- CLICK HERE for CIRAS assessment.
Fill out and submit to: ciras.grants@iastate.edu
The CIRAS Assessment application opens on October 10, 2022, and the deadline for submitting your assessment is November 28, 2022.
Step 2: The IEDA application is now open. After receiving your CIRAS assessment report, you can start your application: The deadline for submitting applications is December 21, 2022 at noon.
- CLICK HERE to complete the IEDA - Butchery Grant Application.
NOTE: You will need to attach both your CIRAS assessment form and the follow-up CIRAS report to the Butchery grant application. - The IEDA application is online only and must be completed in a single session.
- Refer to "Butchery Application Sample Form" under the Resources section to prepare in advance.
- An automated response will verify the application was received.