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Grants to Iowa Agencies for Capital Improvement Projects

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Downtown Revitalization Fund


Agency
State

GrantWatch ID#
151213

Funding Source
Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA)
Array ( )

Geographic Focus
USA: Iowa

Important Dates
Deadline: 11/22/23 11:59 PM Save

Grant Description
Grants to Iowa counties and cities for capital improvement projects. Applicants are required to contact the funding source and hold a public hearing prior to applying. Funding may be used for activities and projects to restore and revitalize storefronts and facades in urban areas. Eligible projects include the revitalization of historic city centers, as well as facade improvements to privately owned buildings. Applications must meet the CDBG program national objective of eliminating slum and blight.

The Downtown Revitalization Program (DTR) assists communities with impactful downtown exterior improvement projects that eliminate slum and blight conditions. Projects include primarily front and highly visible side facades of commercial or mixed-use buildings in a traditional downtown setting.

Applications for single buildings are also accepted, but only if they meet the criteria of being an iconic building. Projects that include a single building must demonstrate that the building is central to the development of a downtown area.

Project buildings must be situated within a downtown target area in which at least 25% of all buildings are determined to be in fair or poor condition. Determination of building status is made through individual surveys and documentation (pictures/ descriptions) demonstrating that the building is in fair or poor condition.

For more program information, including building, facade, and target area eligibility requirements, see https://www.iowaeda.com/userdocs/programs/resources/2023cdbg-application-manual.pdf#page=11.



Recipient

Additional Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must be a unit of local government. All incorporated cities and all counties in the State, except those designated as FIUD entitlement communities, are eligible to apply for and receive CDBG funds. A list of entitlement communities in Iowa can be found here: https://www.hud.gov/states/iowa/communitv/partnerwebsites

All non-entitlement cities, (under 50,000 population) are eligible to apply. Counties may apply on behalf of one or more of their non-entitlement communities.

Ineligible
- CDBG funds cannot be awarded directly to a business entity, non-profit or individual.
- Individual building owners are not eligible applicants, rather, Cities and/or Counties apply on their behalf.
- Buildings with first floor residential use are prohibited from program participation.
- Rear facades are eligible only under unique or rare circumstances.
- Residential buildings or those for the general administrative purposes of local government are ineligible.

Pre-Application Information
The Downtown Revitalization Fund will be taking new applications from Tuesday, September 5, 2023, through Wednesday, November 22, 2023, at 11:59 p.m.

Prior to submitting an application, the applicant (city or county) must hold a public hearing to discuss the project and provide information on the CDBG application.

Please be aware that the Management Guide is updated every year. As of September 2023, the version on the website is still the 2022 Management Guide. Be sure that you are using that 2022 Procurement Policy for this application. The next, full update of the Management Guide is expected to be posted in the spring of 2024.

A local funding match, typically from the city and the participating property owners, is required.

A comprehensive, detailed building survey documenting blight, as well as a designating Chapter 403 for Urban Renewal Area resolution from the local government applicant, is necessary to meet the national objective.

The services of an architect to prepare preliminary cost estimates and renderings is required as part of the application. These costs cannot be reimbursed by CDBG funds.

Those applying for funds for a single building must have prior IEDA approval.

Prior to submitting an application on IowaGrants.gov, you must contact Project Manager Ed Basch.

2023 Webinar Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofbFXUFpCSo

Funding Opportunity Details: https://www.iowagrants.gov/viewStorefrontOpportunity.do?OIDString=1350318970894|Opportunity

Additional Funding Information

Estimated Total Program Funding:

$3,400,000

Estimated Size of Grant
The maximum grant amount is $650,000.

Applicants must address blighted items on a minimum of eight buildings (addresses) to request a grant of $650,000 and a minimum of six buildings (addresses) to request anything less than the maximum.

Term of Contract
Project Dates 12/01/2023 - 12/01/2027

Contact Information
Apply online: https://www.iowagrants.gov/index.do

Awards decisions are typically made within 45-60 days of application
submittal.

Applicants may only have one open Downtown Revitalization contract at any time.

Contact Project Manager Ed Basch at Ed.basch@iowaeda.com or 515.348.6208.

If the project includes a property that may have historical significance, it is a good idea to contact IEDA early in the project development. For more information regarding Section 106 review and compliance, please contact Robert Jonet at 515.348.6205.

For more information, contact:
Sarah Plowman
515.348.6213
sarah.plowman@iowaeda.com

If you have questions or have issues with your lowagrants.gov account or experience technical issues, you may contact Don Dursky at don.dursky(S)iowaeda.com or 515.348.6210.

Iowa Economic Development Authority
1963 Bell Avenue, Suite 200
Des Moines, Iowa 50315 USA
515.348.6200
info@iowaeda.com

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