Iowa Workforce Development Grants

This grant provides financial support to high school seniors from Washington County, Iowa, who are pursuing trade-related degrees at accredited community colleges or technical schools, with the goal of encouraging them to return to the local workforce after graduation.

Our grantees work to build on the entrepreneurial spirit, strong community ties, and untapped potential within Native nations, communities of color, rural communities, and other resilient communities who have fewer opportunities to thrive on their own terms. We envision strong, vibrant communities where people are connected to good jobs and have the financial capability to build their assets and provide a secure future for their families and communities. A Need to Close the Opportunity Gaps Our economic system doesn’t work for everyone. It widens income and opportunity gaps, restrains economic mobility, and traps people and communities in a cycle of poverty and injustice. A disproportionate number of Native Americans, people of color, refugees, immigrants, and rural Americans are living in crisis—or just a paycheck away from it. Nationally, six in 10 families of color don’t have the cash on hand to cover basic expenses—like rent, medical emergencies, or the need to fix a car—for three months.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations that assist migrant and seasonal farmworkers with employment services, training, and housing solutions.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to Iowa healthcare employers to develop training programs that create new pathways for workers in high-demand healthcare jobs.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska that focus on improving financial literacy and employment readiness to help individuals achieve financial stability.

The Rural Housing Assessment Grant program, administered by the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA)'s Center for Rural Revitalization, aims to empower rural communities in Iowa. This initiative aligns with a broader mission to revitalize rural areas by enabling communities to interpret publicly available data and implement changes in development codes, local ordinances, and housing incentives. The program's foundation is deeply rooted in the belief that data-driven decisions at the local level are crucial for fostering a development environment attractive to potential housing developers, ultimately contributing to the economic and social well-being of rural Iowa. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are local city and county governments, as well as federally recognized tribal governments located in Iowa. Specifically, projects and programs must exist in and benefit communities with a population of 20,000 or fewer, and not be contiguous to a city with a population of 40,000 or greater. For countywide projects, eligibility is restricted to the 88 least populous counties. The impact goals are centered on facilitating the assessment of current development environments, enacting policy changes, and ultimately increasing the availability of suitable housing in these underserved rural areas. The program prioritizes several key areas. First, it focuses on supporting the use of publicly available, online information, encouraging communities to leverage existing data for informed decision-making. Second, a significant focus is placed on partnering with Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach for their Rural Housing Readiness Assessment workshops. These workshops are integral to helping communities assess their current housing landscape and identify areas for improvement. The grant funds are specifically designed to support housing assessment data collection, participation in these workshops, and the subsequent implementation of workshop outcomes within the contract period. Expected outcomes include the completion of housing assessment reports, successful participation in the ISU Extension and Outreach Rural Housing Assessment Readiness Workshop, and the implementation of policy and procedural changes that attract developers. Measurable results will be tied to the completion of these deliverables and the demonstrable progress made in adjusting local regulations to be more conducive to housing development. Grant recipients can be awarded up to $20,000, with a funding period for all project activities and incurred expenses spanning from October 1, 2024, to June 30, 2026. The program also requires a $5,000 cash match for each city or full county partnering on an application, ensuring local commitment and investment.

This grant provides financial assistance to small businesses in Dubuque, Iowa, to help cover operating costs and support long-term success for income-qualified owners.

The Iowa Economic Development Authority, through the Iowa Arts Council, offers the Iowa Screenwriters Grant to support career advancement for Iowa screenwriters. The grant provides professional development resources tied to an active screenplay and aims to elevate the creative screenwriting industry in the state. Applicants may request between 500 and 2,500 dollars for one time project expenses incurred during the funding period from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. Eligible activities include conference or workshop registration, software or books for screenwriting, classes or apprenticeships, mentorship, and professional feedback on current work. Eligible screenplay formats include feature, short, web series, and episodic works including pilots and new seasons, as well as proof of concept and adaptations. Eligible applicants are individual screenwriters 18 years or older who are full time Iowa residents and who are currently registered in the Produce Iowa Production Directory. Projects must demonstrate clear professional development goals tied to the advancement of an active screenplay. Applications are due May 3, 2024. Additional information is available from the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

This program provides financial assistance to developers for constructing new housing in Iowa cities affected by recent disasters, focusing on permanent residences for sale or rent.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations in Scott County, Iowa, and Rock Island County, Illinois, to implement projects that enhance youth education, promote financial stability, and improve community health.

This initiative provides funding and support to nonprofit organizations, local governments, and Tribal governments in coal-impacted communities to develop and scale innovative economic projects that create job opportunities and foster local economic transformation.

The Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation's 2024 Community Impact Grant Cycle invites proposals to support organizations making a significant difference in the Tahoe Basin. The foundation's mission, though not explicitly detailed in this description, is clearly aligned with fostering community well-being and addressing critical needs within the Nevada and California areas of the Tahoe Basin. By offering grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000, with a specific request amount up to $20,000, the foundation aims to empower eligible non-profits to enhance their services and achieve measurable community impact. The primary target beneficiaries are the residents and communities of the Tahoe Basin. Organizations seeking funding must directly provide more than 50% of their services in this region, ensuring that the grants directly benefit local populations. The impact goals are broad, focusing on various community needs that align with the non-profit's mission, as long as they are not among the excluded activities. The foundation seeks to support initiatives that contribute to a stronger, more vibrant Tahoe community, although specific impact metrics are not detailed in this overview. The foundation prioritizes supporting tax-exempt 501(c)(3) public charities or schools that have held their tax-exempt status for at least two years and are incorporated in good standing in Nevada or California. A key focus is on direct service provision within the Tahoe Basin. The grants are not awarded for direct religious activity, political lobbying, special event sponsorships, pass-through funding, or reimbursement of prior expenses. This careful delineation of exclusions highlights the foundation's strategic intent to fund direct, impactful, and non-duplicative community services. While specific strategic priorities and a detailed theory of change are not outlined, the grant cycle implicitly emphasizes strengthening local non-profits and their capacity to serve. The expected outcomes are improved community conditions and enhanced services for Tahoe Basin residents, facilitated by the financial support provided. The measurable results are tied to the successful implementation of projects by the funded organizations, though the specific reporting requirements for these results are not included in this description.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to Iowa community colleges to improve career and technical education programs, ensuring they meet workforce demands and enhance student skills for high-demand jobs.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations in Iowa to develop and enhance programs that assist fathers, particularly those who are noncustodial, low-income, or formerly incarcerated, in improving their parenting skills, economic stability, and family relationships.

This grant provides expert-led innovation support to eligible nonprofit organizations in Alliant Energy's service areas, helping them strengthen their missions and enhance community impact without offering direct financial assistance.

This grant provides funding to Iowa public school districts to reward and incentivize exceptional teachers who significantly accelerate student learning through data-driven evaluation systems.

This grant provides funding to Iowa school districts to recruit and train educators for work-based learning programs, enhancing student access to career-focused experiences and improving workforce readiness.

This initiative provides financial aid to Iowa institutions for short-term workforce training programs that help low-income students gain skills for high-demand jobs without needing to enroll in traditional degree programs.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations that offer hands-on STEAM training and paid summer internships for teens aged 16-19 from low-income areas, in partnership with Best Buy Teen Tech Centers.

This funding opportunity is designed for small dairy producers in Iowa to enhance their processing capabilities through modernization and efficiency improvements.