The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) has awarded $93,846 in Certified Local Government (CLG) grants to advance historic preservation projects across the state.
The CLG grants were announced Monday, Feb. 3, in an IEDA news release. This round of funding will support projects in Des Moines, Mount Pleasant and Red Oak, as well as Benton, Louisa, Madison and Muscatine counties. In addition, the City of Keokuk will receive a $13,460 grant to plan for future historic preservation.
“Historic preservation not only encourages public appreciation locally, but it boosts a community’s visibility to outsiders who want to experience those stories and places for themselves,” said IEDA and Iowa Finance Authority Director Debi Durham. “Giving people reasons to travel and stay longer supports community revitalization and is a vehicle for economic development.”
The CLG program encourages governmental partnerships, provides training and technical assistance, and supports preservation of historic resources at the local level. Iowa’s CLG program is one of the largest in the nation and is administered by IEDA’s State Historic Preservation Office in conjunction with the National Park Service. Funding comes from the Historic Preservation Fund administered by the National Park Service.
The only grant awarded in the Quad Cities region was a $21,096 grant to Muscatine County for an intensive-level historical/architectural survey of a potential residential historic district along North Calhoun Street in West Liberty, located about 45 miles west of the QC. According to the release, the project will identify all resources within and adjacent to the survey area. They will be surveyed and photographed using Iowa Site Inventory Forms.
Funding for the selected CLG projects will be distributed in the form of matching grants.
The local match for the West Liberty project is $15,412 for a total project cost of $36,508.
The IEDA’s $93,846 in grants will leverage $81,086 in local grants.
Other CLG projects receiving awards this round include:
- The nomination of two downtown districts — in Earlham and Mount Pleasant — to the National Register of Historic Places, the official list of the nation’s historic places worthy of preservation.
- A plan for a comprehensive city-wide historic survey in Des Moines.
- A survey of Red Oak’s historic East Hill district, which features many homes that were constructed for the city’s founders.
While not yet part of the CLG program, Keokuk received a Planning for Preservation grant, which aims to help Iowa communities establish a strong foundation for future historic preservation efforts in their community.
For a full list of awards visit here.
For more information about the CLG program, contact Allison Archambo at (515) 348-6287 or [email protected]
