Harkin announces more than $600,000 for rural development projects in Iowa

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, Senator Tom Harkin announced that four community-based organizations in Iowa will receive grants totaling $607,476. The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Community Development Initiative Program. Harkin is a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee and a senior member of the Appropriations panel that funds rural development projects.

“Iowa’s small towns and rural communities are part of what makes our state a great place to live and raise a family,” said Harkin. “This funding is an important investment that will help our rural communities harness the ability to modernize, grow, and create new opportunities.”

Details of the funding are as follows:

Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque– $152,492 to provide capacity building for philanthropy and the enlargement of community endowments.

East Central Intergovernmental Association– $150,000 to help 27 eastern Iowa local governments conduct fundraising, write grants, build affordable housing, and update websites.

Iowa League of Resource Conservation and Development, Inc.– $152,492 to provide technical assistance and training on art, history, and culture to six economic development organizations.

Iowa Rural Water Association– $152,492 to help small rural communities plan for community wastewater and water services.