Officials in Carroll have outlined a proposal to standardize the city’s policy on selecting applicants for the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) Community Catalyst Grant. The highly competitive grant provides up to $100,000 with a required local match to be used specifically on building remediation. Mayor Mark Beardmore says local interest in the program has grown, and the council needs a rubric to gauge which projects qualify for financial backing from the city.
The grant scoring criteria discussed are nearly identical to the IEDA’s rubric and measure a proposed project’s job creation, property value increases, public/private investments, the city’s priority levy for the target building, and more. Beardmore says this rubric is likely the first of more economic development programming to come.
Carroll County Growth Partnership (CCGP) Economic Vitality Director Matt Meiners says CCGP and the Carroll Chamber of Commerce fully support having a policy like this on the books.
The council did not vote on the measure during its April 10 meeting, but members indicated they would support the proposal when it returns to the agenda later this month.
