Section 261.41.2. Program eligibility.

       41.2(1) Eligible applicants include any Iowa county, city, council of government, or resource conservation and development organization which may apply on behalf of an economic development group or government entity. Applicants must be able to demonstrate a minimum match that equals at least 25 percent of the grant amount requested in the form of cash, and an additional in-kind services match of 10 percent.

       41.2(2) Eligible projects. Projects eligible for funding include the following:

        a.           Telecommunications: education and training on enhanced telecommunications services, strategy development for access and use of advanced telecommunications;

        b.           Growth management: strategies to promote orderly development and rational land use;

        c.           Housing: area, regional or multicommunity strategy to address specific housing needs, particularly upper-story commercial areas and in-fill lot development;

        d.           Business development: strategies to enhance target industry clusters (information solutions, advanced manufacturing, and life sciences); entrepreneurship; international trade; e-commerce, education and training through local development groups and chambers of commerce; and capital development;

        e.           Community services: development of multicommunity or regional delivery of government services and community development services that directly enhance business development; innovative approaches to workforce shortages, skill development and employee retention; diversity of population capitalizing on immigration to sustain and revitalize communities;

        f.            Education and training: development of leadership strategies and regional workshops related to the targeted 2010 issues; and

        g.           Commercial development: one-to-one business assistance, market analysis training, upper-story reuse assistance, fundraising strategies, and building design assistance.