Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Economic Development Authority awarded more than $470,000 in grants through seven Empower Rural Iowa Grant programs. The funding will support rural initiatives including child care, housing and leadership development. The city of Logan will use a Rural Enrichment Grant to help implement its first city-wide trail system, and the Carroll County Growth Partnership will use a Rural Innovation Grant to build a regional center for entrepreneurs. Rural Leadership Bootcamp Grants will help Buchanan and Story counties launch local leadership programs, and seven cities will receive Rural Housing Assessment Grants to help understand and improve local housing conditions. The awards are part of Reynolds’ Empower Rural Iowa Initiative, which she created through Executive Order 3 in 2018. Last week, Reynolds announced Executive Order 11, which amends Executive Order 3 and updates the initiative’s strategic focus to function as a startup incubator for innovative rural policy, according to a news release. For more information about the initiative, click here.