The Iowa Department of Education announced Monday that four community colleges will receive nearly $4 million through the state’s Career Academy Incentive Fund to expand career-connected learning opportunities across Iowa. Northwest Iowa Community College, North Iowa Area Community College and Eastern Iowa Community Colleges were each awarded $1 million, while Des Moines Area Community College received more than $776,000. The grants will fund new or upgraded regional career academy centers and programs in high-demand fields such as health care, information technology, agriculture, business and education. Established in 2019 and supported by Iowa’s statewide school infrastructure sales tax, the Career Academy Incentive Fund supports partnerships among schools, community colleges and employers to prepare students for workforce needs.