The Iowa Economic Development Authority board on Friday approved tax credits for five manufacturing projects expected to create more than 500 jobs and drive nearly $400 million in capital investment across Iowa.

The projects, located in Cedar Rapids, Charles City, Milford, Montezuma and Butler County, received assistance through the state’s Business Incentives for Growth (BIG) program.

The board also approved assistance for four startups and awarded Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT) grants for projects in Des Moines and Dickinson County.

Among the startups receiving support was Des Moines-based Hirely Workforce Technologies, which does business as Jenu and is developing a secure digital credential platform for health care workers and employers.

The board also approved $50,000 Proof of Commercial Relevance loans for Ames-based BitCorn Technologies and Immuno NanoMed, along with Audubon-based Hope Innovations.

The William G. Stowe Foundation and Des Moines Water Works received a $300,000 CAT grant for the Water Curia project at Water Works Park in Des Moines. The project will include a 20-foot-tall circular pavilion and interpretive features designed to connect existing recreation attractions in the area.

The Dickinson County Conservation Board also received a $387,000 CAT grant for a nature-based playscape project near the Dickinson County Nature Center in Okoboji.

The largest project approved was an expansion by Sub-Zero Group in Cedar Rapids. The appliance manufacturer plans to add an approximately 225,000-square-foot addition to its facility to support on-site refrigerator assembly and integrate warehousing and injection molding operations.

The $196 million project is expected to create 312 jobs, including 115 incented positions paying a qualifying wage of $30.41 per hour. The company received nearly $9.8 million in tax credits through the BIG program.

Cambrex Charles City, a subsidiary of New Jersey-based Cambrex Corp., also received approval for an expansion. The pharmaceutical manufacturer plans to construct a new 7,700-square-foot facility to increase production capacity by 40%.

The nearly $150 million project is expected to create 104 jobs with qualifying wages of $24.76 per hour. The board approved more than $10.1 million in tax credits for the project.

Other manufacturing projects approved include:

• Rosenboom Machine & Tool, which plans a $19.07 million expansion and new facility in Milford expected to create 78 jobs.
• Dieomatic Incorporated in Montezuma, which will invest $10.7 million in new automotive production lines expected to create 27 jobs.
• Feldmeier Equipment, which plans to construct a new 70,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Butler County as part of a $20.8 million expansion project.