Fourteen Iowa communities have been awarded a total of $925,000 in Main Street Iowa Challenge grants from the Iowa Economic Development Authority for local improvement projects. The projects include building rehabilitations, upper-story renovations and facade improvements. A full list of the awards can be found here. The grants are administered through IEDA’s Iowa Downtown Resource Center and Main Street Iowa programs. They are distributed as matching grants for the selected Main Street programs. The estimated total cost of the projects is $3.2 million. Michael Wagler, state coordinator for Main Street Iowa, said each project must provide dollar-for-dollar matching funds. “In total, these projects will actually leverage significantly more than the state’s investment into bricks and mortar rehabilitation. This investment will have a significant economic impact within each district,” he said.