Federal Grants
BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT GUIDE AVAILABLE ON-LINE
Want to learn more about brownfields in Iowa, and how to successfully plan for site assessment, site acquisition and cleanup, and final redevelopment? If so, we have an on-line guide for you, available in PDF format at:
http://www.iowalifechanging.com/business/downloads/IWEbrownfields.pdf
BROWNFIELD PROGRAM CONTACTS IN IOWA:
For questions about brownfield site acquisition, assessment, and cleanup, and technical and financial assistance available, or environmental liability or regulatory issues related to Brownfields contact:
Mel Pins, Iowa Brownfield Redevelopment Program, Iowa DNR at 515-281-8489 or mel.pins@dnr.iowa.gov
or
Matt Rasmussen, Iowa Department of Economic Development at 515-725-3126 or matt.rasmussen@iowa.gov
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Regional Innovation Clusters
“The only way to fully restore America’s economic strength is to make the long-term investments that will lead to new jobs, new industries, and a renewed ability to compete with the rest of the world.”
- President Barack Obama
“By leveraging resources across the Federal government and building on regional strengths, we’ll improve business opportunities, enhance our nation’s global economic competitiveness and create sustainable, 21st century jobs.”
- Commerce Secretary Gary Locke
“Entrepreneurs and researchers and innovators want to be around each other. They want to feed off the shared creative energy. They want access to a shared talent pool. They want to build relationships. So if a local community is able to plant that seed- if it’s able to create the climate for innovation and build a critical mass- then private investment will follow. Innovation will follow. Jobs will follow.”
- EDA Assistant Secretary John Fernandez Regional Innovation Clusters (RICs) are a proven way to create jobs and grow the economy. They are geographic concentrations of firms and industries that do business with each other and have common needs for talent, technology, and infrastructure.
This is a new framework for economic development, and investing in RICs is critical to our nation’s future economic competitiveness. Whether the investment comes from the federal or state government, or the private sector, or-ideally-all of the above, those dollars will do a lot more good if they serve a well-developed regional strategy that leverages core regional strengths.
Here you will find the tools you need to develop and maximize the effectiveness of regional economic development strategies, insight from the nation’s leaders on regional development, best practices; and case studies.
Funding Opportunities
On Friday, February 12, 2010 the Obama Administration announced a multi-agency initiative to spur regional economic growth while making buildings more energy efficient. Seven federal agencies today issued a combined Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) of up to $129.7 million over five years to create a regional research center that will develop new building efficiency technologies and work with local partners to implement the technologies in area buildings. Press Release
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Building deconstruction and building recycling Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) has received a federal grant to create a program, in conjunction with Iowa’s community colleges, focused on building deconstruction and building recycling.
As such, IWD is looking for assistance in identifying commercial and residential buildings statewide that are slated for demolition, and have asked if COGs may have information on this topic.
If you have any information on buildings in your region that are scheduled for demolition, or other potential resources for this information, please let Tim know. Thanks for your assistance.
Timothy Ostroski
ostroski@sicog.com
SICOG’s Seven Core Attributes - Accountability, Commitment,
Excellence, Innovation, Integrity, Professionalism and Trust.©
Executive Director
Southern Iowa Council of Governments
101 East Montgomery Street
P.O. Box 102
Creston, Iowa 50801-0102
Phone 641.782.8491
Fax 641.782.8492
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