Iowa communities seeking to address housing needs can now apply for the 2026 Rural Housing Readiness Assessment Grant Program. The grant supports rural towns as they evaluate their housing stock and gather public input to improve local conditions.
Offered by the Iowa Economic Development Authority’s Center for Rural Revitalization, the program funds participation in Iowa State University Extension and Outreach’s Rural Housing Readiness Assessment, or RHRA, a step-by-step process designed to help communities turn housing concerns into workable plans.
To qualify for the grant, applicants must be Iowa-based local, county or tribal governments serving populations of 20,000 or fewer and not contiguous to a city of 40,000 or more. Countywide applicants must be located in one of Iowa’s 88 least populous counties. A $10,000 local cash match is required. Once the RHRA process is complete, participants receive a $20,000 grant to support early implementation efforts.
Since 2020, 60 Iowa communities have completed or begun the RHRA process. In all, they’ve sparked more than $132 million in housing investments. Applications for the 2026 grant cycle are due August 29th. More information can be found on the grant program website.
Full press release can be found below;
