The Iowa Finance Authority announced that Northwest Bank has earned IFA’s Gold Lender designation for its outstanding efforts in assisting homebuyers in 2023.

Northwest Bank, which has branches in Fort Dodge and other local communitIes, is one of 17 institutions statewide that earned a top lender designation for 2023.

“Homeownership not only empowers families to build generational wealth and achieve financial stability, but it is also an economic catalyst, with home sales spurring additional investments in our communities,” said IFA Director Debi Durham.

The Iowa Finance Authority offers mortgage and down payment assistance programs for Iowa homebuyers through a network of more than 400 lenders throughout the state. These partnerships offer Iowans the convenience of working with their local lender and access to IFA’s down payment and closing cost assistance programs.

In 2023, local lenders assisted more than 2,400 Iowans in purchasing a home using IFA mortgage and down payment assistance programs and more than 65,000 have reached their goal of homeownership through the program since its inception.

Sara Frerichs, EVP, director of credit administration at Northwest Bank in Spencer said, “Northwest Bank is committed to helping the communities we serve, and our partnership with Iowa Finance Authority gives us the ability to offer various home loan programs so more individuals and their families can achieve the dream of owning their home.”

Northwest Bank is a $2.5 billion community bank that offers a full line of business, agricultural, mortgage, consumer deposit and lending services as well as wealth management and insurance services. It has offices located in Algona, Ames, Arnolds Park, Ankeny, Estherville, Fort Dodge, Humboldt, Le Mars, Milford, Sioux Center, Sioux City, Spencer, Spirit Lake, West Des Moines, and Omaha and La Vista in Nebraska.