Owners of buildings in the Main Street Fort Dodge district can apply for up to $100,000 in state grant money to pay for things like facade improvements.

These Main Street Iowa Challenge Grants are highly competitive and only one application from each Main Street community in the state is allowed, according to Sharon Stroh, the executive director of Main Street Fort Dodge.

“These proposals generally are available for facade improvements, interior rehabilitation, structural repairs and building system repairs,” she said.

The last time a Fort Dodge property received one of these grants was in 2021, when Danny Heggen was awarded $75,000 to rehabilitate the building at 1109 Central Ave. which has a store on the first floor and a total of six apartments on the two upper floors.

“The project has been completed and there are now new options for living downtown,” Stroh said.

Main Street Fort Dodge recently received eligibility requirements and application deadlines for this year’s grant program.

Grant awards will require matching funds from the building owner equal to the amount of the grant award, with in-kind contributions accounting for a maximum of 35 percent of the match.

The grant money cannot be used for demolition.

The application deadline is Sept. 8.

Building owners seeking more information on the grant program should contact Stroh at 515-573-3172 or sharon@mainstreetfd.org.