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MSWB lands $30K grant to support businesses
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · October 09, 2024
Main Street West Branch got picked last week for a $30,000 grant to help boost downtown businesses.
The Iowa Rural Development Council announced the first four recipients of a new Rural Business Initative, funded by a $200,000 grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation,
“We’re excited about that,” MSWB Executive Director Jessi Simon said, noting that the grant also comes with technical support to help make ideas happen. “This one has already been different from the start. ... It’s a lot more hands-on and interactive.”
She said the group may tap into additional funds and representatives will attend a meeting soon to learn more details about how to qualify for possible additional funding.
“That’s a grant we applied for to help our small businesses through this challenging time with the interstate being under construction and the museum being ready to close,” Simon said.
MSWB created a Rising Tide Initiative “aimed at helping small businesses by enhancing street appeal, updating signage, renovating facades, increasing accessibility, and optimizing inventory,” reads the IRDC press release.
The IRDC selected the recipients for their plans to “support existing small business, enhance entrepreneurship and expand the economic vitality of their rural area.”
The press release notes that each of the recipients are within 30 miles of a Wells Fargo bank branch.
Recipients will work with the IRDC, the Iowa Small Business Development Centers, and the Iowa Center for Economic Success “to assess the situation in each place.”
“This is an outstanding opportunity, thanks to the Wells Fargo Foundation, for targeted support of small businesses in small towns,” IRDC Board President Mark Reinig said in a statement. “These four pilot places have creative concepts to address existing needs and ultimately impact the viability of local businesses and economies.”
Simon said the Rising Tide Initiative will include activities that will “bring some projects to reality.”
“It’s a really exciting (opportunity) because it really aligns perfectly with our mission and the work we’re trying to do, but oftentimes funding keeps us from taking it to the next level,” she said. “Obviously, as a small non-profit, it is our biggest barrier to the success that we would like to help our businesses achieve and the things we would like to initiate.”
In the grant proposal, MSWB talked about providing free workshops and training for business owners to help “strengthen business skills and help them adapt to market changes,” Simon said.
Other ideas would be continuing the Coffee & Collaboration networking events as well as a collective marketing campaign.
“We would really like to launch a coordinated marketing effort that collectively promotes the small businesses in West Branch and increases visibility to the community,” she said. “We know that can be more effective if we are doing it all as one instead of each, individual business having to invest in that campaign.”
MSWB also wants to create a matching grant fund to help businesses get money for improvements to “enhance the downtown experience.”
That could include facade repairs, upgraded signs, outdoor seating, accessibility upgrades, and looking at data to help fill “gaps” — drawing new businesses that could meet an identified need.
Simon said the organization would try to figure out what people leave town to purchase that could be offered here.
Several months ago, MSWB made the director a full-time job in part because that would give the director time to apply for more grants.
“We’re really excited to see that start to come to life,” Simon said. “We took that leap of faith before we had it.”
A multi-year, Interstate 80 widening project this past summer closed the eastbound on- and off-ramps for weeks, and while gas stations noticed a drop in traffic, downtown businesses fielded calls from customers trying to get into town.
“Construction can be challenging, especially when we’re so close to the interstate,” she said. “We know we can be an easy pull-off for people to kind of take a break on the interstate, stop in downtown.”
MSWB even added a page to their website (mainstreetwestbranch.org/detours) to help visitors unfamiliar with the area to reach local businesses.
The ramps reopened last week, but the Iowa Department of Transportation will next year close the westbound ramps as part of the next phase of the work.
Simon said the IDOT detour from Iowa City sent traffic five miles past West Branch to the West Liberty Exit 259, causing motorists to backtrack to get to their location.
“The formal (detour) was there instead of telling you in advance to take Herbert Hoover Highway,” she said. “It was definitely disruptive. ... but (businesses) were really, really excited that the eastbound off-ramp coming from Iowa City (allowed one) to get off at West Branch again. Opening six weeks before we expected was a pleasant surprise.”
Further, the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum will close its museum early next year for one to 1 1/2 years of renovation and expansion work.
“We know both of those things will have an impact on traffic to West Branch,” Simon said.
Other projects getting the IRDC’s Rural Business Initative funding:
• City of Minden: Minden was hit by two tornadoes last April that devastated 40% of the Pottawattamie County community of 600. The community is launching a “Forward With Strength’ effort targeting its central business district, known as the Minden Triangle. The Triangle was a vibrant district, but many businesses there have not been able to operate since the disaster. However, together they are working diligently to build back better and reopen not only for their respective bottom lines but also for their employees and the community in general.
• Pathfinders RC&D Region: Pathfinders RC&D (Resource Conservation and Development) serves five core counties in Southeast Iowa, with additional services reaching more than 20 counties in the region. Through the Leveraging Access for Underserved Networks and Capital for Hope (LAUNCH) program, Pathfinders aims to impact small businesses in 21 rural communities across the five core counties.
LAUNCH seeks to bridge the gap in economic development resources between smaller towns and larger cities like Ottumwa by promoting regional collaboration and providing customized support to strengthen the small business environment, boost job creation and revenue, and build a more resilient economy.
• Perry Chamber of Commerce: The city of Perry took a hit in July when Tysons closed its local pork packing plant, which employed more than 1,200 workers. But community leaders acknowledge there have been small business challenges leading up to that announcement and they have a plan to move ahead. Perry seeks to revive a pandemic-era business grant program for small businesses in need of capital for products, services, marketing, or improvements, as well as providing invaluable connections to resources for skill building and networking.
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