A new program from the non-profit Iowa Foundation for Microenterprise and Community Vitality (IFMCV), will provide a statewide mechanism for Iowa’s microentrepreneurs to connect with community development agencies for assistance. Among the groups spearheading the effort are the Greater Des Moines Community Foundation and the Community Vitality Center (CVC), a policy analysis center based at Iowa State University. The program specializes in providing loans of $35,000 or less to small businesses.

State legislators are considering ways to fund microenterprise assistance programs that would be offered through the Iowa Department of Economic Development. An appropriations bill now under consideration would provide $500,000 to fund a microenterprise specialist at the IDED and begin a microloan program, using unspent Grow Iowa Values Fund dollars.

These are exciting developments for the state’s small businesses which have long been ignored in Iowa. For more information please read this article from the Des Moines Business Record.