On February 2, 2009, Governor Culver signed into law House File 64. Division III of this bill created the Community Disaster Grant Program. This law appropriated $22 million to be awarded to cities and counties within the area of Presidential Disaster Declaration DR-1763-IA which occurred from May 25 to August 13, 2008.
According to the law, funds were to be awarded to cities and counties with each city and county receiving a minimum of $2,000, with the remainder granted based upon a pro rata share of damage costs associated with obligated funds for the respective city or county from the Federal Emergency Management Agency Individual Assistance Program and Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Program as of February 2, 2009.
All moneys awarded under this grant shall be used for disaster-related costs that have not received funding from other federal or non-federal resources. Additionally, specific projects identified for funding under this grant program are from the following categories:
1. Nonprofit organization assistance.
2. Assistance for the public purchase of land and accompanying structures if financial assistance for such purchases is not available from the Federal Emergency Management Agency or when a non-federal match is required for a grant involved in the public purchase of land and accompanying structures.
3. Assistance for the repair, replacement, or upgrade of public infrastructure damaged by the disaster including measures to assist in the mitigation of future damage due to natural disasters.
4. Assistance for the increased costs associated with the revaluation and assessment of property due to a natural disaster that occurred in 2008.
5. Small business assistance.
6. Assistance for the replacement and rehabilitation of housing.
Applications were due to Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management by April 1, 2009.