Jasper County receives funding for leadership training

The Iowa Rural Development Council (IRDC) announced the selection of 10 local leadership initiatives to receive funding for trainings that focus on skills and professional development. Jasper County was one of the 10 communities selected to receive a SPARK grant of up to $2,500.

The SPARK Leadership Grant Program is targeted toward rural communities who want to host soft skills-based leadership trainings. Funded by Alliant Energy, the program aims to strengthen leadership capacity and collaboration across rural Iowa.

“Alliant is proud to partner with the Iowa Rural Development Council to support leadership training around our state as we continue to live out our purpose of serving our customers and building stronger communities,” Dennis Jordan, Alliant Energy Director of Customer, Community and Economic Development, said.

“We were thrilled with the number of outstanding applications we received for this first round of SPARK Grants,” IRDC Board Chair Mark Reinig said. “The grant recipients will be holding trainings that, among other things, support that community’s vision for expanding local leadership and their ability to address existing gaps.”

The IRDC is a statewide public-private non-profit organization focused on rural vitality and local capacity that will sustain and grow Iowa’s small towns.

For more information contact director@iowardc.org.