A project in Jefferson recently received a new grant from the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

Welch Avenue LLC received a $20,000 grant through the Rural Innovation Grant Program. The grant is part of Governor Kim Reynolds Empower Rural Iowa Initiative that was created last year. The Rural Innovation Grant Program is given to projects that support creative, non-traditional ways that focus on current issues and challenges that rural communities face, and would drive community investment, growth and connection.

The grant will be used toward the Gravitate project at 200 East State Street in Jefferson. Gravitate is a company that facilitates coworking space for those needing a business type environment to work remotely. Geoff Wood is the owner of Gravitate and Chris Deal is helping to coordinate the project. Deal describes his reaction to receiving the grant.

“Well, we were really excited, and I’m speaking for Geoff Wood a little bit here. Certainly he’s been doing the lion’s share of it. I’m really excited for him to bring Gravitate and the coworking here to town. The grant is a huge piece of that. Again the IEDA has just some fantastic programs, and really (they) have recognized the opportunities and likewise the needs that we have in rural communities like Jefferson, and providing some really fantastic ways to help some of these projects happen.”

The estimated cost of the project is $95,000. Welch Avenue is one of 17 recipients of the new grant, which allocated a total of $300,000.