Eagle Grove, Iowa, could be held up as a model of collaborative effort for small communities everywhere pulling together for a common goal. As in many cities, this community of approximately 3700 felt the growing need for quality, dependable childcare services. The answer? A complete early childhood facility that included a childcare center – with infant care – a preschool, before- and after-school care, Head Start rooms, a contact site for the Area Education Agency, and a meeting room available for rental by the general public.

The center reflects a strong community-based effort from the planning stages, through fund raising efforts, to a June 2000 grand opening. The total construction cost was $768,000. The community raised $88,000 with an additional $30,000 from the city. A $350,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), disbursed through the Iowa Department of Economic Development, was awarded. Finally, the United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, provided a low-interest, fixed-rate loan of $300,000. Since less than 40 percent of the actual project was financed, loan repayment will be less than 10 cents per child per hour. The facility has the capacity for 126 children.

Seven key stakeholders were essential to the completion of the project. Early on in the project, all parties were contacted and began to hold regular meetings.

The city of Eagle Grove, recognizing that infrastructure does indeed include childcare, agreed to own the facility and take on the responsibility of loan repayment. The city also applied for the CDBG grant and helped in fundraising efforts, including a $30,000 grant.

Eagles Wings Childcare and Pre-School coordinated all of the fundraising and will operate the new facility.

Eagle Grove School District provided a building site strategically located directly across from the kindergarten and elementary school. The school district also provided valuable technical assistance as the project developed and is currently providing student transportation for Head Start children and after-school care. Head Start will be leasing space in the new building for Head Start programs.

MIDAS Council of Governments was the grant writer and administrator for the CDBG grant funds and also for a Revitalization Assistance for Community Improvement (RACI) grant of $15,000 that was used to defray costs for the community room.

Eagle Grove Foundation and Community Development Corporation assisted in donation and fundraising efforts.

The final key participant was USDA Rural Development. Along with making a $300,000 loan commitment available, Rural Development representatives provided technical assistance support to the project. Eagle Grove was the seventeenth USDA-funded childcare project in the State of Iowa, the first project owned and financed by a city.

Rural Development is a Federal agency that administers the USDA Housing and Community Facilities Programs Community Facilities programs for public bodies and not-for-profit organizations providing essential community facilities, including health care, telecommunications, public safety, and public services.

The Eagle Grove Community Child Care Center is a success for all parties involved – especially for the children of Eagle Grove and the surrounding communities.