News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 10/22/26

MRHD Awards Nearly $1.6 Million to 11 Siouxland Organizations

SIOUX CITY – Missouri River Historical Development (MRHD) awarded $1,596,453 to 11 Siouxland organizations today during its annual Impact Match Grant Awards Ceremony at the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center in Sioux City. The grants will support projects addressing critical community needs, including food insecurity, homelessness, rural public safety, healthcare, education, and infrastructure improvements.

MRHD received 50 applications requesting approximately $6.2 million during this year's competitive grant cycle. The organization originally budgeted $1.5 million but approved additional funding to support more community projects. This year's awards represent all five grant categories, including three projects supporting rural fire departments.

Representatives from the recipient organizations attended the ceremony to accept their awards, share details about their projects, and celebrate the investments being made in their communities.

MRHD received 50 applications requesting approximately $6.2 million during this year's competitive grant cycle, significantly exceeding the $1.5 million originally budgeted. Following a comprehensive review, MRHD's Grant Review Committee recommended 11 projects totaling $1,596,453. The Board of Directors approved the recommendations, increasing the original budget to fully fund the proposed awards.

The committee prioritized projects addressing pressing community needs, particularly food insecurity, homelessness, and rural public safety. Approximately 86% of the funding was awarded to projects in Woodbury County, with the remaining 14% supporting a project in Ida County. Rural fire and emergency services projects accounted for approximately one-third of the total funding, and all five of MRHD's grant focus categories were represented.

"The demand for funding this year underscores both the significant needs facing our communities and the important work being done by local organizations," said David Bernstein, MRHD Board President. "Our Grant Review Committee focused on pressing issues like food insecurity, homelessness, and rural public safety. By increasing our original budget, we were able to support additional projects that will make a meaningful difference throughout Siouxland."

Click here to view MRHD's 2026 Impact Match Grant recipients and their respective projects.

MRHD's Impact Match Grant is an annual competitive funding opportunity providing awards ranging from $25,000 to $250,000 for larger-scale projects that create significant community impact. Recipients must provide a minimum 25% match, and grant funds are reimbursed upon project completion.

Eligible applicants include tax-exempt organizations, local governments, and educational institutions located in Woodbury, Cherokee, Crawford, Ida, Monona, and Plymouth counties in Iowa; Union County, South Dakota; and Dakota County, Nebraska.

MRHD is the nonprofit Qualified Sponsoring Organization (QSO) that holds the license for casino gaming in Woodbury County and receives funding through an agreement with Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – Sioux City. Under Iowa law, a percentage of the casino's gaming revenues is allocated to MRHD for community development.

Since partnering with Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – Sioux City in 2014, MRHD has invested more than $40 million into Woodbury County and the Siouxland community and more than $60 million since its grant programs began in 1994.

For more information about MRHD or its Impact Match Grant program, contact Executive Director David Gleiser at (712) 899-6631 or execdir@mrhdiowa.org.

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