The Perry Chamber of Commerce is accepting applications in hopes of helping local businesses.
According to Perry Chamber Director Lynsi Pasutti, the chamber foundation was one of four recipients of grant funding from the Rural Development Council for a Rural Business Initiative pilot program in 2024. She adds that the program was meant to provide support to rural small businesses and was funded through the Wells Fargo Foundation. Local support of the initiative nearly tripled available funds, with contributions from the City of Perry, Perry Economic Development, Bock Family Foundation and Raccoon Valley Bank Foundation.
Pasutti details that the Perry Chamber Foundation then facilitated a local business grant program in 2025, and will facilitate a second round of the grant program in 2026 with remaining funds.
“It is rare that an opportunity like this comes up where grant funds become available with very few stipulations for organizations to develop their own localized programs to support local small businesses. We’ve really been able to keep it open-ended in order to serve a variety of local business needs.”
The initial IRDC grant program came at an opportune time, following the closure of the Tyson plant in July of 2024, which had caused economic strain in the community. Perry leaders acknowledged many small businesses had been facing financial strains even before that, some not yet recovered from the pandemic and continuing to face challenges with staffing, supply chains, rising costs, and declining sales.
Outcomes from the first round of grants included the purchase of equipment which contributed to increased sales, maintaining staff and marketing campaigns, as well as building improvements.
Chamber Foundation Board Member Emily Leslie says additional small businesses will be supported through the second round.
“With additional local support, we’ve been able to open up a second round of business grants in order to support businesses that did not receive funding in the first round. This second round will be smaller in scope, but we know every little bit of support will help small businesses looking to tackle a project they otherwise might not be able to right now.”
Grant applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Monday, June 1 to the Perry Chamber of Commerce and will be reviewed by the Perry Business Support Task Force. Grant requests should be $500 – $1,500 with at least 10% matching funds. Eligible expenses include working capital for products, equipment, services, marketing, physical improvements, educational courses, networking memberships, or new staffing. Applicants will be notified of awarded grants by Monday, June 15.
For more information, including an application form, click here, or contact the Perry Chamber of Commerce at (515)465-4601 or Lynsi@PerryIAChamber.org.