Wartburg and the city of Waverly have applied to receive an $813,000 grant that could be used to help complete the new wellness center.
The grant request was made of the Iowa Community Attraction and Tourism Program, an organization that supports the promotion of tourism in Iowa.
The grant requires that the city of Waverly provide additional funding, equaling $1.8 million, to the wellness center project. The college cannot take receipt of the awarded resources unless the city is able to provide the additional grant-requested funds, according to Gary Grace, vice president of administration.
“We hope the city will have some sense as to whether it’s doable within the next couple of months,” Grace said.
It’s not clear as to whether the additional $1.8 million can be allocated through city revenue and resources or fundraising efforts, according to Grace.
The city has already agreed to supply $150,000 a year during the next eight years to pay for the new facility, totaling $1.2 million. In addition, if revenue projections, generated by membership and additional fees, are not reached, the city has also agreed to pay as much as $600,000 per year for eight years to compensate.
The grant would help offset costs, one way in particular. “As part of financing the project, an additional fund-raised amount was included. This grant would help cover that portion of the project financing,” Grace said.
Wartburg and the city of Waverly applied for the CAT grant earlier this year.