Welcome to North Iowa Community Action!

Our mission at NICAO is to provide quality services that empower people in need to achieve and sustain economic stability through collaborative efforts. Our website furthers our mission by providing ways for you to learn more about NICAO services and support our agency.  Thanks for visiting!

Iowa HSEM Assumes Responsibility for Disaster Services

Beginning August 8, North Iowa Community Action Organization (NICAO) will be transitioning the Individual Assistance Grant Program (IIAGP) or Disaster Case Advocacy Program (DCA) to Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM). If you have applied for IIAGP or DCA with NICAO you will receive a transition letter outlining the next steps for your application process in the coming days/weeks. For questions relating to your application or either of these programs, please visit https://homelandsecurity.iowa.gov/disasters/individual-disaster-assistance-programs or email: individualdisasterassistance@iowa.gov.

In recent months, state administration of these programs transferred from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM). With that transition, HSEM made the decision to also take responsibility for program delivery.  That state department now has total responsibility for the management and delivery of services in the event of a declared disaster in any of Iowa’s 99 counties.

The Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program provides grants up to $7,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of personal property or food, and temporary housing expenses. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery.

The Disaster Case Advocacy Program addresses serious needs related to disaster-related hardship, injury, or adverse conditions. Disaster case advocates work with clients to create a disaster recovery plan and provide guidance, advice, and referrals to obtain a service or resource. There are no income eligibility requirements for this program; it closes 180 days from the date of the governor’s proclamation.

The Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program application, along with its instructions, as well as information on the Disaster Case Advocacy Program, can be found on the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management website.

Click here for the 2024 Poverty Guidelines

North Iowa Community Action Organization complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, ethnicity, culture, religion, color, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation or family composition.

Spanish
North Iowa organización de acción comunitaria cumple con las leyes federales de derechos civiles y no discrimina por género, raza, etnia, cultura, religión, color, origen nacional, edad, discapacidad, orientación sexual o composición de la familia.

Chinese
北愛荷華州社區行動組織遵守適用的聯邦民權法, 不基於性別、種族、民族、文化、宗教、膚色、國籍、年齡、殘疾、性取向或家庭組成而歧視.

NICAO's WIC/Breastfeeding Peer Counselor program receives USDA WIC Breastfeeding Award of Excellence Gold Award
Congratulations to NICAO's Breastfeeding Peer Counselors for their outstanding commitment to supporting breastfeeding families in north Iowa.