General Assistance provides temporary assistance for basic or special needs to low income persons who reside in Polk County.

RENTAL ASSISTANCE (Potential First Month's Rent Assistance as well) may be available to those in need. For First Month's Rent - Must be able to prove the following - property must have a valid housing certificate, must be able to show that housing is affordable, utilities must be set up in applicants name and if newly employed, must provide 2-3 check stubs.

**FOR UTILITY ASSISTANCE: November 1-April 30 anyone seeking help for Electric MUST go through the LIHEAP program first. Those applying for Utility Assistance from G.A. must have an acceptance or denial letter from LIHEAP. Must have a disconnect notice and 12 month billing and payment history from the utility company. For water help - call to check on availability of funds.

CREMATION EXPENSE ASSISTANCE may be available to those who meet the income guidelines.

HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND FURNITURE may be available to those that need assistance with beds, refrigerators or stoves.

MEDICAL EXPENSE ASSISTANCE may be available for medical supplies (no longer helps with prescription costs) and assistance with transportation to out of town appointments.

MORTGAGE PAYMENT ASSISTANCE may be available to those needing help with their mortgage payment.

PROPERTY TAX PAYMENT ASSISTANCE may be available to assist elderly (aged 65 and older) and disabled homeowners who may qualify for suspension of property taxes.

TRAVELER'S ASSISTANCE may provide transient transportation expenses to person stranded in Polk County for 24 hours or less. Applicant may be eligible if they are not a resident of Polk County and is traveling to another destination where he/she has family or other housing available to them.

Offers emergency rent and/or mortgage assistance to eligible households in need of help. Repayment may be required.

Benefits information on county, state, and federal level benefits.

Claim filing assistance for veterans and their families, including applications to Veterans Home in Marshalltown and applications for lifetime hunting and fishing licenses for service connected disabled vets (small fee).

Funeral assistance.

Application assistance for VA medical care.

County level services provide direct emergency economic aid for vital necessities to veterans, their widow, and dependents, according to their needs. Personal visits for assistance and claims to housebound veterans or dependents. Must have an honorable or under honorable conditions discharge from active duty or wartime service. Must be a resident in Nebraska for the past one year and 6 months of that year in Webster County.

State level services do not require wartime service. Assist in completing applications for the Nebraska Veterans Aid Fund, fee exempt fishing and hunting permits, applications to the Nebraska Veterans Homes, and waivers of tuition.

Federal level services provide and/or complete Veteran Administration forms for claims relating but not limited to service connected compensation, disability pension, widow's pension, burial allowance, grave markers/headstones, educational benefits, home loans, insurance, indebtedness, and character of service upgrades.

Offers emergency rent and/or mortgage assistance to eligible households in need of help. Repayment may be required.

County level services provide direct emergency economic aid for vital necessities to veterans, their widow, and dependents, according to their needs. Personal visits for assistance and claims to housebound veterans or dependents. Must have an honorable or under honorable conditions discharge from active duty or wartime service. Must be a resident in Iowa for the past one year and 6 months of that year in Muscatine County.

State level services do not require wartime service. Assist in completing applications for the Iowa Veterans Aid Fund, fee exempt fishing and hunting permits, applications to the Iowa Veterans Home, waivers of tuition.

Federal level services provide and/or complete Veteran Administration forms for claims relating but not limited to service connected compensation, disability pension, widow's pension, burial allowance, grave markers/headstones, educational benefits, home loans, insurance, indebtedness, and character of service upgrades.

Offers affordable housing options and rental and home ownership opportunities to low income families and individuals.

County level services include providing direct emergency economic aid for vital necessities to veterans, their widow, and dependents, according to their needs. Personal visits for assistance and claims to housebound veterans or dependents. Must have an honorable or under honorable conditions discharge from active duty and wartime service. Must be a resident in Nebraska for the past one year and 6 months of that year in Stanton County.

State level services do not require wartime service; completes applications for the Nebraska Veterans Aid Fund. Fee exempt fishing and hunting permits for veterans with 50% or more service connected disabilities, and a small fee may apply for all eligible veterans 64 years old or older. Applications to the Nebraska Veterans Homes, waivers of tuition.

Federal level services include providing and/or completing Veteran Administration forms for claims relating but not limited to service connected compensation, disability pension, widow's pension, burial allowance, grave markers/headstones, educational benefits, home loans, insurance, indebtedness, and character of service upgrades.

County level services provide direct emergency economic aid for vital necessities to veterans, their widow, and dependents, according to their needs. Personal visits for assistance and claims to housebound veterans or dependents. Must have an honorable or under honorable conditions discharge from active duty or wartime service. Must be a resident in Nebraska for the past one year and 6 months of that year in Kearney County.

State level services do not require wartime service and assist in completing applications for the Nebraska Veterans Aid Fund, fee exempt fishing and hunting permits, applications to the Nebraska Veterans Homes, and waivers of tuition.

Federal level services provide and/or complete Veteran Administration forms for claims relating but not limited to service connected compensation, disability pension, widow's pension, burial allowance, grave markers/headstones, educational benefits, home loans, insurance, indebtedness, and character of service upgrades.

County level services provide direct emergency economic aid for vital necessities to veterans, their widow, and dependents, according to their needs, which can include assistance with rent, utilities and food vouchers. Personal visits for assistance and claims to housebound veterans or dependents. Must have an honorable or under honorable conditions discharge from active duty or wartime service. Must be a resident in Nebraska for the past one year and 6 months of that year in Richardson County.

State level services do not require wartime service. Assist in completing applications for the Nebraska Veterans Aid Fund, fee exempt fishing and hunting permits, applications to the Nebraska Veterans Homes, and waivers of tuition.

Federal services include providing and/or completing Veteran Administration forms for claims relating but not limited to service connected compensation, disability pension, widow's pension, burial allowance, grave markers/headstones, educational benefits, home loans, insurance, indebtedness, and character of service upgrades.

County level services include the following: provide direct emergency economic aid for vital necessities to eligible veterans, their widow, and dependents, according to their needs; personal visits for assistance and claims to housebound veterans or dependents; must have an honorable or under honorable conditions discharge from active duty wartime service; and must be a resident in Nebraska for the past one year and 6 months of that year in York County.

State level services do not require war time service and include assistance with applications for the Nebraska Veterans Aid Fund; fee exempt fishing and hunting permits; applications to the Nebraska Veterans Homes; and waivers of tuition.

Federal level services provides and/or completes Veteran Administration forms for claims relating to but not limited to service connected compensation; disability pension; widow's pension; burial allowance; grave markers/headstones; educational benefits; home loans; and insurance/

Offers various programs to help with financing and mortgage payment assistance. Families and individuals have the opportunity to buy, build, repair, or own safe and affordable homes located in rural America.

Loan provider in rural areas.

Business and Industry Loan Guarantees are available for business and industrial development in rural areas to create and maintain employment, expand and to improve economic climate.

Community Facilities Direct and Guaranteed Loans and Grants are available for community service facilities in rural areas such as libraries, clinics, fire and rescue buildings and equipment, etc.

Cooperative Services helps rural residents form new cooperatives and multiple owner businesses and improve operations of existing cooperatives in rural areas.

Direct and Guaranteed Home Ownership provides loans to purchase or construct single family homes in rural areas for very low/low/moderate income households.

Direct Farm Labor Housing Loans and Grants provide housing and related facilities in rural areas for domestic farm laborers.

Distance Learning and Telemedicine Loans and Grants provide for technology equipment and facilities for linking rural schools within regions, linking schools to other educational institutions, utilizing rural libraries as distance learning centers, linking rural hospitals and medical clinics to major medical centers, interactive video, and distance rural health training.

Energy Efficiency Improvements and Renewable Energy Systems provide grant assistance in development of renewable energy and energy efficiency improvement projects. Renewable systems include wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal. Energy efficiency improvements include energy improvements to business facility including insulation, windows, doors, HVAC, refrigeration, lighting, pumping/air/motor systems, etc.

Housing Preservation Grants offers funding to selected recipient organization to develop program to help repair individual housing, rental properties or coops in rural areas owned and/or occupied by very low and low-income households.

Intermediary Re-Lending Program provides loans to ultimate recipients for community development projects, establishment and expansion of businesses, and creating and/or saving jobs in rural areas.

Rural Cooperative Development Grants establish and operate cooperative development centers in rural areas primarily to improve economic conditions of rural areas via development of new cooperatives and multiple owner businesses and improving existing co-ops' operations.

Rural Business Development Grants are competitive grants designed to support targeted technical assistance, training, and other activities leading to the development or expansion of small and emerging private businesses in rural areas that have fewer than 50 employees and less than $1 million in gross revenues.

Rural Economic Development Loans and Grants provide for a wide range of rural economic development projects in rural areas such as business expansion and start-up, community development, etc.

Rural Home Repair Loans and Grants assist homeowners, occupying dwellings in rural areas, to complete necessary repairs to their homes.

Rural Housing Site Loans provide loans in rural areas to purchase land and develop sites for very low/low/moderate-income housing.

Solid Waste Management Grants are used to reduce or eliminate pollution of water resources in rural areas and improve planning and management of solid waste sites in rural areas.

Technical Assistance and Training Grants are used to identify and evaluate solutions to water and wastewater problems of associations in rural areas relating to water source, storage, treatment and distribution; and waste collection, treatment and disposal.

Value-Added Producer Grants help eligible producers of agricultural commodities in rural areas to develop business plans for viable marketing opportunities and develop strategies to create marketing opportunities in emerging markets.

Water and Waste Dispos