Regional Development Authority Granting History
The Regional Development Authority (RDA) was founded in 1989 for the purpose of becoming a Qualified Sponsoring Organization (QSO) for a riverboat casino in Davenport, Iowa. Iowa law requires that gambling licenses be held by non-profit organizations and regulated by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission. The agreement between the QSO and the casino operator includes payments to the QSO for community development grants.
The RDA received a gambling license in 1991 and partnered with the President Riverboat Casino in Davenport until October of 2000. At that time, the casino was sold and is currently operating as the Rhythm City Casino Resort. The casino was moved to a land-based location in 2016.
RDA has a volunteer board and a full time executive officer. The RDA operates somewhat the same as a community foundation, with the exception that it has a single income source – the Rhythm City Casino Resort. Grants are made from current income and the amount of money available for grants is tied to the casino gaming receipts.
The history of RDA grants is provided below – the first 26 years are totaled in the first document. A list of each grant cycle's awards is provided.