CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Cedar Rapids is one step closer to becoming an aviation hub after receiving a state grant, though the project remains in early planning stages.
The state awarded the New Bohemian Innovation Collaborative $200,000 to create an Aviation Technology Center that will serve the entire state. The nonprofit organization will use the funding to develop support systems for Iowa’s aviation industry.
“We can take an industry that we already have here in the corridor, in Iowa, and we can elevate that to make it a larger industry sector for the state,” said Jill Wilkins, executive director of the New Bohemian Innovation Collaborative.
The grant comes as Cedar Rapids already hosts major aviation companies, including Collins Aerospace and BAE, along with two colleges offering aviation courses. The new center aims to fill job needs in the growing industry.
Wilkins said the center will focus on early-stage businesses and smaller established companies that need additional support to grow. Her team is still planning what services the center will offer and will visit similar-sized cities with aviation industries to learn best practices.
“Thinking about the expertise that we already have and building entrepreneurial systems and providing that entrepreneurial support and starting to piece this together,” Wilkins said.
The executive director said the grant provides the foundation needed to launch the project rather than letting it remain just a plan.
“So many times you see like a plan is created and then it’s the binder that sits on the shelf, right, and then the plan doesn’t happen,” Wilkins said. “So we are really excited that we are creating this layered approach to make sure that we can determine what we need to make and then also be able to move straight into building this effort.”
Copyright 2025 KCRG. All rights reserved.