The Enhance Iowa Board on Thursday awarded a $41,000 Sports Tourism grant, the program’s first, to the Iowa Sports Foundation. The grant will support the State Games of America, an Olympic-style sporting event that will debut in Iowa in late July. The Iowa Sports Foundation and the Iowa Games will host the event, which has been held every two years in various locations around the United States since 1999. More than 40 sports will be offered, with more than 15,000 athletes of all ages expected to participate, with upwards of 5,000 out-of-state participants expected from all 50 states. Sports will be held in a variety of facilities spanning the Ames and Des Moines metro areas. Public and private facilities will be used, showcasing the best that Central Iowa has to offer, organizers said in a press release. The Enhance Iowa Program provides financial incentives to communities for the construction of recreational, cultural, educational or entertainment facilities that enhance the quality of life in Iowa. To date, 99 Community Attraction and Tourism grants have been awarded by the board, totaling more than $31.5 million. The next Enhance Iowa Board meeting is scheduled for April 7.