A number of Iowa communities will have more money to develop safer sidewalks, improve trail connections or even build a community garden, thanks to a competitive grant program of the Wellmark Foundation.

Fourteen community organizations across Iowa will receive matching funds totaling $877,110 from the foundation’s 2014 Matching Assets to Community Health (MATCH) grant program, with the aim of developing resources and facilities to help Iowans be more active.

The competitive grant program creates pilot efforts or expands health initiatives that focus on childhood obesity prevention and community-based wellness projects. The 14 recipients of the grants were those that were able to raise the required matching funds.

“This type of funding allowed our grantees to collaborate and encourage new stakeholders and funding sources to improve the health and well-being of their communities,” said Stephanie Perry, the foundation’s interim director.

Several of the projects that received funding are geared toward making it easier for residents to walk to school or other activities by repairing or developing their community’s sidewalks and trails.

The Des Moines Metropolitan Planning Organization, for instance, received $75,000, which it will match to fund a metro-wide Complete Streets project. Currently, only two of the Des Moines metro area’s 17 communities have Complete Streets policies. The MPO will develop a strategy to prioritize areas for implementation, as well as educate and provide incentives for local government to adopt Complete Street policies.

United Way of Story County and the Healthiest Ames Coalition similarly received $75,000 in matching foundation funds for a Complete Streets project.

Among the statewide projects to receive funding, the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation got a $40,000 matching grant to develop a smartphone app and interactive online mapping system for the state’s bicycle trails system. In addition to pinpointing local trail locations and access points, the app will provide information about the trails’ special features and points of interest to enhance the user experience.