Corridor Announces 2026 Homegrown Talent Initiative Grant Awardees

CORRIDOR AWARDS FOUR HOMEGROWN TALENT INITIATIVE GRANTS

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation (Corridor) has announced four grant award winners for the Homegrown Talent Initiative recruiting young minds back to the Corridor’s four-county region: Tyler Adams, Dalayna Brugman, Clayton Ehlers, and Morgan White-Muller. 

The Homegrown Talent Initiative is a program by the Corridor to encourage former students of the region’s schools to come back to the Corridor and fill the high-quality jobs available here. Recipients of the grant receive $6,000 paid over four years to be used toward student loan repayment, mortgage payments, or childcare reimbursement. This is the second year of the program. 

Applications were accepted through the winter, and 17 applications were received. The top 12 applicants scored by the Homegrown Talent Committee were invited to participate in in-person interviews with the committee. One awardee per county was selected: 

• Buena Vista County: Clayton Ehlers grew up on a farm outside of Marathon and is a graduate of Sioux Central Community School District. He went on to earn his degree from Dordt University in May 2024 and currently resides in Albert City. Clayton works on his family farm with plans to expand and diversify the operation. Ehlers shared, "As a young farmer, getting started can be intimidating, but this grant will help me to plant my roots and give back to the community I love." 
• Clay County: Dalayna Brugman grew up in Royal and attended South Dakota State University and Iowa State University where she graduated in 2025. After a summer in Illinois postgraduation, Dalayna made her way back home to Royal last fall. She is currently a Junior Hog Buyer at Tyson Fresh Meats in Storm Lake. "No matter where life takes me, I will always find my way back to Royal, Iowa,” said Brugman. “This community and its people shaped who I am today, and with the support of this grant, I have the opportunity to return home, give back, and build a future in the place that first built me." 
• Dickinson County: Tyler Adams grew up in Dickinson County and is a graduate of Okoboji High School. He went on to attend Iowa State University, graduating in May 2024, and recently returned home and purchased a house in Milford. Tyler is currently a Financial Representative with Prairie Plans Asset Management. Outside of work, Tyler has stayed closely connected to his roots by giving back to his alma mater, staying actively involved in coaching at Okoboji High School. Adams shares, "Returning to this region to build upon the amazing experience I had growing up has been an incredibly fulfilling decision. This community is special and the impact that its members can make is something that cannot be found in larger areas. This grant directly helps with the financial realities that young professionals face when choosing to come home and invest in the community that invested in them." 
• Emmet County: Morgan White-Muller grew up outside of Estherville and recently returned home after graduating from the University of Iowa College of Law in 2025. Morgan is now an attorney at Fitzgibbons Law Firm in Estherville. In addition to her legal career, Morgan enjoys staying connected to agriculture by helping her dad and grandpa on the farm when she can and supporting local youth at livestock shows. Morgan is eager to get more involved with organizations in the community as she settles back into the region. “I chose to return to Estherville because this is home, and I wanted to build my career in the community that helped shape who I am,” said White-Muller. “Having been raised on a farm and surrounded by family in NW Iowa, I know how special this region is and how people here show up for one another. This grant will help make it easier for me to put down roots and continue giving back to the place that raised me.”

“Building a strong workforce pipeline is a top priority for us,” said Corridor President & CEO Curt Strouth. “This program supports individuals with roots in our region who are choosing to come back home, while also helping our employers connect with and retain the talent they need to grow. It’s all part of creating a culture of growing our own.” 

“It is exciting to expand the program and award one grant per county,” said Corridor Senior Vice President of Economic Development Trevor Smith. “Each of these individuals is a huge asset to the region, and we are glad they have decided to come back home to Northwest Iowa.” 

Funding for the awards are raised through the Corridor’s annual Homegrown Talent Initiative Golf Tournament. The third annual tournament will be held July 24, 2026 at Buena Vista Golf Course at Lake Creek to support awards going forward. Contact the Corridor at 712-264-3474 or info@lakescorridor.com to learn more about the program.