Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)

The CDBG general competitive program is essentially for public works or facilities projects. Applications are due in mid-December and awards are announced in March the following year. ECICOG has extensive experience administering CDBG projects for local governments in the region. Our activities include the development of all required resolutions and publications related to the project, preparation of monthly requests for funds from the Iowa Department of Economic Development, labor standards reviews, and filing of quarterly reports.

Economic Development Set-Aside (EDSA) and Public Facilities Set Aside (PFSA)

Applications for the PFSA and EDSA programs are accepted on a continuous basis. The PFSA program makes grants and loans to local governments for economic development, such as extension of water and sewer service to a new industry. The EDSA program provides capital to businesses for plant expansions or start-ups.

Land Use and Comprehensive Plans

In order for a local government to enact zoning control, a land use or comprehensive plan must first be adopted. This type of plan examines the land use for existing infrastructure, population trends and projections, physical features, current uses, and goals of the community to provide a guide for future development. A future land use map is prepared showing desired locations of residential, commercial, agricultural, and industrial land uses.

City Codes

The State Code requires cities to update their code of ordinances every five years. ECICOG Community Development staff uses a model code that is provided by the Iowa Association of Regional Councils (IARC). Ordinances passed by the city since it last recodified are incorporated into the model as are those ordinances in the city's existing code that do not appear in the model. The process is similar to that of revising a zoning ordinance.

Census Data

One of the primary functions of ECICOG is to make reference information and resource materials available to the public and other agencies. Because we are an affiliate of the State Data Center, our office receives U.S. Census data in printed form and on CD-ROM. A wide variety of information (including population, housing, and economic statistics) is available upon request.