ECICOG
  • About
  • Our Region
  • Services
    • Facilitation
    • Grant Writing & Administration
    • Project Funding & Management
    • Data Analysis & Mapping
    • Planning & Technical Assistance
  • Program Areas
    • Business Loans >
      • ECICOG Loan
      • COVID Recovery
      • Cedar Rapids Loan
      • Czech Village/NewBo Loan
      • Cedar Rapids MICRO Loan
      • MedQ Loan
      • Marion Loan
      • Swisher Loan
    • Community Development
    • Environmental Services >
      • Belle Plaine Organics Management Pilot Program
    • Housing >
      • East Central Iowa Housing Trust Fund
      • Housing Fund for Linn County
      • PATCH Program
    • Transportation
    • Economic Development
  • Documents
  • Funding
  • Employment
  • Contact Us

East Central Iowa Council of Governments

Our Areas of Expertise:

Picture
Community Development
Picture
Housing
Picture
Transportation
Picture
Economic Development
Picture
Environmental Services
Picture
Business Loans

What can we help you with?

Picture
Planning & Technical Assistance
Picture
Facilitation​
Picture
Picture
Picture
Grant Writing & Administration
Data Analysis & Mapping
Project Management
Click on the stories below to learn more about how we serve you! ​
Rehabilitated house
Waste Becomes PPE
Belle Plaine's downtown
Downtown Revitalization
Pinoy Cafe
Supporting Start-Ups
Citizens boarding the 380Express
Funding Improvements in Benton Co.
More Stories

Announcements

Can ECICOG Help with Your 2021 Goals?
Our organization was jointly created by Benton, Johnson Jones, Iowa, Linn, and Washington counties to assist rural communities with technical planning expertise. Need some help with goal setting for the new year? We can help. Are you looking at long term land use planning? We love doing comprehensive planning in our region. The more we know about your community, the better prepared we are to identify grant opportunities for you! Speaking of grants, are there grants you want to pursue but you aren’t sure how to go about it? Our staff specializes in writing and administering grants. Is your city code out of date? We can help with drafting ordinances or codification. Are you simply short-staffed relative what you want to accomplish? You may want to consider ECICOG for contract planning, building inspection or code enforcement services.

Tell us how we can help! Contact Housing and Community Development Director Tracey Achenbach at tracey.achenbach@ecicog.org for more information.
Take the Regional Passenger Transportation Survey!
ECICOG is starting work on the region’s five-year Passenger Transportation Plan. Passenger transportation can include public transit, taxi/transportation network (Uber & Lyft), volunteer driving programs, and non-emergency medical transportation. ECICOG is seeking input from residents of our region, whether they are currently using passenger transportation or not. Input from regional transportation agencies and providers is also needed.

Surveys are available at ECICOG’s new public engagement online platform, talkto.ecicog.org/ptp until Feb. 1, 2021. Responses are fully confidential and appreciated. We are also grateful for shares on social media.

For more information, contact Transit Administrator/Planner Brock Grenis at brock.grenis@ecicog.org. A shareable post can be found on our Facebook page.
ECICOG Submits Application for first “Homes for Iowa” Project
ECICOG assisted AM Management with the region’s first application for a Homes for Iowa house. Through the Homes for Iowa program, inmates at the Newton Correction Facility are trained in construction trades while constructing affordable homes. Once sold, the homes are transported to locations throughout the state. AM Management’s house will be located in Iowa City and is scheduled to arrive in May. AM Management anticipates applying for four additional homes this year. Iowa’s Council of Governments helped to create the Homes for Iowa program and assists communities and developers with placing homes.

Visit homesforia.com to learn more about the program. Contact Housing and Community Development Director Tracey Achenbach at tracey.achenbach@ecicog.org for more information.
Rural Recovery Challenge Funds Still Available
ECICOG is seeking proposals from communities and economic development organizations to support rural economic recovery and resilience following COVID-19. Up to $5,000 is available to implement proposals from selected organizations. Interested parties are asked to include an overview of their project, goals of the project, how the project positively impacts our rural communities, and how the project ties back to economic recovery and resiliency in their proposal. Three challenge projects are already underway:
  • Daycare study with partner Jones County Economic Development
  • Web-based virtual tours with partner Jones County Economic Development
  • Marketing and outreach to recruit immigrant farmers and identify product markets with partners Linn County and Feed Iowa First
Additional information about the challenge and submission instructions are provided on our website at www.ecicog.org/economic-development. The $25,000 challenge is being funded through the CARES Act and EDA. Applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis until all funds have been committed.

Contact Economic Development Specialist Adam Bentley at adam.bentley@ecicog.org for more information.
PATCH Program Launches
ECICOG is proud to announce the launch of the Providing Assistance to Community Homeowners (PATCH) Program! The Program aims to fill a gap in resources following the Derecho storm. The program will provide support, referrals, and financial assistance to low-to-moderate income Linn County homeowners impacted by the storm. Please visit the PATCH Program page to learn more and find out how to apply!

    Sign up to receive our newsletter!

Subscribe to Newsletter
Vertical Divider

Funding Opportunities

Rural Heritage Revitalization Grant
Due: February 1
Properties on the historical register or listed as a national historic landmark may be eligible for Iowa’s Rural Heritage Grants. Grant awards will be between $75,000 and $125,000. Local governments or non-profits with 501(c)3 status are eligible to apply. Properties must be located in an area of 50,000 or fewer residents. The deadline to apply is February 1, 2021. More information can be found here.

Contact Economic Development Specialist Adam Bentley at adam.bentley@ecicog.org for assistance.
Derelict Building Grant Program
Due: February 26
The Derelict Building Program through the Iowa DNR is available for Iowa towns of 5,000 or fewer residents. The program will address neglected commercial or public structures that have sat vacant for at least six months. The Program has two primary focuses: landfill diversion through the recycling and reuse of building materials, and the elimination of hazards posed by empty structures. The application deadline is Friday, February 26, 2021 for applicants seeking: funding assistance with asbestos inspections, asbestos abatement, structural engineering analysis, site assessments, building deconstruction, and building renovation expenses. Learn more here.
Contact Environmental Services Director Jennifer Fencl at jennifer.fencl@ecicog.org for assistance.
Wellmark MATCH Grant
Due: February 17
The Wellmark Foundation offers two competitive Matching Assets to Community Health (MATCH) grant opportunities in 2021. The MATCH grants are designed to support projects that provide access to healthy foods or create or enhance a safe environment to be physically active in. These grants also require a matching component in the form of cash or in-kind support. The 2021 Large MATCH grant application is now available. Large MATCH grant awards are up to a maximum request amount of $100,000 for projects that will be successfully completed by December 2023. To view the MATCH Grant Request for Applications and to view previous Wellmark Foundation MATCH grant recipients, visit Wellmark.com/Foundation.

Contact Transportation Director Mary Rump at ​mary.rump@ecicog.org for assistance.
CDBG Water/Sewer Grant
Due: April 1
This competitive program offers grants to assist cities and counties with water and sewer infrastructure improvements including sanitary sewer system improvements, water system improvements, water and wastewater treatment facilities, storm sewer projects related to sanitary sewer system improvements and rural water connections. Winter applications are due January 1. Learn more here.
Contact Environmental Specialist John Bruce at john.bruce@ecicog.org for assistance.
More

2019 Annual Report
See what changes we've made and how we've been making an impact in our region throughout the year. View ECICOG's 2019 Annual Report here.
​Regional Vision Scorecard
Check out how our region compares to similar communities across the country! View the scorecard here.
Picture
700 16th St. NE Suite 301
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
319-365-9941
Picture
Pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987 and other nondiscriniation authorities, it is the policy of the East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG) that discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability or income status shall not occur in connection with any of its programs or activities. For more information on Title VI, or to file a complaint please see the Title VI section here. 
  • About
  • Our Region
  • Services
    • Facilitation
    • Grant Writing & Administration
    • Project Funding & Management
    • Data Analysis & Mapping
    • Planning & Technical Assistance
  • Program Areas
    • Business Loans >
      • ECICOG Loan
      • COVID Recovery
      • Cedar Rapids Loan
      • Czech Village/NewBo Loan
      • Cedar Rapids MICRO Loan
      • MedQ Loan
      • Marion Loan
      • Swisher Loan
    • Community Development
    • Environmental Services >
      • Belle Plaine Organics Management Pilot Program
    • Housing >
      • East Central Iowa Housing Trust Fund
      • Housing Fund for Linn County
      • PATCH Program
    • Transportation
    • Economic Development
  • Documents
  • Funding
  • Employment
  • Contact Us