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STORIES
PATCH Still Repairing Derecho-Damaged Housing and Winning Awards
As East Central Iowans were finding new ways to cooperate in devastated neighborhoods after the 2020 derecho storm, they did the same at...
Jul 26, 20233 min read
ECICOG Helps Small Communities Address Problem Properties
Many communities in our region have a zoning ordinance with nuisance regulations, which enable a city to take action to remove dangerous...
Apr 4, 20233 min read
ECICOG Receives NADO Impact Award for Watershed Innovation
In 2016, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded Iowa a $97 million grant through the National Disaster...
Mar 13, 20232 min read
Iowa City “Thinks Big” in New 5-Year Strategic Plan
Last year, the City of Iowa City’s leaders realized that rapidly changing economic and social conditions demanded a more rigorous...
Feb 28, 20233 min read
Hometown Pride Program Helps Communities Build on Their Unique Strengths
Five communities recently became the first in our Region to take on a new program of self-assessment and planning called Hometown Pride,...
Feb 16, 20233 min read
Scoring Success on the Course
Stephen Kahler had all the experience needed to make a success of the Amana Colonies Golf Club when it came on the market. He had golf in...
Feb 7, 20234 min read
A Fresh Look for Main Street
(Google Street View images) Four years ago, the City of Anamosa was looking for ways to leverage its history and architectural assets by...
Nov 28, 20223 min read
"Homes for Iowa" Program Delivers Affordable Housing
Many Iowans have found that building an affordable home can seem like an insurmountable challenge, and the pandemic caused labor and...
Aug 24, 20222 min read
Guiding to Goals
When the communities within the watershed of Indian Creek decided to form a management group to create a cleaner and healthier stream,...
Mar 29, 20221 min read
Belle Plaine Downtown Revitalization
The City of Belle Plaine received the state’s first award under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Downtown Revitalization...
Mar 25, 20221 min read
Preparing for the Future
In order to help the City of Lisbon prepare their upcoming Comprehensive Plan, ECICOG assisted the city in hosting an open house to allow...
Mar 24, 20221 min read
Funding Local Businesses
Brewhemia is a Cedar Rapids café “that encompasses a focus on quality beverage while embracing the community and neighborhood of New...
Mar 22, 20221 min read
Supporting Start-Ups
With her mother-in-law, who also has an entrepreneurial spirit, Blanche started making and selling traditional Filipino food at cultural...
Mar 21, 20221 min read
Commuter Solutions
"Just did a little math as I ride this morning: Between fuel and parking savings, your service saves me at least $11 per trip to Iowa...
Mar 18, 20221 min read
Teaching Sustainable Habits
The Davis County Community School District is located in Bloomfield, Iowa, in the southeastern region of the state. In 2016 and 2017 the...
Mar 16, 20221 min read
Providing Training
In 2016, ECICOG was awarded a USDA Solid Waste Management Grant to complete the first phase of a regional solid waste management project....
Mar 14, 20222 min read
Expanding Employment
The ECICOG Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) has had the opportunity to help businesses from all around our region. One of the more successful...
Mar 14, 20222 min read
Improving Facilities
When Jones County needed a new building to house the transportation provider, Jones County JETS, ECICOG was able to provide funding and...
Mar 12, 20221 min read
Collaborating for Healthy Waterways
The Indian Creek Watershed Management Authority is an agreement to work together to provide planning and management to improve stream...
Mar 11, 20221 min read
Comprehensive Planning
ECICOG, in partnership with the City of Vinton, provided coordination, planning and facilitation support and identified city-wide...
Mar 10, 20221 min read
Homes for Iowa Receives 2025 HousingIowa Award
Congratulations to the Homes for Iowa Team on winning a HousingIowa Award! The Iowa Association of Councils of Government played a key role in establishing this successful program. Beyond providing affordable housing options, the program also helps prison inmates learn valuable construction skills while building the homes in a controlled environment. ECICOG has assisted with numerous Homes for Iowa projects throughout the region. For more information on Homes for Iowa, visit
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Strategic Doing Facilitation Services Available for Projects that Support Envision East Central Iowa
Does your community or non-profit organization have a challenge or goal that requires cross-organization collaboration? Thanks to a grant from the Economic Development Administration, ECICOG has trained Strategic Doing facilitators who can help get your group started! Strategic Doing is a collaborative approach to strategy that emphasizes rapid action, flexible planning, and network-based problem solving. Unlike traditional strategic planning, which often relies on rigid, lon
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Safe Streets and Roads for All Planning Begins
ECICOG was awarded $144,000 from the U.S Department of Transportation to develop the Eastern Iowa Tri-Region Safety Action Plan for ECICOG, Region 6 Resource Partners and Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission. Work is now beginning to hire a consultant to develop the plan that will improve roadway safety for all users. Communities and projects identified in the plan will automatically qualify for Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) construction funding in future y
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