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STORIES


Belle Plaine Awarded Disaster Recovery Funding for Downtown Housing
The City of Belle Plaine was recently awarded $390,000 in CDBG Disaster Recovery funding to rehabilitate the upper story of the historic...
Sep 17, 20241 min read


Congratulations to Hiawatha on Major Water and Sewer Grant Award
Hiawatha was recently awarded a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to fund the second phase of a water main replacement...
Sep 17, 20241 min read


380Express Ridership Continues to Grow
Since its launch in 2018 the 380Express bus service between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City has seen continued growth in ridership. The...
Sep 17, 20241 min read


Ely Fringe Area Agreement Completed
Linn County and the City of Ely recently completed an update to their existing fringe area agreement, which guides development that...
Sep 17, 20241 min read


Regional Transportation Funding Cycle is Now Open
ECICOG is announcing the opportunity for local governments to apply for regional Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) and...
Sep 16, 20241 min read


Register for the 2024 Iowa Leadership Exchange!
Join the Iowa Rural Development Council in Perry on October 29-30, 2024 for the 5th Annual Leadership Exchange event! The Annual Iowa...
Sep 16, 20241 min read


Homeless System Manager J'nae Peterman Recognized with Statewide Award
Each year the Iowa Finance Authority recognizes someone who goes above and beyond to improve the lives of those around them and in their...
Sep 16, 20241 min read


Congratulations to North Liberty on Receiving Community Food Pantry Grant
The City of North Liberty was recently awarded a $100,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG-CV) on behalf of the North Liberty...
Sep 16, 20241 min read


Consider Applying to the Community Mural Contest
Is your community looking to highlight its hometown spirit and people that make it a great place to live? Do you want to showcase your...
Sep 16, 20241 min read


Vinton Site of Newest "Homes for Iowa" Project
Homes for Iowa is a program that helps communities with affordable housing by providing quality-built houses that have been assembled by...
Jul 17, 20241 min read


Hazard Mitigation Plan Update Underway in Linn County
ECICOG was recently engaged by Linn County to coordinate the Linn County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan update. The purpose...
Jul 17, 20241 min read


Brownfields Survey for ECICOG Region to Begin Soon
Do you know of any ‘problem’ properties in your area? These could include abandoned downtown buildings, former industrial or commercial...
Jul 17, 20241 min read


Oxford Comprehensive Plan Updated
On July 9, the City of Oxford held a public hearing for the adoption of their updated comprehensive plan. The City and ECICOG worked...
Jul 17, 20241 min read


Council Goal Setting Makes Governance Easier - Just Ask North Liberty!
How aligned is your City Council? Reaching an agreement on common goals helps city government run smoothly and provides clear direction...
Jul 17, 20241 min read


Linn County Housing Needs Assessment
ECICOG recently completed a Housing Needs Assessment for the 14 cities within Linn County outside of the metro area. The data revealed...
Jul 17, 20241 min read


Hometown Pride Projects Showcased in ECICOG Communities
In 2022, five communities in the ECICOG region joined the Hometown Pride Program, a statewide initiative through Keep Iowa Beautiful in...
Jul 17, 20241 min read


CorridorRides Deploys New Software to Improve Public Transit and Customer Experience
Through funding made available by ECICOG, the six county transit providers have recently implemented new scheduling and dispatching...
Jul 17, 20241 min read


Welcome J'nae Peterman to ECICOG
ECICOG is pleased to welcome J'nae Peterman to the team in the newly created position of Homeless Systems Manager. J’nae previously...
Jul 17, 20241 min read


Iowa Downtown Conference to be Held in Cedar Rapids
Join city officials from across the state to learn about the latest trends, acquire practical information and ideas, and learn strategies...
Jul 17, 20241 min read


Broadband Map Challenge Process
The U.S. Department of Commerce announced that Iowa will receive $415 million to deploy affordable, reliable, high-speed Internet service...
Jun 3, 20241 min read


State Rail Plan Survey
The Iowa DOT is seeking feedback via a survey from Iowa cities and counties to gather input on points of conflict between local...
Jun 3, 20241 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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