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STORIES
Third CDBG Grant Will Continue Transformation of Anamosa's Downtown
Congratulations to the City of Anamosa, which was recently awarded a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Downtown Revitalization (DTR) grant to support the rehabilitation of 12 façades in their downtown! The City will receive $650,000 to support an estimated $1.8 million project. It is the final of three phases of the City using DTR funding for façade improvements. When this phase is complete, Anamosa will have improved over thirty façades with $1.8 million in CDBG funds
May 19, 20251 min read
Homes for Iowa Webinar to be held on May 21st
Join the Iowa Association of Councils of Governments (ICOG) for an engaging and informative virtual Lunch and Learn to discover the...
May 19, 20251 min read
Tracey Achenbach Receives Prometheus Award
ECICOG Housing Director Tracey Achenbach was honored with the 2025 Prometheus Award from the Iowa Association of Council of Governments...
May 19, 20251 min read
ECICOG Staff Updates and Retirement Party!
Housing Director Tracey Achenbach will retire from ECICOG on June 6th. Help us celebrate her outstanding career at a retirement open...
May 19, 20251 min read
Register Now for ECICOG's Local Government Recharge Day 2025 on May 8th
ECICOG will be hosting its annual Local Government Recharge Day on Thursday, May 8 from 9am - 3:30pm at Fireside Winery in Marengo....
Apr 22, 20251 min read
Existing Federal Grants are Still on Track (For Now)
ECICOG’s work has resumed a more normal cadence after the Trump administration issued an Executive Order in late January that temporarily...
Mar 31, 20251 min read
Wellman Awarded $500,000 CDBG Water Sewer Grant
The City of Wellman was recently awarded a $500,000 grant to replace water mains and install fire hydrants and water meters. Wellman is...
Mar 31, 20251 min read
Colonial Lanes Expanding with ECICOG Loan
Iowa City based Colonial Lanes will begin an expansion of their business thanks to a $260,000 loan from ECICOG. The longtime bowling...
Mar 31, 20251 min read
Hills Hometown Pride Mural Nearing Completion
Progress on the Hills Hometown Pride Mural is underway; the mural project is a collaboration between Hills Hometown Pride, the University...
Mar 31, 20251 min read
Save the Date - ECICOG Local Government Recharge Day Set for May 8th
ECICOG will be hosting its annual Local Government Recharge Day on Thursday, May 8 from 9am - 3:30pm at Fireside Winery in Marengo....
Mar 31, 20251 min read
Welcome New ECICOG Board Members
ECICOG welcomed the following new board members in January: Nick Herbold; University Heights City Council Brandy Z. Meisheid; Linn County...
Mar 31, 20251 min read
ISU Hosts Workshops for Local Government Officials
Iowa State Extension will be offering several trainings and workshops that may be beneficial for local government officials. On April...
Mar 31, 20251 min read
March 25th and April 8 Webinars Will Focus on Rural Residential Recruitment and Housing
Greater IC Inc. and Johnson County are hosting two webinars featuring Ben Winchester, Rural Sociologist, and Researcher, discussing...
Mar 31, 20251 min read
Check Out the 2024 ECICOG Annual Report!
For an in depth look at all of the great projects and initiatives completed by ECICOG in 2024, check out our annual report. While much of...
Feb 13, 20251 min read
Housing Trust Funds in ECICOG Region Awarded Grants
ECICOG recently learned that all three 2024 Federal Home Loan Bank Affordable Housing Program applications were awarded, totaling over...
Feb 13, 20251 min read
Trip Connect in Johnson County Offers a New Transit Option
People in Johnson County have a new transportation option during evenings and weekends to access employment and education. Trip Connect...
Feb 13, 20251 min read
TAP Program Brings New Trails to Region
The Region 10 Regional Planning Agency (RPA 10), which is staffed by ECICOG, recently awarded funding to several trails across the...
Feb 13, 20251 min read
ECICOG Celebrates Two Years of Successful Hometown Pride Program
Five communities in East Central Iowa—Hills, Springville, Walker, Center Point, and Shellsburg—are marking their second year of...
Feb 13, 20251 min read
Homes For Iowa: An Affordable Housing Option for Local Communities
Does your community have a need for more affordable housing options? Homes for Iowa is a public-private partnership with Iowa Prison...
Feb 13, 20251 min read
Lindsey Given Egli is New Iowa Waste Exchange Specialist
Lindsey Given Egli has been promoted to the role of Iowa Waste Exchange (IWE) specialist and is available to help your company or...
Feb 13, 20251 min read
Welcome Emma Harkins to ECICOG
Help us extend a warm welcome to Emma Harkins, who recently started as the new Housing Grants Administration Specialist. Emma will be...
Feb 13, 20251 min read
ECICOG Welcomes Ellen Habel as New Executive Director
Dear Friends and Partners, I am honored to step into the role of Executive Director at ECICOG. While I bring 35 years of local government experience to this position, my connection to this organization actually began as a planning intern while I was a senior in college. Returning now to lead such a vital and talented team truly feels like coming home. Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of serving our local communities through roles with the City of Coralville, Linn
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New Route and Changes Coming to 380Express
Starting June 1, riders will see several updates to the 380Express bus service between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. The current route will be renamed the “Corridor Loop” and will continue serving the same stops riders use today. To improve on-time performance, minor schedule adjustments will be made during early morning and afternoon service, along with updates to several lower-ridership trips. There will also be a fare adjustment beginning June 1. The one-way fare will increa
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Grow Solar East Central Iowa Is Now Open
Homeowners, businesses, and farmers in Benton, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn, and Washington counties can pool their buying power to secure significant discounts that make installing solar more affordable. Attend an in-person or virtual education session to learn about the financial and environmental benefits of solar energy and how to participate in the group buy program. The solar group buy program is offered through the Midwest Renewable Energy Association in partnership with
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