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STORIES
Four Ideas for 2024
ECICOG has a lot of tools that could add value to your community! Take a moment to consider to the following: City Councils are most...
Jan 25, 20241 min read


Are You in Compliance with ARPA Reporting Regulations?
For cities and counties that have expended ARPA funds, the Iowa League of Cities has published some helpful tips on staying compliant. To...
Jan 25, 20241 min read


Application Workshops for Communities Interested in Achieving Main Street Iowa Program Designation
The Iowa Economic Development Authority’s Main Street Iowa program will host application workshops in 2024 for communities interested in...
Jan 25, 20241 min read


ECICOG Welcomes New Staff
Lindsey Given-Egli joined the ECICOG Housing Department in November and will be focused on administration work related to CDBG...
Jan 25, 20241 min read
Register for Upcoming Webinar About EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program
ECICOG is leading two EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program (CPRG) awards to develop the regional East Central Iowa Climate...
Dec 21, 20231 min read


Iowa Finance Authority to Offer Homeowners up to $35,000 in Rehabilitation Assistance
The Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) plans to announce a state-wide housing rehabilitation program this December. Homeowners with...
Dec 21, 20231 min read


Transportation Alternative Set-Aside Program (TAP) Application Cycle Opens
The Region 10 Regional Planning Affiliation (RPA 10), which is staffed by ECICOG, will be announcing the opportunity for local...
Dec 21, 20231 min read


Hiawatha Receives CDBG Funding for Neighborhood Water Main Project
The City of Hiawatha was awarded $500,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to replace aging drinking water mains...
Dec 21, 20231 min read


ECICOG Wins National NADO Award!
ECICOG won a 2024 Impact Award from the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) for its rural nuisance enforcement...
Dec 21, 20231 min read


Will Your Community Have New City Officials or Staff Next Year?
November often sets the stage for new elected leaders. Get off to strong start by attending one of the League of Iowa Cities Municipal...
Dec 21, 20231 min read


Remembering Board Member Dave Fish
Longtime ECICOG Board Member Dave Fish recently passed away on November 7th. Dave had been a member of the ECICOG board since 2014 and...
Dec 21, 20231 min read
Beware of SAM.gov Registration Scams!
Many cities registered with SAM.gov to receive their American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) awards. Cities should maintain their registration...
Sep 21, 20231 min read
New Toolkit Available for Pop-Up Events
A new guide, titled Pop-up! A Toolkit for (fun, invigorating, life-affirming) Temporary Experiences, is available as a free download on...
Sep 21, 20231 min read
Trees Forever to Host Webinar on Roadside Planting
Learn how to create a roadside plan for your Iowa community! Iowa's roadsides are the perfect place to plant trees and native plants...
Sep 21, 20231 min read
ECICOG Office Expansion Begins October 1st
Because of the growing number of staff at ECICOG, our office space will soon be completely remodeled and expanded. ECICOG has recently...
Sep 21, 20231 min read
Welcome New ECICOG Staff
Meagan Prestegard recently began as an Environmental Specialist and will work on a variety of tasks in the Environmental Services...
Sep 21, 20231 min read
$2 Million Awarded for Climate Action Planning
ECICOG was officially awarded $2 million from the EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program (CPRG). The four-year grant award will...
Sep 21, 20231 min read
$3.3 Million Awarded for Trees and Generators as Part of Derecho Recovery
All of ECICOG’s CDBG-Disaster Recovery (DR) grant applications for trees and generators were awarded as part of the special funds...
Sep 21, 20231 min read
Cedar Rapids and Marion to LaunchNew Housing Rehabilitation Programs
ECICOG’s housing department is preparing to roll out two owner-occupied rehabilitation programs in the metro area of Linn County: The...
Jul 28, 20231 min read
Coalition Establishes Middle Iowa Watershed Authority
In June, stakeholders from the middle section of the Iowa River Watershed formed the Middle Iowa Watershed Management Authority (MIWMA),...
Jul 28, 20231 min read
380Express Soon Will Sport a New Look
The 380Express, a popular bus service between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, is getting a new wardrobe. The “wraps” that cover the exterior...
Jul 28, 20231 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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