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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

"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...

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,...

Belle Plaine Downtown Revitalization

The City of Belle Plaine received the state’s first award under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Downtown Revitalization...

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...

Funding Local Businesses

Brewhemia is a Cedar Rapids café “that encompasses a focus on quality beverage while embracing the community and neighborhood of New...

Supporting Start-Ups

With her mother-in-law, who also has an entrepreneurial spirit, Blanche started making and selling traditional Filipino food at cultural...

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...

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...

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....

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...

Improving Facilities

When Jones County needed a new building to house the transportation provider, Jones County JETS, ECICOG was able to provide funding and...

Collaborating for Healthy Waterways

The Indian Creek Watershed Management Authority is an agreement to work together to provide planning and management to improve stream...

Comprehensive Planning

ECICOG, in partnership with the City of Vinton, provided coordination, planning and facilitation support and identified city-wide...

Housing Rehabilitation

In 2015 the City of Oxford Junction was awarded a total of $232,494, and this past year ECICOG has been administering the program. The...