Current Opportunities:

 

Webinar Series: Strategies on how to attract alumni and young families to your community. | The Heartland Center for Leadership Development in collaboration with the RUPRI Center for Rural Entrepreneurship invites you to participate in a series of three webinars. In three one-hour sessions, co-hosts Milan Wall and Craig Schroeder will guide you through the process of identifying your target audience in relation to your community's strongest assets, crafting a compelling message and brand to attract new residents and building a game plan to recruit alumni and young families to your community. Upon completion of this series, you will have the knowledge and tools needed to move forward with implementing an action plan. More Details and Register Here

 

Vow to Hire a Hero Act - On November 21, 2011, President Obama signed into law the Vow to Hire Heroes Act of 2011. Section 261 of the Act, the “Returning Heroes and Wounded Warriors Work Opportunity Tax Credits,” amends and expands the definition of WOTC’s Veteran target groups. The changes and new provisions in this Act apply to individuals who begin to work for an employer the day after its enactment, November 22, 2011, and before January 1, 2013. get the details here.

 

Immigration Laws and Employees - Hostd by the Employers Council of Iowa in partnership with Iowa Workforce Development, this workshop features a leading attorney in the field, Ms. Amy Peck, and has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal. Employers can get the latest information on I9's, e-verifying, etc. to stay in compliance with the government regulations. Scheduled for January 31st - get the details here.

 

STATE

 

Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS) - CIRAS assists companies with management, production, marketing, engineering, finance and technology problems. Contact: CIRAS, ISU Research Park, 2501 North Loop Park, Suite 500 Ames, IA 50010-8286 ((515-294-3420) ciras@iastate.edu.

 

Cooperative Services - This group provides free technical assistance to help rural residents form new cooperative ventures and improve existing operations. Contact: USDA - Rural Development, 873 Federal Building, 210 Walnut Street, Des Moines, IA 50309 (515-284-4714)

 

Iowa Procurement Outreach Center (IPOC) - IPOC helps Iowa businesses successfully compete for federal government contracts. The Center helps locate bar coding suppliers, reviews bid documents and provides information on contract administration and general consulting. Contact: Iowa Department of Economic Development, 200 East Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50309 (515-242-4888 or 800-458-4465).

 

The Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) has many programs and services to offer individuals, communities, and business.

The Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) strengthens economic and community vitality by building partnerships and leveraging resources to make Iowa the choice for people and business.

 

Iowa State University Extension: Community and Economic Development Program Builder is a web-based marketplace where community leaders can review and make selections from a variety of technical assistance, consulting and educational programs that will improve the quality of life in your community.

 

Program Builder provides you with the tools to construct personalized service agreements with Economic Development Service providers. Programs include services for economic development, leadership, government, governance, landscape revitalization, community visualizing, downtown restoration, parks, transportation, workshops, local government, geodatabase, nonprofit agencies, leadership and management.

 

Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) - SCORE features retired businessmen and businesswomen who volunteer their time to counsel and assist those starting a business or encountering business challenges. Contact: SCORE, Federal Building, Room 749, 210 Walnut, Des Moines, IA 50309, 515-284-4760.

 

Iowa Small Business Development Centers was established to increase government's responsiveness and sensitivity to the needs of small businesses. The Ombudsman acts as a liaison between businesses and various government bodies and departments. Contact: Iowa Citizens' Aide/Ombudsman, 215 East 7th Street, Capital Complex, Des Moines, IA 50319 (515-281-3592).

 

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) dedicates its energy and resources to providing support to small businesses and small-business owners across the nation. SBA helps businesses across the country through what we call the “3 C’s” of our service:

• Capital: We work with about 5,000 banks to provide SBA loans to deserving small businesses.
• Contracts: We work to ensure that 23% of federal contract dollars go to small businesses.
• Counseling: 14,000 SBA-affiliated counselors are ready when you need small business guidance.

 

Revolving Loan Funds

 

Adams Community Economic Development Corporation

Cass-Atlantic Development Corporation

City of Shenandoah Revolving Loan Fund

Clarinda Economic Development Corporation

Grow Iowa Foundation

Southwest Iowa Planning Council

Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Montgomery, Page, Shelby
Southwest Iowa Planning Council, 1501 SW 7th Street, P.O. Box 348, Atlantic, IA 50022 Phone: (712) 243-4196

Southern Iowa Council of Governments

Adair, Adams, Clarke, Decatur, Madison, Ringgold, Taylor, Union, Warren, Marion | 101 East Mongomery Street, P.O. Box 102, Creston, IA 50801
Phone: (515) 782-8491

 

REGIONAL

 

Entreprenerial Consortium –The Consortium, headquartered at Iowa Western Community College. Entrepreneurs benefit from business training services that include FastTrac®, New Venture™ and FastTrac® Growth Venture™. Contact: Mark Stanley, Executive Director, (712-325-3375 or 800-432-5852 ext. 3375), mstanley@iwcc.edu

 

Buy Iowa Online - is a marketplace opportunity available now to Iowa entrepreneurs creating product to sell. It is a fully-automated e-commerce platform. It can also be used in conjunction with other marketing sites and avenues. It eliminates the costly set-up and maintenance fees for some who may otherwise not be able to expand their markets through e-commerce. For everyone, it provides a collective presence branding Iowa-made products.

 

Rural Development Center (RDC) - Under a partnership with Iowa State University Extension, the Wallace Foundation for Rural Research and Development, the Progressive Rural Iowa Development Enterprise,, Southwestern Community College and the Southwest Iowa Coalition, RDC is a 22-county technical assistance provider for entrepreneurs.Technical assistance is available for business training/plans, feasibility studies, capitalization support, marketing feasibility studies/plans, business evaluations, e-commerce support and producer/grower technical assistance. This center was started through funding provided by Iowa State University, Iowa West Foundation, the Iowa Department of Economic Development and the USDA. Contact: Lynn Adams, Interim Coordinator (712.623.5521)

 

Southwest Iowa Coalition (SWICO) - The Coalition is a 16-county rural issues organization focused on economic development in the following areas: transportation, housing, technology training/transfer, tourism, value-added agriculture, rural water, workforce development, regional marketing and local, state and federal legislative policy. Contact: Lynn Adams, Coordinator, 2011 N. 8th Street, P.O. Box 292, Red Oak, Iowa 51566 (712.623.5521)

 

Foundation for Rural Research and Development (WFRRD) - The Wallace Foundation assists in the planning and implementation of agricultural research, technology transfer and rural development in 19 southwest Iowa counties. The current focus is on alternative energy, high tunnel greenhouses for extended growing seasons and regional foods production by local niche growers for delivery into the institutional foods market. Contact: Keith Booth, Director, 53020 Hitchcock Avenue, Lewis, Iowa 51544 (712.769.2650)

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