Rural Development Center | Phase II Development for a Regional Entrepreneurial Development System:
Next Planning session is February 16th in Corning at Subway. Anyone is welcome to participate.
Business Plan Development | Session 1 Report
Business Plan Development | Session 2 Report
Draft Business Plan - comming soon!
The Coalition Sub-Committee on Entrepreneurship opened the strategic planning process for broader input from community leaders at a retreat on October 17th. The Sub-Committee began a 4-Step process in May of 2011 to review the past and current organizational structure and service delivery by the Center in an effort to evaluate its ability to effectively meet local needs. A needs assessment study was conducted through the 2011 Spring and Summer. These data, along with industry and demographic research were used to create a Finding Report.
Those in attendance worked throughout the day led by staff from the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, Don Macke, Heartland Leadership Institute, Milan Wall and Lynn Adams, ISU Extension to Community Economic Development. The group reviewed the analysis of survey and research data provided. There was a consensus of agreement that a regional center for support to local efforts was warranted and then compiled a recommendations page for next steps. Report Here An electronic library can be accessed to view the supporting data and research used in the analysis for the Findings Report HERE
The group worked again in November in Griswold Community and then in December in Villisca on the business plan that will be drafted for review in January. Anyone within the southwest Iowa Coalition region is welcome to attend and participate.
BACKGROUND: The Southwest Iowa Coalition secured funding through the United States
Department of Agriculture - Rural Development, Iowa State University Extension and the State of Iowa to begin developing a regional support system for entrepreneurs in southwest Iowa.
This funding stream allowed for the Rural Development Center program to be launched in 2007 after more than seven years of conceptualizing and fundraising. Its associated market place opportunity, Buy Iowa Online, was launched in December of 2009. The services have been used by 404 Clients resulting in 441 projects. It has generated loans in the amount of $2.8M, leveraged $1M in investments and secured $136K in grants for business starts and expansions. 2011 Summary Report Here
SWICO held a rural summit in the summer of 2010 with an emphasis on entrepreneurship. Exit polls showed overwhelmingly that the attendees still felt it was critically important to continue a focus on entrepreneurship.
The 4-year, pilot phase and associated funding is coming to a close, Operations continue while a facilitated strategic planning process is underway to evaluate what phase II is for the Center. Questions to be answered are: What is the role of a regional support system with the changing landscape. What is the local role and that of established service providers? Is there a level of support through a regional system that meets unmet needs? How is it sustainable long-term?
Don Macke, Center for Rural Entrepreneurship and Milan Wall, Heartland Leadership Institute are providing the facilitation through four sessions. The first session was held May 17, 2011. Data from local potential stakeholders and investors in future RDC programming will be collected through the summer by conducting interviews.
A retreat is now scheduled and open to anyone working on developing entrepreneurship. It will be held in Red Oak on October 17, 2011 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The registration cost of $20 will cover lunch and materials for each attendee. Scholarships through the office are available.
Please RSVP. You may contact the office at swico@swico.org or join in the conversation and lend your thoughts on the Facebook Page.
Read more on Entrepreneurial Development Systems (EDS). Entrepreneurial Development Systems
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