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Funding boosts entrepreneurism Rural Iowa communities are meshing local entrepreneurial resources with $10,000 grants to build local viability. The grant dollars from the Community Vitality Center (CVC) — a partnership between Iowa State University Extension and community leaders — are being invested in community-created plans aimed at boosting entrepreneurs and startup business enterprises. A Burlington business incubator provides office space for six entrepreneurs and is expanding to have places for six more. The project requires applicants to receive SCORE counseling, develop a business plan through the Small Business Development Center and agree to continue business learning. Nitelite Audio, one business housed in the incubator, is owned by design engineer Adam O’Rourke.
“Being part of the incubator has made it financially possible for me to live in the small community of Burlington and maintain clients all over the Midwest,” O’Rourke said. “This project illustrates how Burlington supports small businesses, by helping them get started and providing support that helps them grow and be successful.” Kossuth County, believing that the key to entrepreneurship is attracting college students back to rural communities, actively recruits college interns for local businesses. Grant dollars made it possible to attract and provide jobs for 44 interns in the northern Iowa rural county last summer and to introduce them to the area’s recreation and culture, and to each other. “We are not only giving them job experience, but the experience of enjoying living in rural Iowa,” said Al Witt, a member of Kossuth County Development’s intern committee. “The dollar impact of bringing a young family into the county is endless. This project opens the door to those young people.” Fairfield Entrepreneur’s Association (FEA), another CVC grant recipient, was recognized nationally for the example it set networking the businesses, organizations and individuals that collaborate in support of new ventures. In the last 10 years the association has created 2,000 new jobs, averaged $10 million in new construction each year and has been recognized for philanthropic efforts. “Funding from the Community Vitality Center grant helped us rejuvenate a monthly mentoring program in Fairfield and will help us take what we have learned from our experiences here and from other successful entrepreneurs to mentor other Iowa communities,” said Burt Chojnowski, FEA president. “Our goal for 2004 is to work with the CVC to mentor a dozen other communities. The objective is to enhance and develop regional networks and clusters of entrepreneur communities.” |
The Extension Connection is a quarterly publication of Iowa State University Extension. Laura Sternweis, editor, lsternwe@iastate.edu Nondiscrimination statement and information disclosures Last update: April 2004 MORE NEWS * Quick response to BSE issue reaches nationwide audience * Universal design kitchen: One kitchen can fit all * 4-H builds leaders for the future * Child care campaign focuses on quality * Go the distance to lighten up Iowa * Broadband network moves Extension into fast(er) lane * Meat processors depend on ISU Meat Science Extension
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