Analyzing the Economic Impacts of Natural Resource and Recreation Investments
Extension Community and Economic Development
Visitor and spending information from similar recreation settings in Iowa are used to estimate expected economic impacts associated with investing in local and regional natural resource facilities.
CD-DIAL (Community Development–Data Information and Analysis Laboratory)
Extension Community and Economic Development, Institute for Design Research and Outreach, College of Design
CD-DIAL works with communities, organizations, and state and local agencies to assist and build decision-making capacity in these groups, especially as they collect and use information about their local population members or the constituents they serve.
Community Development Online Master''s Program
North Central Regional Center for Rural Development
This is an interdisciplinary, inter-institutional master''s program that is entirely online. The program is offered by the Great Plains IDEA (Interactive Distance Education Alliance).
The Master of Community Development degree program is for community leaders, practitioners, and for those committed to people and places. It provides the skills, information, and networks needed to facilitate sustainable and prosperous community change. This degree program equips practitioners with the tools necessary to build community for the 21st century.
Check this website for more information: www.gpidea.org/prospective/community/cdProgram.html
Community Economic Analysis and Education Services
Extension Community and Economic Development, College of Agriculture, Department of Economics
Array of community economic analyses for groups, communities, and regions with an interest in understanding their economic structure or in understanding the consequences of economic change.
Community Tourism Development and Education Services
Extension Community and Economic Development
Array of customized workshops, seminars and facilitation sessions for groups, communities and regions with an interest in developing, improving or expanding tourism efforts and outcomes. This program will facilitate communities and their regions in visioning, strategizing and marketing themselves as a visitor destination.
County Bioeconomy Assessment
Department of Community and Regional Planning
Expansion of the bioeconomy has the potential to benefit
rural communities.
However, there are also negative impacts of the bioeconomy. To maximize the
positive impacts and minimize the negative impacts of the bioeconomy, it is
important to assess the current conditions important for bioeconomic growth,
and consider the opinions and preferences of rural residents who would be
affected by it. This program will identify the potential impacts of the
bioeconomy and make recommendations for growth based on a feedstock assessment,
transportation infrastructure analysis, and community survey.
Designing for an Elder Friendly Community
Extension Community and Economic Development, College of Design
This program will facilitate communities in visioning, strategizing and marketing themselves as an attractive place to retire. It will involve planning at the level of the region and community, neighborhood and downtown as well as at the concept design scale of public realm improvements.
Elderhostel/EXPLORITAS Educational Travel
Extension Community and Economic Development
Travel with experts and study a theme or
geographic region for four to seven days. No prior subject knowledge is
required, only a desire for lifelong learning. Some courses stay in one city,
with daily field trips and excursions. Other courses travel by chartered coach
or boat from city to city, stopping at places of interest and overnight in
hotels along the route.
Enhancing Community Vitality
Community Vitality Center
The CVC Governance Board has adopted three primary initiatives:
*Enhancing Community Entrepreneurship in Iowa
*Improving Community Foundations and Philanthropy in Iowa
*Identifying and Analyzing Actionable Elements of the Rural Policy Differential
GIS: Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI)
Extension Community and Economic Development, Department of Landscape Architecture
New interactive technologies on the Web such as Google Maps, Google Earth or other Web 2.0 applications capable of geotagging information enables citizens to create their own personal maps of a community or specific place. Termed Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) this information can be used to by decision makers as they plan the future of a community.
Housing Trust Fund Development
Extension Community and Economic Development
This program will facilitate the development of a State certified Local Housing Trust Fund (LHTF). It will result in the creation of a collaboration to address the local affordable housing needs of a particular geographical area. Interested parties will be assisted in receiving state certification and applying for funds from the Iowa State Housing Trust Fund, administered by the Iowa Finance Authority. The LHTF is a financial tool used to procure and distribute funds for the creation and/or preservation of affordable housing in a designated area.
Iowa Great Places
Iowa Great Places
Iowa Great Places brings the resources of State government to Places to build capacity in and cultivate the authentic and unique qualities of neighborhoods, communities, regions, or districts. Places are required to engage in an inclusive visioning process, resulting in a feasible and sustainable vision or strategic plan for the Places future. The Place can then invite the State to partner with the Place throughout the plans implementation. Great Places provides a State Project Manager to guide the Place through State government assistance, technical assistance from each relevant State agency, additional consideration on State grants, and possible direct grant funds.
Neighborhood Investment Analysis
Department of Community and Regional Planning
Many cities and organizations invest in the revitalization of distressed neighborhoods. What are the effects of these investments? Do they work to change the economic trajectories of target neighborhoods? This program will answer these questions using a quantitative geographic information systems-based approach. Data on economic indicators like employment, average wage, among others, will be assessed relative to investments made in a neighborhood. A qualitative approach is also available on request.
ReCAP (Regional Capacity Analysis Program)
Extension Community and Economic Development, College of Agriculture, Agriculture Experiment Station, Department of Economics, Department of Sociology
Economic and demographic data and analysis for community development efforts, local needs assessments, and community benchmarking.
ReCAP's Web-based information products include local retail trade analysis reports, demographic and economic indicators, industry studies, and other tools for community analysis. The standardized data products and reports are available at no charge. For more in-depth information needs, ReCAP offers fee-based research and technical consulting services to communities and groups. See separate listings for Community Economic Analysis and Education Services, Retail Trade Area Analysis, and Targeted Industrial Development and Research.
keywords: census, data, demographics, employment, population, statistics, trends
Research on Statewide Economic Issues
Extension Community and Economic Development, College of Agriculture, Department of Economics
This research focuses on industrial change, regional economies, and other important dynamics of the state''s and nation''s economic structure.
Retail Trade Analysis Program
Extension Community and Economic Development, College of Agriculture, Department of Economics
Program: The Retail Trade Analysis portfolio is comprised of many products intended to advance a community’s understanding of its unique retail landscape. The three main products are:
1. Local presentations describing trends and characteristics of the local retail sector, with emphasis on analysis of available retail sales data to portray both historical and current retail sales performance.
2. A customized profile of a community’s trade region including its population siize, geographic extent and market demographics. Includes regional profile and comparisons with similar trade centers as well as geographical competing trade centers.
3. Retail community visioning process utilizing retail sales data, geographic information, and general retail trends. The product includes assessment of the likelihood of survival of particular business types as well as a planning component looking towards the future of a community’ retail sector in terms of sustainability.
Statistics in the Community (STATCOM)
Iowa State University Department of Statistics
Statistics in the Community (STATCOM) is a community outreach program that serves local communities throughout the nation. At Iowa State, STATCOM offers statistical advice and expertise to governmental and nonprofit groups. Students in the Department of Statistics coordinate the statistical consulting services provided through STATCOM.
Targeted Industrial Development and Research
College of Agriculture, Department of Economics
This is a regional industrial and economic research service designed to help multi-county groups understand the structure of their shared regional economy and which elements of their regional economy are strong, stable, declining, or emerging.
USDA Rural Development
United States Department of Agriculture
Financing and technical assistance for housing, business development and critical community infrastructure projects