Resources & Initiatives

East Central Intergovernmental Association (ECIA)

ECIA Resources

ECIA offers numerous planning, technical and management resources to assist local governments in reaching and implementing plans.  We offer resources on brownfield cleanup, community development and technical services, utility service systems, home repair programs, economic development, fundraising assistance, training and more at https://www.ecia.org/programs/index.php.

Community Project Funding Guide

ECIA also offers a Community Project Funding guide that assists communities in our five county region in finding potential funding sources for their community projects. https://www.ecia.org/pdf/Community_Project_Funding_Guide.pdf. 

Newsletter

ECIA shares updates on all of our projects and programs. Sign up for our email list here: https://www.ecia.org/about_ecia/sign_up.php. 

Government Training Institute

The ECIA training institute empowers our community leaders to improve their knowledge and create opportunities for their community. ECIA utilizes its USDA Rural Community Development Initiative grant to provide trainings aimed at increasing the capacity of city and county officials and economic development groups in the region.

For more information on upcoming trainings please contact Tricia Wagner at: TWagner@ecia.org or 563-690-5738.

Dubuque Racing Association (DRA) Core Grant

Prosperity Eastern Iowa (PEI) was awarded several  grants  from the Dubuque Racing Association CORE Grant program over the years and they have been an invaluable partner. With initial grant funds, PEI and its partners developed  a database of regional assets and amenities in Dubuque, Delaware, Jackson and Jones Counties; identify gaps in the region; conduct visioning sessions with city councils, volunteer groups, mayors and city clerks, ultimately developing a “Field of Opportunities”.  Second phase of the project was putting that work into a concerted regional marketing effort.  Partnering with Travel Dubuque, the asset data was incorporated into their website, article features were created in the Travel Dubuque guide, a targeted social media campaign  and  selfie stations were installed in the region.  Our current grant will focus on digital media/video for each county,  a county- specific brochures, and a special marketing insert.

National Economic Research and Resilience Center (NERRC)

There are two new resources provided from the National Economic Research and Resilience Center (NERRC) — a joint initiative of EDA and Argonne National Laboratory

  • The Economic Development Capacity Index (EDCI) presents continuously updated data from more than 50 sources across five categories: human capital, finance, infrastructure, industries, networks, and partnerships. The data reveal county-level strengths and opportunities for growth and investment. EDCI will be updated in the fall to include EDD boundaries and incorporate the ability to conduct comparative analysis with peer communities.
  • The National Economic Resilience Development Explorer (NERDE) provides data to local economic developers for project planning, and highlights the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also helps communities understand if they qualify for financial support from EDA.