Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance

TO SERVE AS THE CATALYST FOR ECONOMIC DIVERSITY, GROWTH AND PROSPERITY FOR OUR REGION.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - UNDER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE'S STRATEGIC GOALS ARE AS FOLLOWS: ATTRACT, GROW AND RETAIN INTERSTATE COMMERCE BUSINESS. OUR FOCUS IS TARGETED TOWARD BIO-PROCESSING/FOOD INGREDIENTS, DISTRIBUTION/LOGISTICS, ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT/DESIGN, FOOD PROCESSING, FINANCIAL SERVICES/INSURANCE, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, PROCESS MANUFACTURING AND WIND ENERGY.1. DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN REPORTS OF DATA TOOLS TO ASSIST WITH PROJECT MANAGEMENT, BUSINESS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.2. COORDINATE AND FACILITATE PROJECTS TO UTILIZE FINANCIAL TOOLS AND PROGRAMS FOR PROSPECTS AND CLIENTS.3. MAINTAIN AND ADVANCE RELATIONSHIPS WITH EXISTING COMPANIES TO IDENTIFY GROWTH AND RETENTION OPPORTUNITIES.4. DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE RECRUITMENT OF NEW COMPANIES. ALL PROGRAMS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS ARE DESIGNED TO MEET ONE OR MORE OF THE GOALS. WHILE MANY OF OUR ECONOMIC ALLIANCE STAFF SPEND TIME ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORIENTED PROGRAMS, PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES, WE HAVE AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM WHO SPECIFICALLY FOCUS ON MEETING OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC GOALS.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT - UNDER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE'S STRATEGIC GOALS ARE AS FOLLOWS: GROW CORE CENTRAL DISTRICTS IN CEDAR RAPIDS AND SUPPORT SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.1. DEVELOP AND BEGIN IMPLEMENTATION OF AN UPDATED STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE CEDAR RAPIDS DOWNTOWN DISTRICT AND MEDICAL DISTRICT.2. ASSIST THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS IN ITS PLAN FOR FLOOD PROTECTION AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT.

BUSINESS SUPPORT - UNDER BUSINESS SUPPORT THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE'S STRATEGIC GOALS ARE AS FOLLOWS:CREATE A STRONG BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT WHICH SUPPORTS ALL EMPLOYERS. ADDITIONALLY, WE WILL FOCUS ON SMALL AND LOCALLY-OWNED BUSINESSES TO ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING:1. ENGAGE AND CONNECT BUSINESSES THROUGH NETWORKING, COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS.2. PROVIDE EDUCATION AND AWARENESS ON LOCAL, REGIONAL AND STATE INITIATIVES WHICH ENHANCE REGIONAL AND STATE TRADE.

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT - OUR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CORE FUNCTION IS DEDICATED TO COORDINATING WITH PARTNERS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE FOLLOWING REGIONAL INITIATIVES: BRAND/IMAGE, WORKFORCE, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, ENTREPRENEURISM AND DIVERSITY/INCLUSION. LEADERSHIP FOR FIVE SEASONS: LEADERSHIP FOR FIVE SEASONS IS A PROGRAM DEVELOPED AND MANAGED BY THE CEDAR RAPIDS METRO ECONOMIC ALLIANCE TO PREPARE EMERGING AND EXISTING LEADERS IN THE CEDAR RAPIDS AREA TO BE COMMUNITY TRUSTEES. THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO EMPOWER AND INSPIRE DIVERSE INDIVIDUALS TO ACTIVELY LEAD IN SHAPING AND ENHANCING OUR QUALITY OF LIFE - SUPPLYING THE COMMUNITY WITH INFORMED, SKILLED LEADERS WILLING TO SERVE AS ACTIVE VOLUNTEERS. IOWA'S CREATIVE CORRIDOR (ICR IOWA): ICR IOWA REPRESENTS A SEVEN COUNTY REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP FOR BENTON, CEDAR, IOWA, JOHNSON, JONES, LINN AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES. REPRESENTING ONE OF THE LARGEST LABORSHEDS IN THE STATE, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR AREA HAVE CREATED A STRATEGIC, SEVEN-COUNTY ALLIANCE DEDICATED TO ECONOMIC PROGRESS, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND FOSTERING A CULTURE OF INNOVATION. IOWA'S CREATIVE CORRIDOR GIVES EMPLOYERS AND WORKFORCE ACCESS TO A REGION UNIQUELY IOWAN, FOUNDED WITH A MANUFACTURING HERITAGE, BUT ACTIVELY SEEKING NEW FRONTIERS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOPROCESSING, RENEWABLE ENERGY, AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES. IMPACTCR: THE CONCEPT IS SIMPLE - PROVIDE OUR MEMBERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT, HAVE A VOICE AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR COMMUNITY.PUBLIC POLICY - THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE IS FOCUESED ON PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY THAT SUPPORTS THE ORGANIZATION'S OTHER FOUR CORE FUNCTIONS: BUSINESS SUPPORT, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT.THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE COLLABORATES WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS AND PARTNERS, INCLUDING LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES AND ENTITIES, THE U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND IOWA CHAMBER ALLIANCE TO DEVELOP A LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL POLICY AGENDA. WE THEN PROVIDE A UNIFIED VOICE TO ADVOCATE FOR PRO-BUSINESS AND PRO-GROWTH ISSUES KEY TO OUR MEMBERS AND THE REGION.