Iowa Lakes Corridor News & Events

News & Events

Thursday, February 13, 2020

A humming downtown. New houses. Smooth streets. Safe neighborhoods. Jobs, jobs, jobs. Folks in rural Iowa demand a lot of our cities and counties, and we rarely say thank you. As we near the end of our series on vital economic development partners, let’s correct that offense. Thank you for investing in the infrastructure to support growth. When spring finally gets here the backhoes, dump trucks and pavers will come out of hibernation across the Corridor. Businesses and residents alike will benefit from the results—improved water, sewer and roads. Without these projects, friction would cause our economy to seize. Thank you for development-friendl...

Energy utilities keep the lights on and the jobs coming

Thursday, February 06, 2020

On the edge of many small Iowa towns is an industrial park with a cluster of manufacturing companies. How did they get there? You can thank in part your local energy utilities, essential partners in economic development. The same folks who keep the lights on also keep the economy growing. That’s particularly true here in the Lakes of Northwest Iowa where we are blessed to have energy utilities that are innovative, aggressive and generous. Dare we say they are energetic? The Corridor is proud to include seven energy providers among our membership: Spencer Municipal Utilities, Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative, Corn Belt Power Cooperative...

USDA makes spec buildings, revolving loan funds to rural communities

Friday, January 24, 2020

In our look at the partners that make economic development successful in the Corridor, we next turn to the US Department of Agriculture, specifically USDA Rural Development. That’s right, the federal government. The USDA web site describes rural development as a “mission area.” That somewhat uncertain description is made more specific with this passage: “We offer loans, grants and loan guarantees to help create jobs and support economic development and essential services such as housing; health care; first responder services and equipment; and water, electric and communications infrastructure.” An essential piece of the USDA’s broad portfolio is the Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant program. Throug...

Professional Developers of Iowa a strong partner at the Statehouse and at home

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Professional associations are only as good as the people who make them up, but that’s hardly a limitation for the Professional Developers of Iowa. More than 300 leaders across the state are members of PDI. They range from local economic developers to city administrators, workforce pros and engineers. There are even a couple of mayors thrown in. That breadth of expertise makes PDI, like the Iowa Area Development Group that we wrote about in last week’s newsletter, a valued partner of the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation. When our team is looking for creative ideas to benefit our communities and businesses, hel...

Iowa Area Development Group: A partner powering growth

Thursday, January 09, 2020

The same statewide community development organization that recently helped a local business secure $2 million in low-interest financing from the federal government and captured several hundred thousand dollars to support construction of a spec building in Spirit Lake, also routinely brings industrial development prospects to the region, offers expert guidance on ag business, advertises vacant properties in our area, and even assists our tiniest towns in filling critical service gaps such as dental health care. Given all of that, how is it that the Iowa Area Development Group sometimes goes unnoticed? Based in Des Moines, IADG is sponsored by more than 22...

Corridor joins forces with Buena Vista University in winning Google grant

Friday, August 23, 2019

Vote for People's Choice now through August 30th! Storm Lake, Iowa (Aug. 23, 2019) – The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation (Corridor) in partnership with Buena Vista University (BVU) has won a prestigious Google grant to advance programming aimed at facilitating business transitions across Iowa. The Corridor joined with BVU’s Center for Rural Entrepreneurship in the Harold Walter Siebens School of Business to embark on a “Match, Learn, Launch” initiative. This project pairs retiring business owners with up-and-coming business operators throughout Iowa and provides mentoring and educational support to new entrepreneurs from succession match to new launch. The partnership won a $175,000 competitive gran...

February 2019 Quarterly Meeting

Friday, March 01, 2019

Thank you to everyone who attended Wednesday's Quarterly Investor Meeting at the beautiful new Majestic Pavilion in Arnolds Park! Turnout was great and the audience learned a lot from the No Boundaries team from GTRA, Okoboji, and Spencer schools. No Boundaries is a project-based learning initiative that motivates students by empowering them to form teams and tackle real-world business and community problems. Businesses pitch projects to the students, who in turn choose the opportunities that best match their interests. Facilitators from all three school districts presented on the program and the value of project-based learning at the Quarterly Investor Meeting. Three middle school students from Okoboji Middle School also discussed their experiences a...

From the CEO: Growth Requires Effort of Scores of People

Thursday, July 12, 2018

The region captured another recruitment win this month. The story began when a small business owner from outside the Iowa Lakes Corridor made what was presumably a routine stop at a Spencer establishment. As the transaction ended, an employee of the local company asked, “Is there anything else you need?” (In case you doubted, customer service is alive and well in Northwest Iowa.) The businessman said off-handedly that what he really wanted was a few thousand square feet of production space; demand was rocketing and he was plumb out of room at his current shop. The local employee might be expected to smile politel...

Fast Facts About Iowa Lakes

After 5 p.m. you are on vacation!

The Iowa Lakes Corridor offers balance in life. Spend time with loved ones, meet career objectives, and enjoy scenic commutes, excellent schools, safe communities and endless recreational opportunities.

Life-new

Trails, trails and trails. . .

There are more than 200 miles of trails throughout the Iowa Lakes Corridor region for the cyclists, runners, walkers, cross country skiers and snowmobilers.

Trails-new

Employment Opportunity

The Corridor offers career opportunities in the key industries of agriculture, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, and health services.

Employment-new

Highway improvements...

Safe and efficient highways are throughout the region for commercial, resident and tourist traffic. Recently improved roads include Iowa 86 and 9, and US 20 and 71.

Highway 86-new

Low cost of living and affordable housing...

The cost of living and housing prices in the Iowa Lakes Corridor are below the US averages.

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Healthy Income

Median household incomes in Dickinson Country are greater than the Iowa and nation median incomes. Clay, Buena Vista and Emmet Counties have median household incomes ranging from $44,556 to $50,289.

Household Income-new

News & Events

News & Events

Fast Facts About Iowa Lakes

After 5 p.m. you are on vacation!

Trails, trails and trails. . .

Employment Opportunity

Highway improvements...

Low cost of living and affordable housing...

Healthy Income

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