CRESTON — Mr. Timothy Ostroski received notification that the Southern Iowa Council of Governments (SICOG) has been awarded $70,000 to continue the agency's efforts to assist local development corporations, cities, and counties to improve the local economy and improve living conditions and reduce taxes. These funds were made available through the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration.
"Formulating sound economic development strategies is key to increasing Iowans' job opportunities and boosting the local economy," Ostroski said. "This funding will help to continue to bring together the private and public sectors to create a forward-looking plan to grow and expand this region's economy."
The funds will be used to support the development and implementation of a comprehensive economic development strategy in the region served by the Southern Iowa Council of Governments, which includes Adair, Adams, Clarke, Decatur, Madison, Ringgold, Taylor and Union counties. The process is designed to bring together the public and private sectors to create an economic development roadmap to diversify and strengthen the local economy, improve economic and community conditions, as well as, to assist with housing, water or wastewater and other development projects.
Under the Planning program, EDA assists eligible recipients in creating regional economic development plans designed to build capacity and guide the economic prosperity and resiliency of an area or region. As part of this program, EDA supports Partnership Planning investments to facilitate the development, implementation, revision, or replacement of Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS), which articulate and prioritize the strategic economic goals of recipients’ respective regions. In general, EDA provides Partnership Planning grants to the designated planning organization (e.g., District Organization) serving EDA-designated Economic Development Districts to enable these organizations to develop and implement relevant CEDS.
SICOG serves as the source of information for and about various program processes and grants that can help to develop the economic conditions of the region. SICOG and its members help local communities and counties solve problems on an area wide basis, whether these problems involve transportation, economic and community development, job creation, revolving loan funds, housing, health issues, water and sewer solutions or other environmental issues. Since the establishment of SICOG, over $165,000,000 has been received by SICOG member cities and counties.