Community Development: Resource Guide

Heartland Center for Leadership Development

Heartland Center activities focus on leadership training, citizen participation, community planning, facilitation, evaluation and curriculum development. The Center publishes a newsletter, booklets and guides on effective strategies for community and economic development, renewing community leadership and community survival including Ten Ideas for Recruiting New Leadersand

Iowa State University Extension - Community Economic Development (IA)

ISU Extension - Community Economic Development offers a variety of programs and skill development tools and resources for emerging leaders, experienced leaders and citizens who care about their community. Focus areas include Business and Industry, Community Design, Economic Development, Leadership and Local Government.

Institute for Decision Making

The Institute for Decision Making (IDM) is a unit of the University of Northern Iowa's Business and Community Services Division, which is included in the College of Business Administration. IDM guides organizations and community-based groups to help ease their way as they make decisions and take organized action toward economic and community development results. The IDM team typically serves and advises economic development corporations, chambers of commerce, convention and visitors bureaus, community planning groups and other similar groups and organizations.

Smart Solutions Group, Inc.

Smart Solutions Group is a Midwest consulting firm specializing in the business of economic development for community, county, regional and state development organizations. It offers a variety of economic development consulting services to help its clients organize, focus, innovate and implement to achieve greater success. Smart Solutions Group's Economic Development Roadmap to Success is designed as a process to build consensus on the direction and focus of economic development marketing programs. Other products and services offered include assistance with creating or revising brand positioning statements, development of fundraising strategies and action plans and creating or updating strategic plans.