1. Sustainable Economies Program
2012 UEDA Summit
Awards of Excellence
Research & Analysis
Mike O’Donnell
October 22, 2012

2. Iowa Economy: Regional Trade Centers

3. Characteristics of RTCs
Shares of People, Wage & Salary Jobs, and Wages
and Salaries by Level of Urbanization in Iowa, 2010
Population Wage & Salary Jobs Wages & Salaries
67%
62%
57%
16% 15% 14% 16%
12% 11% 12% 10%
9%
Metropolitan Micropolitan Nanopolitan All Other

4. Sustainable Economies Program
Mentoring Technical Assistance
Assistance
Technical
Regional Planning Business Planning
Regional Assessment Business Assessment
Identify Region
Economic Business Supply Chain
Research
Applied
Sustainability Sustainability Sustainability
Sustainability Employee
Indicators Wellness

5. Economic Sustainability Indicators
• Indicators: Effective way to manage performance
• Triple Bottom Line
• Many examples use in mid- to large-sized cities
Goal: Implement a replicable method to generate and
use sustainability indicators for small cities in Iowa

6. Indicator Set
Financial Social Environmental
Growth Schools Natural Environment
•Population •Student Performance •Air
•Jobs •Staffing & Funding •Water & Soil
•Conservation & Ecosystems
Income and Finance
•Personal Income
Households
•Finance & Lending
•Access to Health Care
•Child & Family Well Being
Regional Linkages •Poverty & Income Inequality Built Environment
•Local Proprietors •Housing Affordability
•Housing
•Trade Capture
•Transportation & Communication
Community Culture •Energy Use
Labor Force •Arts & Recreation
•Civic Engagement
•Workforce Constraints
•Diversity
•Labor Utilization

7. Individual Indicator Analysis
Cost-Burdened Owner Households
(With Mortgage) • Performance Indicator
• Comparison to other
RTCs
• Also includes:
Peer Min
13.4%
Lee
21.5% - 28.5%
Peer Max
39.0% – Discussion
Estimated % With Monthly Housing Costs >30% of Income (2006-2010)
– Relevance
– Context
13.4% - 21.5% 21.5% - 24.7% 24.7% - 26.5% 26.5% - 39.0%

8. Regional Economic Planning
• Economic Sustainability Summit
• Backwards Mapping
• Mentoring

9. Ft. Madison
Carroll & Keokuk
Centerville
Results
• Provides “20,000 foot view”
and details
– Indicators work for small
economies
– Diverse community conditions
• Select indicators easily
maintained by community
• Unique approach to gaining
community consensus

10. Highlights
• Diversity initiative • Strategic Planning
• SCORE chapter • Leadership Academy
• Marketing changes • Junior Achievement program
• Employment opportunity
communication
• $1.7M impact reported
• Community steering committee
setting regional priorities

11. Questions?
Contact Information:
Mike O'Donnell
EDAUC Program Director
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, CIRAS
cell: 515-509-4379, office: 515-294-1588
modonnll@iastate.edu, www.ciras.iastate.edu

12. Backup Slides

13. Carroll RTC
Findings Collaborations
• Significant Regional Presence MEP: Green Manufacturing
• Strong financial performance offset by Training
population loss
SBDC: Score Chapter
• Strong indicators of social well-being
• Potential regional environmental risks
• Business growth constrained by population
EDA Projects
10 Business Technical
Assistance Projects
Key Participants
3 Community Technical
Region XII COG (EDA Funded) Assistance Projects
Chamber of Commerce
Carroll Area Economic Development Corp.
Elected officials
ISU Extension
13 Businesses

14. Ft. Madison/Keokuk RTC
Findings Collaborations
• Significant financial and social distress MEP: Green Manufacturing
• Personal and family well-being among Training
lowest in state
DOE IAC:
• Lack of: education, industries with high 2 Energy Projects
educational needs, and young adults
• Significant local interest in driving change
EDA Projects
4 Business Technical
Assistance Projects
Key Participants
SEIRPC (EDA Funded) 4 Community Technical
Chamber of Commerce – Keokuk
Assistance Projects
Economic Development Groups
Elected officials
ISU Extension
Local Unions
10 Businesses

15. Centerville RTC
Findings Collaborations
• Low wages and associated social distress TBD
• Potential regional advantage in
natural/environmental area
• Many active local betterment groups:
opportunity to coordinate and develop
shared vision.
EDA Projects
6 Business Technical
Assistance Projects
Key Participants
Chariton Valley Planning & Development (EDA Funded) Other projects being
Local non-profit groups
identified
Economic Development Groups
Elected officials
ISU Extension
18 Businesses

16. Lessons Learned
• Sustainability is complex
– Rarely a “right answer”
– Communities and businesses need support
• Regional Economy
– Need strong outside mentoring
– Informal leaders can be just as effective
• Businesses
– Need action-oriented assessment
– Significant “green” interest, but only if
secondary to daily business

17. Program Impact
Carroll RTC Lee RTC
• Input into regional and • Common, fact-based
city planning efforts understanding
• Increased coordination • Project groups beginning
among public and private to form
groups • Businesses involved in
• Increased participation in social issues discussion
volunteer groups
• Businesses better able to
communicate needs and
identify opportunities

18. RTC Carroll Projects & Events
Community Business
• Regional Economic • 7 Triple Bottom Line
Assessment Assessments
– Sustainability • LEED Business Growth
Overview, Backwards Opportunity Assessment
Mapping Session
• Economic Impact Study
• Employee Attraction
Kaizen • Thermal Analysis for
Energy Reduction
• Economic Development
Overview for City Offices

19. RTC Ft. Madison/Keokuk
Projects & Events
Community Business
• Sustainability Summit • 3 Triple Bottom Line
held 2/8/12 Assessments
• Strategic Planning • Waste Stream Mapping
• Main Street Trade Project
Analysis
• Junior Achievement
Program
• Regional Leadership
Program

20. RTC Centerville
Projects & Events
Community Business
• Sustainability Summit • 6 Triple Bottom Line
held 7/10/12 Assessments
• Projects being defined

21. Sustainability Indicators