November 2003, Newsletter-Issue No. 1

This is the first issue of the Community Vitality Center (CVC) newsletter. The purpose is to provide community leaders, economic developers, entrepreneurs, and other Iowans interested in community vitality with features on innovative strategies, updates on CVC projects, and info about opportunities for learning and networking.

Five County Entrepreneurship Workshop co-sponsored by CVC

Over 100 people participated in a day-long entrepreneurship workshop given by Ernesto Sirolli on Oct. 21st in Audubon, IA. The workshop hosting committee included local economic development directors from Audubon, Greene, Guthrie, Adair, and Shelby counties in collaboration with local Extension, and rural faith based networks. During the seminar, Sirolli explained the process and principles involved in setting up a community-based, “people-centered” enterprise facilitation project. Sirolli stated, “The future of every community lies in capturing the passion, energy, imagination, and intelligence of its people”. Through the enterprise facilitation method, a board of 50 community leaders and a professional enterprise facilitator, employed by the board, are trained to provide confidential business counseling assistance for entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs in the project area. Since the first Sirolli project in 1985, more than 200 communities in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States have adopted the Enterprise Facilitation method to enhance economic development. For more information visit the Sirolli Institute.

The five-county cluster that hosted the Audubon workshop is one of three community groups from Iowa to express interest in being considered for a national pilot project grant under a Commerce Department EDA program co-sponsored by the National Association of Regional Councils. Burlington and Fort Dodge are two other Iowa communities that are among 74 nationally to express interest in being considered. The Audubon workshop and Burlington entrepreneurship initiative represent two of six Community Vitality Center community demonstration projects designed to increase entrepreneurship in Iowa. For more information on these and other CVC initiatives throughout Iowa go to www.cvcia.org

SBIR/STTR Program Announcement

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Program and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program announced the availability of program solicitations for the FY 2004. The SBIR program targets small businesses with grants to conduct feasibility studies on specific goods, services, or technologies desired by federal agencies- which may lead to government procurement contracts. For more information or to view the general terms and conditions to qualify for a SBIR or STTR Phase I or II award go here. Solicitation deadline is January 6, 2004.

Private companies needing assistance in navigating through the SBIR and STTR program application process may contact Vitaly Pecharsky, Jr., Research Assistant at the ISU Institute for Physical Research and Technology (IPRT), for assistance at 515-294-9062 or via e-mail at redsolar@iastate.edu. In a recent presentation, the CVC learned that IPRT is been working to increase the statewide number of Iowa SBIR proposals submitted to the federal government for funding consideration.

CVC Entrepreneurship Forums and Community Demonstration Projects

The Community Vitality Center hosted 10 community entrepreneurship forums in communities across the state ranging size from Iowa's smallest county to a metropolitan community. The structure of the forums allowed local participants to discuss the question, "What if anything should your community do in support of entrepreneurs and business startups?" The 300 participants in the ten forums were asked compare "self-help" entrepreneurship, community initiatives to support entrepreneurs, and linking local and regional entrepreneurship resources. Greatest support was expressed for the last two approaches. An executive summary titled, "Entrepreneurship and Community Vitality" highlights 20 ideas that came out of the forums and may found on the CVC website.

To help implement some of the innovative concepts emerging from community forum discussions, the CVC funded six community pilot demonstration projects at $10,000 each.The pilot projects were selected to (a) help implement an innovative entrepreneurship development project and/or to (b) assist in expanding and transferring an innovative entrepreneurial program to other communities. Two unique pilot projects that may be of interest are the entrepreneurship mentoring program sponsored by the Fairfield Entrepreneurs Association and the College Student Career Intern Program sponsored by the Kossuth County Economic Development Corporation. More information about the community pilot demonstration projects click here.

The CVC board has approved second year funding for Community Entrepreneurship forums, speakers and pilot projects. The CVC seeks to assist communities and encourage collaboration among diverse local and regional networks, resources, and expertise. Community leaders interested in hosting CVC sponsored forums, seminars, and pilot projects relating to entrepreneurship may email the Community Vitality Center for more information at cvc@iastate.edu.

CVC Statewide Rural Philanthropy Initiative

A Community Vitality Center task force is currently working on a major statewide initiative to encourage non-metro communities to consider how local philanthropy and community foundations may help to sustain vitality for rural communities into the future. The vitality in communities like Manning have benefited from community foundations. Rural communities in other states like Nebraska continue to benefit from statewide efforts to encourage philanthropy.

Because of the current age distribution in rural counties, a disproportionate share of the wealth will transfer during the next two decades. In many cases the wealth will transfer to heirs and initiatives outside of the community; unless there is an active community foundation that works to divert a share of such bequests to worthy local projects and community initiatives. To help communities look at their opportunities and options, the CVC is currently conducting a county by county wealth transfer study and is working with the Iowa Nonprofit Resource Center at the University of Iowa to survey existing community foundations.

The CVC organized a Philanthropy Task Force to analyze, comment, and monitor the rural impact of Endow Iowa legislation considered and passed by the General Assembly as part of the Iowa Values Fund. A statewide workshop to provide information and update community leaders is being planned for next spring.

Our Mission

The mission of the Community Vitality Center is to serve as a catalyst for innovative projects and initiatives designed to improve the vitality of Iowa communities. The CVC engages communities in dialogue, facilitates networking, conducts policy analysis, fosters discussion among rural and urban interests, and provides limited funding for CVC initiatives as well as innovative community demonstration projects that can provide lessons learned for other communities. Current major initiatives include working with and for local leaders to enhance community entrepreneurship development and to increase philanthropy in Iowa’s non-metro communities. For more information about our mission and board of directors visit our website at www.cvcia.org.