Community Vitality Update
June 2004 Issue No. 8
This newsletter provides 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.
CVC Forming Community Business Plan Competition Network
Community leaders have increasingly expressed interest in creating local business plan competitions. As a result, the CVC Board has approved a program that provides up to $5000 to assist communities in organizing business plan competitions, and to build a statewide network of communities to share success stories and best practices.
Earlier this year Mayor Rodger Sill, of Stanley, Iowa submitted a proposal to the CVC for funding to help organize a local business plan competition in which up to $40,000 would be pledged by local sponsors to support entrepreneurs that develop the best business startup plans in a local competition. The Business Plan Competition is a best practice concept used for campus based entrepreneurship programs across the country. Recently, Wisconsin has organized a statewide competition for entrepreneurs developing businesses in targeted new economy sectors. However, the CVC is not aware of any entity that is sponsoring community business plan competition networks as proposed.
CVC has shared the idea with several Iowa leaders and it appears to be a concept that generates traction and interest. The Mount Pleasant Area Chamber is now actually in the process of implementing its first “Henry County Entrepreneur Award” which is being sponsored by Alaniz, a local entrepreneurial company. The Mount Pleasant Area Chamber, which is a CVC Community Demonstration Project recipient for 2004, organized an entrepreneurial support committee to create an entrepreneurial center. “We knew we needed a way to spur business development in Henry County and funding is often an issue for new entrepreneurs,” said committee member Michelle Rosell. Rosell and Jennifer Daly, the Chamber Exec approached Randy Seberg at Alaniz, a local entrepreneurial company to see if they would sponsor the new program. Seberg was very supportive of the concept and agreed to contribute $5,000 to the award fund for 2004. He also helped the committee iron out the details for the program. “We were really impressed with Randy’s suggestions for how the award should be structured,” said Rosell. “We will be accepting applications through July 15 and presenting one or several awards at the Chamber’s Annual Banquet in October, if we have strong applicants.”
For more information on the CVC Community Business Plan Competition Network concepts see the CVC web site: www.cvcia.org and click on Community Entrepreneurship to the second category. To express interest in becoming a candidate community or host organization in the CVC Business Plan Competition Network send an E-mail expressing your interest to: cvc@iastate.edu .
FEA-CVC looking for 10 Entrepreneurial Communities
The Fairfield Entrepreneurs Association (FEA), in collaboration with the CVC, is looking for about ten communities that are interested in participating in an innovative mentoring program called “Creating Entrepreneurial Communities.” Mentors for this program will include community leaders from Fairfield. Fairfield has been recognized as one of the leading entrepreneurial non-metro communities in the U.S. with over $200 million invested in about fifty startup companies, during the past decade. The CVC has initially sponsored the FEA mentoring and networking program, known as the "Fairfield approach," which recently generated interest at an Iowa Bankers Association seminar in Ames. The program will be designed to transfer best practices and lessons learned from Fairfield’s successes into positive impacts for other communities interested in entrepreneurship.
FEA Steps for Creating an Entrepreneurial Community:
1. Workshop and Peer Mentoring for Second Stage Companies
2. Create Entrepreneurial Communities Workshop
3. Develop Mentoring and Networking Program for Local Entrepreneurs
4. Increase Financing Options and Capital Availability
5. Create A Learning Community
6. Focus on Creative Economy and Amenities
A special workshop for candidate communities will be held as part of a Statewide Academy on Community Entrepreneurship that will be hosted in Fairfield this fall. For more information contact Burt Chojnowski, Fairfield Entrepreneurs Association at burt@coolcall.com .
Regional June 23rd Philanthropy Conference Co-sponsored by CVC
“Growing Communities by Philanthropy” is the title of a 12 county regional conference scheduled for 1-5 PM on June 23, at the Starlite Village in Fort Dodge. The conference has been organized by the MIDAS Council of Governments and Community Foundation of Fort Dodge and North Central Iowa. This region includes Buena Vista, Calhoun, Hamilton, Hardin, Humboldt, Kossuth, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Sac, Webster, and Wright Counties. Co-sponsors include the Corn Belt-Power Cooperative, Iowa Area Development Group, and the Community Vitality Center. The list of topics includes:
· Iowa’s Wealth Transfer
· Why and How to Capture Wealth
· One Community’s Story: Aplington, Iowa
· Endow Iowa Legislation/Gaming Legislation
· Community Foundations 101
· Role of Community Leaders and Professional Advisors in Growing Philanthropy
For more info and registration contact: Steve Hoesel at shoesel-midas@dodgenet.com
or John Hale at commfoundation@hawkeyemail.net .
June 28th Satellite Town Meeting on Philanthropy at 50 Iowa County Locations
Increased discussion about Iowa’s transfer of wealth and legislation that will distribute gambling revenues to qualified community foundations in non-gambling counties has spawned a series of statewide satellite town meetings. ISU Extension (ISUE) received a request from its citizen advisory council to conduct a statewide educational program on foundations and philanthropy. The first satellite town meeting will include an expert panel from the Community Vitality Center, the Iowa Council of Foundations, Iowa Department of Economic Development, and Iowa Area Development Group starting at 7PM on June 28th.
So far Extension Offices in about 50 counties have agreed to host a downlink site and local countywide discussion. The panel members will make opening comments and respond to questions called in during the first hour of the program. This will be followed by local facilitated discussions to identify local foundations, philanthropy activities, and next steps. To find the nearest meeting location, please visit the ISU Extension Calendar at: http://dbs.extension.iastate.edu/calendar/ and enter “Communities” for category and “June” for the month, or contact your County Extension Office. This program is designed to be the first in a series and may be taped for later use. For more information see the "News Releases" on the left hand menu of the CVC web site: www.cvcia.org .
Comments and CVC Contacts
If you have comments, suggestions, innovative ideas, or community success stories, please email us at cvc@iastate.edu and indicate your comment. If you would no longer like to receive this newsletter or are receiving duplicates, simply type “duplicate” or “unsubscribe” in the subject line. For more information about our mission and projects visit our web site at: www.cvcia.org .
COMMUNITY VITALITY CENTER
A Catalyst for Creating Real Impact in Real Communities
477 Heady Hall, Ames, IA 50011-1070
Phone: 515-294-3000 Fax: 515-294-3838.
