Community Vitality Update

April 2005 Issue No. 17

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.

Last Call for Community Philanthropy Academy, April 22 in Ames

New board members for emerging countywide community foundations and affiliates won’t want to miss the second annual Academy on Community Philanthropy. This year, the theme is “Creating Effective Community Philanthropy Networks.” Workshop topics were selected from local affiliate steering committee suggestions received from across the state. The conference starts at 9AM and adjourns at 4PM on April 22 at the Gateway Hotel in Ames. The conference brochure and registration form can be found here. The registration fee is $55 which includes lunch and materials.

The Academy provides a unique opportunity to discuss County Endowment applications with community foundation experts before submission. Legislative updates and status reports will be provided along with concurrent workshops that include topics on core practices such as organizing grant programs, identifying countywide priorities and needs, creating collaboration among foundations and nonprofits, marketing, web sites and best practice templates, building endowments, communication with donors, and effective board member practices. For more information contact us.

Endow Iowa and County Endowment Update

Endow Iowa $25,000 matching grant recipients should be announced within the next few days on the Iowa Council of Foundations website or the IDED Endow Iowa website. CVC was represented on the grant review board along with representatives from Iowa Council of Foundations, Iowa Farm Bureau, Iowa Association of Business and Industry, Iowa State Association of Counties, and the Iowa Non Profit Resource Center at the University of Iowa.

Regarding County Endowment eligibility for receiving $50,000 to $60,000 per year starting next fall, the initial application deadline is fast approaching on May 1. However, a second application period--perhaps sometime in August--was recommended at a recent Philanthropy Working Group meeting. This would allow a second opportunity for new countywide community foundations and affiliate groups to apply before the funds begin to be distributed. Applicants who miss the first deadline, whose applications are not accepted by the Review Board on the first review, or those whose host community foundation fails to certify in accordance with the National Council on Foundations standards review process are likely to appreciate a second opportunity to apply for eligibility.

Graceland University Entrepreneurial Roundtable, April 21 in Lamoni

Graceland University is hosting an Entrepreneurial Roundtable from noon to 7:30 PM on April 21. The event provides a tremendous opportunity for business professionals, entrepreneurs, faculty, high school and college students to network and interact with an outstanding list of speakers while participating in an innovative small business simulation competition. The speakers include: (1) Lenny Dave, founder of LENMAR Communications, on “Enhancing Your Creativity to Build your Business,” (2) Karl Ploeger, Vice President, Business Development for Miller Zell Retail Design, on “ Keep Bringing Customers to the Door by Branding Your Idea,” (3) Franklin Greene, owner of Quality Ford in West Des Moines, on “Two Keys to Business Success: Duplicate Yourself and Provide Great Customer Service,” and (4) Scott Deming, CEO and founder of RCI which is a national marketing and communications company, on “Challenge the Assumptions, Positively Change Your Business Registration includes meals and is $35 after April 13. The CVC Board will be meeting in Lamoni prior to this event. For more info, please contact the Center for the Study of Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, Graceland University, 641-784-5347, or e-mail.

CVC $1000 Incentive for Youth Marketplace Sponsorship Continues

The application period for ten $1000 sponsorship incentives for the 2005-2006 middle-school Youth Marketplace Program remains open. Last year the CVC provided similar incentives to 12 nonmetro community/county organizations that started programs in Algona, Bedford, Boone, Central City, Cresco, Decorah, Fontanelle, Greenfield, Oskaloosa, Moravia, Mount Ayr, and Waukon. The Bedford Area Economic Development received one of the incentives last year and coordinated implementation of the program in both the local middle and high school. Bedford's evaluation stated that the program “provided a vehicle to challenge and empower our youth with business development skills to augment their talents and interests…Any community wishing to promote entrepreneurship and attract their youth to become life long residents would be well served in using this program.”

For more info on Youth Marketplace visit the ISU Pappajohn Center. To get an application for the $1000 incentive, Youth Marketplace. Applications are to be e-mailed electronically to cvc@iastate.edu. Those interested may express interest in the program today at the same e-mail address.