Planning and Facilitation

Planning and Facilitation

Planning and Technical Services Quick Sheet

Anytime is a great time to start thinking about your community or organization's short and long term goals.  UERPC has the staff and resources to help your community or group bring great ideas together into a workable and successful action plan.  Planning can take many forms from large projects, such as comprehensive planning and hazard mitigation planning, to smaller facilitation and public engagement projects.  The planning process generally involves (1) data and background information collection; (2) facilitating and compiling stakeholder input and identifying their priorities through a variety of methods including meetings, surveys and focus groups; and (3) creating a final document or action plan.

Examples of plans include:

  • Long range comprehensive plans
  • Strategic plans for community or nonprofit leadership
  • Capital improvement plans
  • Riverfront, downtown or other significant district master plans
  • Community marketing plans
  • Community wellness plans
  • Safe Routes to School plans
  • Park and recreation plans
  • Hazard mitigation Plans
  • Housing needs assessments
  • Business plans


Taking the time to plan and involve community members leads to projects and activities that are supported by community members!  UERPC can also assist communities with Urban Renewal Plans, Urban Revitalization Plans and City Ordinance updates.

We would be happy to visit with you about our planning and facilitation services, please contact Rachelle Howe or Michelle Barness for more information.

"My reservations about my part in doing a Comprehensive Plan for Hawkeye were put to rest at our first meeting.  Seeing how the whole process is laid out made sense and opened the door to active, interesting and informative meetings.  To bond our team we created a name, Vision Hawkeye, and had T-shirts made.  After that Karla guided us through the process.  Every step showed a purpose and later meetings showed us results. The one thing I was impressed with was the need to have the community all working in the same direction for common goals. The city’s statistics and community input really helped us lay that out.  The final comprehensive plan, and it is comprehensive, is easy to understand and involves all of our local organizations to move Hawkeye in the right direction."

Respectfully,
Leon Dietzenbach, Vision Hawkeye member

Planning and Facilitation in Each County

Planning and Facilitation in Each County

Allamakee County

Resiliency Resources

Strategies and actions for business, government, or development organizations to ensure ongoing viability

Resiliency Resources

Disaster preparedness is nothing new to governments, businesses, and development organizations. The well-laid plans to be used in case of fire, flood, or storm are commonplace. They help to provide a blueprint for action at a moment of crisis when an existing strategy can be a thing of comfort for those dealing with the unthinkable. Of course, the types of disastrous situations have expanded — from terrorism to cyberattack to, now, pandemic.

Resilience planning, though, is another matter. It recognizes that disasters and difficulties will happen, that immediate response is necessary, but that long-term implications will require a different set of strategies and actions to ensure ongoing viability, whether for a business, a government, or a development organization.

News Headlines

Public meeting to discuss Iowa Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) to be held by conference call Aug. 16

Posted: Fri, August 5, 2022

AMES, Iowa – Aug. 5, 2022 – The Iowa Department of Transportation will hold a virtual meeting to accept public comments about the draft Iowa Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) from 2 to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, August 16, 2022.

A brief overview of the STIP and its development process will be provided beginning at 2 p.m. and will be followed by time for comments and questions on the STIP. Should discussion be ongoing at 2:30 p.m., additional time will be made available to accommodate all comments on the document.  

The draft STIP identifies all projects proposed to be authorized for funding provided by the Federal Highway Administration or Federal Transit Administration during federal fiscal years 2023-2026. It includes projects for state, county, city, and federal transportation systems. Development of the STIP is required by federal law. The draft STIP can be viewed on the Iowa DOT's website at:

https://iowadot.gov/program_management/stip/2023-2026-STIP-Draft.pdf

Comments on the draft STIP can be provided at the meeting or by contacting Shelby Ebel at 515-239-1351 or Shelby.Ebel@iowadot.us. Comments on the draft STIP will be accepted through September 6, 2022. You can also contact Shelby Ebel if you would like a printed copy of the draft STIP.

Contact: Shelby Ebel at 515-239-1351 or Shelby.Ebel@iowadot.us

Editor’s note: Live audio will be made available via telephone. Dial 515-817-6093 and use conference ID 471 749 232# to join the public meeting.

... [ Read More ]

NEIRHTF ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

Posted: Thu, July 28, 2022

NEIRHTF ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

 

The Northeast Iowa Regional Housing Trust Fund (NEIRHTF) is accepting applications for first time homebuyer down payment assistance and housing rehabilitationimprovement projects. Applicants must be low-moderate-income first-time homebuyers, homeowners, landlord/for-profit organizations, or non-profit organizations to promote and create affordable housing activities.  All applicants must be in one of the following counties of Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek. Eligible projects include rehabilitation and repair of existing housing, including, but not limited to: roofs, windows, siding, plumbing, electrical, energy efficiency, lead paint issues, and handicap accessibility.

 

For more information on the NEIRHTF or to see if there is funding in your area, please contact Lori Quam with Upper Explorerland RPC, at 563-864-7551 or by email at lquam@uerpc.org.  You can also obtain an application online at http://uerpc.org/housing-trust-fund.html. 

... [ Read More ]

The UERPC July 2022 Newsletter is Here!

Posted: Mon, July 18, 2022

The UERPC July 2022 Newsletter is here! https://uerpc.org/newsletters.html

Highlights include:

  • UERPC Awarded Three Year Investment from EDA, Draft of 5-year CEDS Plan Available for Public Comment
  • Postville 5-2-1-0 Year One Wraps Up, Year Two Starting
  • UERPC Staff Scavenger Hunt
  • UERPC Notices
  • UERPC July Work Anniversaries
  • Job-related Resources
  • July 5-2-1-0 Feature

Want to receive our newsletter in your inbox? Sign up here: http://uerpc.org/newsletters.html 

... [ Read More ]

The UERPC June 2022 Newsletter is Here!

Posted: Mon, June 20, 2022

The UERPC June 2022 Newsletter is here! https://uerpc.org/newsletters.html

Highlights include:

  • COVID-19, Water/Sewer CDBG Funding Awarded to Northeast Iowa Cities
  • Funding Available for Upper Explorerland Regional Housing Authority Section 8 Program
  • Iowa Association of Councils of Governments Hosts Directors Retreat in Decorah
  • Successful Northeast Iowa Family STEM Festival Held
  • UERPC Mental Health Day Highlights
  • UERPC Notices
  • UERPC June Work Anniversaries
  • League of American Bicyclists Highlights UERPC's Safe Routes to School Program
  • UERPC Attends 4-State Economic Development Conference
  • UERPC Provides 360+ Helmets to Students! Borrow our Bike Safety Kit!
  • UERPC Staff Garden Party
  • June 5-2-1-0 Feature

Want to receive our newsletter in your inbox? Sign up here: http://uerpc.org/newsletters.html 

... [ Read More ]
[ View All News ]