Goals

Kossuth County Economic Development Corporation has been evolving these past few years to meet the challenges of economic development. Through the framework of the Board of Directors and many standing committees, they have placed their focus on establishing a proactive and strong organization that will enhance the growth for our area. Collaboration with local, regional, and state entities will provide future avenues of opportunities.

KCEDC has provided both direct and indirect economic impact within Kossuth County. The need for continual leadership, volunteerism to support the frame work of KCEDC and our county's future is critical. KCEDC has identified their projected goals for 2007, along with identifying their many accomplishments from 1999 to 2006.

2007 Goals

• Obtain adequate financial support to ensure the continuing existence of KCEDC/PACEDC.
• Review the service agreement with Palo Alto County Economic Development Corporation (PACEDC); continue promoting and assisting to nurture this regional partnership.
• Work with Iowa Lakes Community College in identifying and promoting the business training classes that will assist our existing business and industry.
• Continue to work with North Iowa Area Community College Pappajohn Accelerator to assist Entrepreneurs or start up businesses that need mentoring or venture funding.
• Continue to work on existing industry retention and workforce attraction through financial packaging, permitting and regulatory assistance and infrastructure development.
• Promote the availability for the County for a Revolving Loan Fund to prospective businesses and existing business expansions.
• Work on unified and cooperative initiatives to support the growth of the region (Highways, State and Federal Legislative Issues, etc.)
• Continue to update and research data collections, sites and buildings database, labor sheds, wage and benefits survey, target industry, community profiles and other demographics. Post on the KCEDC website the information for Location One Information System (LOIS)
• Work with Kossuth County businesses who are located within a designated Enterprise Zone and that are interested in applying for the Enterprise Zone benefits.
• Continue to schedule Business/Industry Call Visits.
• As Executive Director of Kossuth/Palo Alto County, will serve on the Professional Developers of Iowa Exec. Board as Vice President.
• Continue to move toward a unified partnership through a 9-county concept with Mid Iowa Growth Partners regional organization. Executive Director will serve as past president for MIGP.
• Encourage KCEDC Staff to continue to attend educational training classes and obtain higher levels of certifications.
• Assist with Kossuth County’s National Television Broadcast on CNN’s “Pulse on America.”
• KCEDC will assist in promoting Renewable Energy by marketing.
• Work with Site Selectors through targeted marketing programs, to initiate future development and expansions.
• Promote “How To Do Business in Kossuth County” document to banks and startup businesses.
• Identify and establish a group of younger business leaders and professionals to assist KCEDC’s efforts in training and educating future leaders of our county.
• Continue to enhance the KCEDC Career Intern Program business training, along with actively promoting towards prospective workforce.
• Promote and enhance the Kossuth County Community Foundation.
• Continue to assist in promoting the State of Iowa and Kossuth County in the “Sell Iowa Trips.”
• Encourage communities to identify incentives that will assist in community sustainability such as tax increment financing, tax abatement, community revolving loan funds and start-up initiatives.
• Acknowledge communities who are initiating community betterment through downtown revitalization, parks or housing development.
• Continue to educate local executives on the availability of federal and state-funded financial and technical programs.
• Support legislative advocacy and development at local, federal and state levels.
• Promote “Christmas Around Kossuth County” statewide for communities as they promote retail activity during the holiday shopping season.
• Distribute the new Kossuth County Visitor’s Guide “Snapshot of Kossuth.”
• Support the various goals of the Communication’s Committee, CEO Business/Industry Committee, City Clerks, Career/Intern Committee and Ag Committee.
• Continue to work with the Targeted Small Business Task Force in revising the program, along with identifying adequate dollars needed to fund this program.

2006 Goals

• Obtain adequate financial support to ensure the continuing existence of KCEDC.
• Continue to work on existing industry retention and workforce attraction through financial packaging, permitting and regulatory assistance and infrastructure development.
• Continue to schedule Business/Industry Call Visits.
• Promote the availability for the County for a Revolving Loan Fund for prospective businesses and existing business expansions.
• Continue to move toward a unified partnership through a 9-county concept with Mid Iowa Growth Partners regional organization. Executive Director will serve as president for MIGP.
• Work on a marketing initiative under the umbrella of ILCC for these 5 counties: Kossuth, Clay, Dickinson, Palo Alto and Emmet.
• Work with Site Selectors through targeted marketing programs, to initiate future development and expansions.
• Promote the newly published “How To Do Business in Kossuth County” document to banks and startup businesses.
• Encourage KCEDC Staff to continue to attend educational training classes and obtain higher levels of certifications.
• Continue to assist communities in identifying and designating Enterprise Zones in Kossuth County until March, 2006.
• Work with Kossuth County businesses who are located within a designated Enterprise Zone and that are interested in applying for the Enterprise Zone benefits.
• Continue to update and research data collections, sites and buildings database, labor sheds, wage and benefits survey, target industry, community profiles and other demographics. Post on the KCEDC website.
• Work on unified and cooperative initiatives to support the growth of the region (Highways, state and federal legislative issues, etc.)
• Identify and establish a group of younger business leaders and professionals to assist KCEDC’s efforts in training and educating future leaders of our county.
• Acknowledge communities who are initiating community betterment through downtown revitalization, parks or housing development.
• Encourage communities to identify incentives that will assist in community sustainability such as tax increment financing, tax abatement, community revolving loan funds and start-up initiatives.
• Continue to assist in promoting the State of Iowa and Kossuth County in the “Sell Iowa Trips.”
• Promote and enhance the Kossuth County Community Foundation. KCEDC Executive Director serves a one year term on the affiliates Board of Directors for Waterloo/Cedar Falls Community Foundation.
• Continue to enhance the KCEDC Career Intern Program business training, along with actively promoting towards prospective workforce.
• Continue to educate local executives on the availability of federal and state-funded financial and technical programs.
• Support legislative advocacy and development at local, federal and state levels.
• Promote “Christmas in Kossuth County” statewide for communities as they promote retail activity during the holiday shopping season.
• Distribute the new Kossuth County Visitor’s Guide “Snapshot of Kossuth.”
• Support the various goals of the Ag Committee, Career/Intern Committee, CEO Business/Industry Committee, City Clerks, Marketing Committee, and Tourism Committee.
• Establish an Entrepreneurship Committee to promote and encourage new business endeavors.

2005 Goals

• Obtain adequate financial support to ensure the continuing existence of KCEDC.
• Promote the availability for the County for a Revolving Loan Fund for prospective businesses and existing business expansions.
• Finalize, publish and promote the “How To Do Business in Kossuth County” document to banks and startup businesses.
• Sponsor and promote start-up seminars to coincide with our “How To Do Business In Kossuth County.”
• Assist in identifying and designating Enterprise Zones.
• Formulate and promote the High School Leadership Program. This will assist and promote Kossuth County Businesses with possible future employment.
• Continue to enhance the KCEDC Career Intern program and promote to prospective workforce.
• Promote and enhance the Kossuth County Community Foundation.
• Continue to assist in promoting the State of Iowa and Kossuth County in the “Sell Iowa Trips.”
• Educate the new KCEDC Board of Directors with attending and promoting Board workshops and training classes. This will assist in implementing a better understanding of developing a Business/Market Plan for KCEDC.
• Continue to move toward a unified partnership through a 10-county concept with Mid Iowa Economic Development Corporation regional organization.
• Work with Site Selectors through targeted marketing programs, to initiate future development and expansions.
• Encourage KCEDC Staff to continue to attend educational training classes and obtain higher levels of certifications.
• Create a statistical document that is a quick overview of Kossuth County. Post on the KCEDC website, along with inserts in our targeted marketing piece.
• Assist with marketing and promoting a seminar with Kossuth County Farm Bureau on the “Economic Impact Study-Livestock in Kossuth County.”
• Encourage communities to identify incentives that will assist in community sustainability such as tax increment financing, tax abatement, community revolving loan funds and start-up initiatives.
• Promote “Christmas in Kossuth County” statewide for communities as they promote retail activity during the holiday shopping season.
• Distribute the newly revised Kossuth County Visitor’s Guide.
• Continue to educate local executives on the availability of federal and state-funded financial and technical programs.
• Acknowledge communities who are initiating community betterment through downtown revitalization, parks or housing development.
• Continue to assist communities in identifying and establishing Enterprise Zones in Kossuth County.
• Work with Kossuth County businesses who are located within a designated Enterprise Zone and that are interested in applying for the Enterprise Zone benefits.
• Identify and establish a group of younger business leaders and professionals to assist KCEDC’s efforts in training and educating future leaders of our county.
• Support the various goals of the Ag Committee, Career/Intern Committee, CEO Business/Industry Committee, City Clerks, Marketing Committee, and Tourism Committee.

2004 Goals

• Obtain adequate financial support to ensure the continuing existence of KCEDC.
• Promote the availability for the County for a Revolving Loan Fund for prospective businesses and existing business expansions
• Define efforts to retain existing business/industry.
• Need to complete the County Community Planning.
• Need to complete the County Housing Needs Assessment.
• Implement the Restructuring of KCEDC that will drive economic development and develop a stronger commitment through private and public partnership.
• Continue to enhance the KCEDC Career Intern program and promote to prospective workforce.
• Continue to move toward a unified partnership through a 10-county concept with Mid Iowa Economical Development Corporation regional organization.
• Initiate our targeted marketing through prospect packet/ “Sell Kit” to be distributed to prospective business and industry.
• Work with Site Selectors’ through targeted marketing programs, to initiate future development and expansions.
• Encourage communities to identify incentives that will assist in community sustainability such as tax increment financing, tax abatement, community revolving loan funds and start-up initiatives.
• Promote “Christmas in Kossuth County” statewide for communities as they promote retail activity during the holiday shopping season.
• Will publish and distribute the Kossuth County Visitor’s Guide.
• Continue to educate local executives on the availability of federal and state-funded financial and technical programs.
• Acknowledge communities who are initiating community betterment through downtown revitalization, parks or housing development.
• Continue to assist communities in identifying and establishing Enterprise Zones in Kossuth County.
• Work with Kossuth County businesses who are located within a designated Enterprise Zone and that are interested in applying for the Enterprise Zone benefits.
• Identify and establish a group of younger business leaders and professionals to assist KCEDC’s efforts in training and educating future leaders of our county.
• Support the various goals of the Ag Committee, Career/Intern Committee, CEO Business/Industry Committee, City Clerks, Marketing Committee, and Tourism Committee.

2003 Goals

• Obtain adequate financial support to ensure the continuing existence of KCEDC.
• Establish a Revolving Loan Fund available to prospective businesses and existing business expansions
• Continue to attain seed money for the Kossuth County Revolving Loan Fund.
• Define efforts to retain existing business/industry.
• Initiate our targeted marketing through prospect packet/“Sell Kit” to be distributed to prospective business and industry.
• Work with Site Selectors’ through targeted marketing programs, to initiate future development and expansions.
• Continue to assist communities in identifying and establishing Enterprise Zones in Kossuth County.
• Work with Kossuth County businesses who are located within a designated Enterprise Zone and that are interested in applying for the Enterprise Zone benefits.
• Restructuring KCEDC to assist driving economic development and stronger commitment through private and public partnership.
• Acknowledge communities who are initiating community betterment through downtown revitalization, parks or housing development.
• Encourage communities to identify incentives that will assist in community sustainability such as tax increment financing, tax abatement, community revolving loan funds and start-up initiatives.
• Promote “Celebrate Christmas in Kossuth County” statewide for all 13 communities as they promote retail activity during the holiday shopping season.
• Will publish and distribute the Kossuth County Visitor’s Guide.
• Continue to educate local executives on the availability of federal and state-funded financial and technical programs.
• Facilitate strategic planning for all 13 communities.
• Enhance the KCEDC Intern program and promote to prospective workforce.
• Identify and establish a group of younger business leaders and professionals to assist KCEDC’s efforts in training and educating future leaders of our county.
• Support the various goals of the Ag Committee, Career/Intern Committee, CEO Business/Industry Committee, City Clerks, Marketing Committee, and Tourism Committee.

2002 Goals

2001 Goals