Iowa Farm Bureau

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Rural Vitality Team Presentation February 25,
2009
Iowa Farm Bureau
Rand Fisher, President Iowa Area Development Group
www.iadg.com
800-888-4743
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Rural Vitality Presentation
Opening Comments
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Rural Vitality Presentation
My Special Challenge. . . Join together in a
spirit of Gratitude, Worldly Perspective,
Determination and Resolve. Maintain
an Attitude of Gratitude
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Gratitude
Rural Vitality Presentation

• Americans live in abundance.
• We have unparalleled resources, freedom, wealth
  and opportunity.

Most people on this planet are challenged by
starvation, illiteracy and poverty.
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Worldly Perspective
Rural Vitality Presentation

• If we could shrink the earths population to 100
  people, with all the existing human ratios
  remaining the same, it would look something like
  this

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Worldly Perspective
Rural Vitality Presentation

• 57 Asians
• 21 Europeans
• 14 From the Western Hemisphere
• North South
• 8 Africans

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Worldly Perspective
Rural Vitality Presentation

• Female
• 48 Male
• 70 Non-white
• 30 White
• 70 Non-Christian
• 30 Christian

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Worldly Perspective
Rural Vitality Presentation

• 6 people would possess 59 percent of the entire
  worlds wealth and all 6 would be from the U.S.

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Worldly Perspective
Rural Vitality Presentation

• 80 would live in substandard housing
• 70 would be unable to read
• 50 would suffer malnutrition

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Worldly Perspective
Rural Vitality Presentation

• Would be near death
• Would be near birth
• Would be college educated
• Would own a computer

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Source - The Global Citizen
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Determination Resolve
Rural Vitality Presentation

• Americans should not only be thankful, they
  should be determined and resolved to make a
  difference in their community, country and the
  world.

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Leaders must . . .
Rural Vitality Presentation

• have an abundance mentality,
• think globally, and
• plan boldly!

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Presentation Overview
Rural Vitality Presentation

• Introduce Iowa Area Development Group
• Discuss Importance of Economic Development
• Share Interesting ED Facts Figures
• Present Ten Building Blocks for Community
  Vitality
• Address IFBF Questions Concerns

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IADG Powerful Partnerships... connecting
people and resources to grow businesses and
communities in Iowa!
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Membership
85 consumer owned electric utilities 150
independent telephone companies.
The economic development organization for Iowa
Rural Electric Cooperatives, associated
Municipal Utilities and INS.
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Sponsors
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Mission
Community Business
Development

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• Creating Sustaining An
• Economic Development Culture
• Among Member Utilities

JOB
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Strategy
Community Business
Development
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• Who started economic development?
• Q. What is economic development?
• Q. Why do economic development?

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• Economic development is about the creation of
  wealth. It focuses on
• people, jobs income,
• tax base, investment, entrepreneurship and
  innovation.

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In Free Markets

• People
• Places, and
• Products

Compete Cooperate to Win!
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Prosperity
Productivity
Competitiveness
Innovative Capacity
Michael Porter
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Productivity drives prosperity which leads to a
higher standard of living. The prosperity of a
state, region or community depends on the
productivity and innovation of its people and
places.
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Economic development is about the search for
competitive nations, states and regions. Profit
is the motivator in prudent site selection
decision making.
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In todays world, economic development is
increasingly driven by

• Partnerships
• Taxation,
• Regulation
• Incentives, and
• Human Talent

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Innovation has been called the only sustainable
competitive advantage in the 21st Century!
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Screening Locations
Operating Costs Labor Transportation Uti
lities Occupancy Taxes
Operating Conditions Supply/quality of
labor Union climate Training Availability Regulati
on
Quality of Life Housing Recreation
Education Healthcare
(Dont overlook initial start-up costs!)
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Discover Project Drivers
Every location decision is unique. Focus on the
search team and discover the projects economic
drivers.
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Economic Development Facts Figures
(Miscellaneous Iowa Rankings)
37th 41st 32nd 43rd

• Percent of Pop. With B.A. Degrees
• Percent of Pop. With Advances Degrees
• College Retention Rate
• High Tech Employment
• High Tech Wages

IA 49
(U.S. Avg. 71.3)
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More Miscellaneous Iowa Rankings

• Venture Capital Investment 44th
• Overall Business Starts 49th
• M E Investment/employees 36th
• State and Local Taxes/capita 27th
• Local Govt. Employees/resident 8th
• State Local Govt.Employees/resident 11th

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More Miscellaneous Iowa Rankings

• State Population 30th
• Gross State Product 26th
• Iowa Per Capita Income 27th
• Home Ownership 11th
• Electric Revenue/KwH (Industrial) 40th

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Ten Building Blocks for Community Vitality
1 Leadership
The foundation where it all begins!
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Leadership

• Leadership isnt
• Who you are or
• Where your are, its
• What you are.

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Six Principles of Leadership

• Purpose
• Passion
• Preparation
• Perspective
• Performance
• Perseverance

P
" "
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Leadership Expectations

• alues
• ision
• ictories

V
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Ten Building Blocks for Community Vitality
2 Research Assessment
Know Thyself
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• Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but
  they arent entitled to their own facts.

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Six Sector Analysis

• Economics
• Demographics
• Technology
• Environment
• Leadership
• Government

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" "
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Ten Building Blocks for Community Vitality
3 Planning
If you dont know where youre going, youre
likely to end up somewhere else.
Yogi Berra
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• Plans are dispensable.
• Planning is indispensable.

General Eisenhower
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Community Planning is Essential

• Begins with Values
• Embraces Research Analysis
• Encourages Goal Setting Prioritization
• Allows for Measurement, Reporting Celebration

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Establishing Community Values

• Harmony Respect
• Diversity
• Economic Strength Vitality
• Education
• Preservation of Small Town Life
• Cultural Richness, Arts Recreation

• Natural Environment
• Beautification
• Identity Reputation
• Civic Integrity
• Opportunity
• Children
• Seniors
• Working Families

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Ten Building Blocks for Community Vitality
4 Comprehensive Strategy
Dont put all your eggs in one basket!
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Multiple Strategies for Economic
DevelopmentCommunity Development Business
Development Go Hand in HandMake your community
a great place to

• Live
• Work
• Shop
• Play
• Invest

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Community Development Strategies

• Leadership Development
• Social Infrastructure
• Physical Infrastructure
• Workforce Development
• Entrepreneurial Development

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Business Development Strategies

• Existing Business Retention/Expansion
• Entrepreneurial Business Development
• Non-Traditional Business Development
• Business Industry Recruitment

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Ten Building Blocks for Community Vitality
5 Assist and Support
Existing Business Industry
Gardening vs. Hunting
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Competition is Fierce!

• 15,000 Organizations
• 1,500 Projects
• 150 Real Projects

Do the math . . .
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70 of new jobs and investment come from existing
business and industry!
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Ten Building Blocks for Community Vitality
6 Embrace "Non-traditional"
Business Development Ideas
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Embrace Non-traditional
Business Development Ideas

• Tourism/Recreation
• Retirement Development
• Historic Preservation
• Downtown Development
• Film Industry
• Natural Resource
• High Technology
• Entrepreneurship

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Be Distinct!

• Different places, different paths.

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Ten Building Blocks for Community Vitality
7 Attention to
Physical Environment
You only get one chance to make a first
impression
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• Stimulate community beautification
• and pride
• Plan and build thoughtfully
• Encourage stewardship of the
• natural environment

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These goals and values aremanifested in

• Sign ordinances
• Clean up days
• Design standards
• Capital improvement planning
• Gateway enhancement
• Nuisance control

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Ten Building Blocks for Community Vitality
8 Community Investment
Yes, it takes some money, So build
public/private partnerships!
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Maximize your Resources

• Grow your Tax Base
• Develop Your Community Foundation
• Explore Private/Public Partnerships
• Leverage State and Federal Programs

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Ten Building Blocks for Community Vitality
9 Marketing Promotion
Let people know youre special
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Promote Yourself

• Branding
• Community Website
• Public Relations
• Point of Presence
• Citizen Ambassadors/Networking
• Advertising Promotion

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Ten Building Blocks for Community Vitality
10 Think Work Regionally
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C
ommunication ooperation ollaboration

• Research
• Planning
• Promotion
• Workforce

• Public Relations
• Marketing
• Recruitment
• Technical Assistance

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One Final Thought!

• Measurement, Evaluation
• Continuous Improvement

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Run your civic and community organizations like
a business.
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Celebrate
Success
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Rural Vitality Presentation
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed individuals can change the world
indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

• Margaret Meade,
• Anthropologist