Iowa organizations flourish with help from UNI's Institute for Decision Making
Building a better Iowa with UNI's Institute for Decision Making
For more than 700 economic and community development organizations in Iowa and beyond, the University of Northern Iowa's Institute for Decision Making (IDM) has been a significant Institute for Decision Making.
Comprised of 11 individual outreach programs, this economic development arm of UNI Business and Community Services has been delivering tailored, innovative community-wide planning, straightforward organizational planning, technical assistance, applied research and training to Iowans concerned about their community's economic vitality for more than a quarter century.
IDM services include:
Setting direction through planning. Whatever an organization's issues are short or long term, it needs to be focused and efficient in its actions.
Marketing communities and organization. Whether an organization is planning to undertake a proactive or reactive marketing effort, it must have in place a well-thought-out marketing plan.
Conducting applied research. IDM's Target Industry Analysis assists organizations in better focusing business attraction efforts.
Guiding and managing organizations effectively. IDM can assist in inventorying the community and economic development programming provided by multiple development groups and organizations.
Expanding professional and volunteer development. IDM provides educational and informative training sessions focused on specialized topics related to the needs of an organization's economic development and community leadership.
Strengthening regional initiatives. IDM will design, facilitate and help an organization come to a consensus on the internal marketing aspects of its regional business development efforts.
"IDM's assistance has exceeded our expectations as a region. Members of the IDM staff were working with the various county economic development organizations prior to the availability of regional marketing dollars or the values fund program. IDM's extensive knowledge base regarding our regional challenges and needs adds greatly to the level of assistance we receive."
William Trickey, president, South Central Iowa Area Partnership