Skip to Content
background texture image

News & Stories

Image of 2022 Public Policy Priorities

January 28, 2022 | Public Policy

Public Policy Priorities Revealed

​In December, the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance and Iowa City Area Business Partnership announced our 2022 public policy priorities for the ICR region. After months o...

Read Post
Image of a transformational Projects

January 28, 2022 | Economic Development & Workforce

A Transformational Project Breaks Ground in Downtown After Years of Anticipation

On December 15, 2021, City leaders and national real estate developer, TWG, took a sledgehammer to a project they’ve been working to get started on for many years. 515 Fourt...

Read Post
Lights for decoration

December 21, 2021 | Business Support

Last Minute Buy Local Gift Ideas

Economic Alliance unveils "Our Favorite Things" - A Business List for Last Minute Gift Buying...

Read Post
A group people

December 16, 2021 | Leadership for Five Seasons

LFS Class of 2021 Presents Check to Advocates for Social Justice

The Leadership for Five Seasons (LFS) Class of 2021 capped off their successful year of leadership education and community betterment projects with a check presentation to Adv...

Read Post
Image of bubbles

December 16, 2021 | Economic Development & Workforce

Iowa’s Child Care Initiatives Take Shape

​Child care has long been an issue for Iowa’s working families. Some businesses are now seeing their growth impeded or impacted by a lack of workforce, which once again hi...

Read Post
Let's Rally buy give grow

December 16, 2021 | Business Support

Buy. Give. Grow. – A Community Effort to Keep Things Local This Holiday Season

Buy. Give. Grow. highlights 15 selected businesses and organizations and the unique products and services they bring to our area. We ask that you consider these places to dona...

Read Post
Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance

December 16, 2021 | Economic Development & Workforce

Workforce: The Great Reshuffle

​In a noisy digital world, it’s easy to get caught up in headlines and begin noticing common themes when scrolling through our feeds. Themes that seem to be trending inclu...

Read Post
Image of a bridge

November 23, 2021 | Economic Development & Workforce

$20M Community Betterment Project Breaks Ground in Cedar Rapids

Work has officially begun on a community project that many believe will spur economic development in downtown Cedar Rapids. The project called ConnectCR broke ground at Cedar ...

Read Post
Magna Logo

November 23, 2021 | Economic Development & Workforce

A Major Capital Investment and Hundreds of New Jobs Headed to Williamsburg

​Williamsburg Manufacturing, which produces numerous high quality vehicle components, is adding a new product line and making a $46 million capital facility upgrade in the p...

Read Post
Image of a bridge

November 23, 2021 | Economic Development & Workforce

$1.5M in State Money Awarded to Cedar Rapids Downtown Housing Projects

​Two downtown housing projects received a major funding boost from the State of Iowa when the Iowa Economic Development Authority awarded redevelopment tax credits last mont...

Read Post
Leadership for five season

October 18, 2021 | Business Support

LFS Classes of 2022 Off to a Busy Start

​All three of the Leadership for Five Seasons (LFS) Classes of 2022 are off to a sprinting start! Each group is eager and excited to learn more about the community they live...

Read Post
Image of a video call

October 18, 2021 | Economic Development & Workforce

Workforce: Ideas to Navigate This Challenging Landscape

​Workforce is the hot topic these days with businesses struggling to find qualified workers to fill many open positions. Recently, Dr. Kim Becicka, retired Vice President o...

Read Post
Flowers

September 30, 2021 | Economic Development & Workforce

Celebrating the Expansion of a Long-Standing International Business in Our Community

​It’s easy to take for granted at times our long-standing history with international manufacturing and forget the important legacy we have right here in Cedar Rapids that ...

Read Post
Two people setting solar panel

July 28, 2021 | Economic Development & Workforce

Renewable Energy Considerations Impact Economic Development

​On a global level, the business debate over environmental responsibility or ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) is becoming readily visible on Wall Street. Recent ne...

Read Post
A person doing painting

July 28, 2021 | Community Development

Stronger Together: “We Are CR” Mural

​Our community and nation have been through much tragedy and tumult over the past 18 months, but during these tough times our community put its differences aside so that we ...

Read Post