Skip to Content
background texture image

News & Stories

June 3, 2024 | Economic Development & Workforce

Collaborative Growth Partners Seek Director

The area’s Collaborative Growth Initiative will take another step forward with the launch this week of a search for a full-time leader of the effort. The new director-level ...

Read Post
Public Policy Update

May 8, 2024 | Public Policy

Public Policy Update: 2024 Legislative Session Comes to End

Each year, the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance puts forth public policy priorities after much consultation and input from our members. Together as a region, along with ou...

Read Post
Evan McGuire, Colin Glandon, and Jennifar Bassett make up the Downtown Cedar Rapids team.

May 3, 2024 | Downtown Cedar Rapids

Downtown Team – Year Round Commitment

As you walk or drive through Downtown Cedar Rapids, you likely take some things for granted. Sidewalks being cleared of snow. Beautiful flowers planted in the spring. Festive ...

Read Post
Public Policy Update

April 19, 2024 | Public Policy

Public Policy Update: Iowa Legislative Session Nears End

We are nearing the end of the 2024 Iowa legislative session as lawmakers work to finalize budgets and other policy priorities. Tuesday marked the last day lawmakers were eligi...

Read Post
Public Policy Update

April 5, 2024 | Public Policy

Public Policy Update: Budget Work Begins in the Final Weeks

Legislators have 11 days until the scheduled conclusion of the session, and when their per diems’ end. The one thing legislators must do each session is pass budget bills fo...

Read Post
Public Policy Update

March 28, 2024 | Public Policy

Public Policy Update: Priorities Move Forward and the Impact of Clarkonomics

Last Friday marked the second, and final, legislative funnel of the session. Any policy bills had to have passed one chamber and advanced out of full committee in the opposite...

Read Post
Clarkonomics

March 21, 2024 | Economic Development

New Report from Common Sense Institute Spotlights “Clarkonomics”

From the court to the economy, Caitlin Clark's impact on Iowa is remarkable! Love Iowa basketball and the Iowa State Fair? The #CaitlinClarkEffect increased state GDP $14.4 to...

Read Post
Van Meter Team

March 21, 2024 | Business Support, Buy 319

Van Meter Inc. Cares A Lot About Local

Last year, the Cedar Rapids Economic Alliance launched the BUY 319 campaign to promote supporting local amongst the business community. The success of this program was made po...

Read Post
Little Miss Finance

March 15, 2024 | Economic Development & Workforce, Member Stories

Little Miss Finance Cultivates Connections and Financial Education

Malia Gudenkauf, Founder of Little Miss Finance, came across her calling to become a financial educator after she graduated from college. ...

Read Post
Guide Wealth Partners

March 13, 2024 | Buy 319, Economic Development & Workforce

Not Too Small, Not Too Big, Cedar Rapids is Just Right

For nearly forty years, Guide Wealth Partners, formerly known as Securian Advisors MidAmerica, has been growing along with the Cedar Rapids metro community. Acting as a partne...

Read Post
Public Policy Update

March 11, 2024 | Public Policy

Public Policy Update: Legislators Head into Important Deadline Week

State Policy Update Committee hearings and floor debate were the focus of this week as legislators head into next week’s second and final funnel of the session. Any bills th...

Read Post
Public Policy Update

February 23, 2024 | Public Policy

Public Policy Update: Economic Alliance Priorities Moving Forward

The first funnel deadline of the 2024 session was last Friday. Following this deadline, hundreds of bills did not survive, making them ineligible to advance, with certain exce...

Read Post
Cedar Rapids Restaurant Week

February 22, 2024 | Business Support

Cedar Rapids Restaurant Week 2024 Kicks Off With Culinary Creativity and Tantalizing Treats

Nearly 20 restaurants debuted samples of dishes and drinks from their 2024 Cedar Rapids Restaurant Week signature menus. More than 200 attendees got to sample any and all thei...

Read Post
Economic Alliance Team at Annual Meeting

February 7, 2024 | Business Support, Membership

The Strongest Core Yet. Economic Alliance Celebrates Greatest Membership Growth in Organization History

A word that describes the heart of the organization. The year 2023 marks the history books as being the strongest membership growth ever in the organization’s 13-year histor...

Read Post
Public Policy Update

January 26, 2024 | Public Policy

Public Policy Update: New Bipartisan Policy Organization Launches in Iowa

State Public Policy After the pomp and circumstance of the first weeks of the 2024 Iowa legislative session, this week was full of committee and subcommittee hearings from pre...

Read Post