Contact:
Megan Milligan, President + CEO
Iowa Center for Economic Success
515-283-0940
www.theiowacenter.org
Des Moines, Iowa – Iowa Center for Economic Success (The Iowa Center) in collaboration with Muscatine Community College and Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine, was recently awarded a 3-year $295,000 grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. This grant will support the statewide expansion of The Iowa Center to Muscatine and the surrounding areas.
“It is our belief that to be successful in small business one needs support in education, capital, and networking. We provide that support through 1:1 counseling sessions, group classes, networking opportunities, access to capital, and many other services. Through this grant we will now have boots on the ground in the city of Muscatine and surrounding areas to support small business in that region. We are grateful to the community of Muscatine as well as the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine and the Muscatine Community College for their willingness to collaborate with us on this opportunity,” says Megan Milligan, President + CEO, Iowa Center for Economic Success
The Iowa Center has hired a Client Services Coordinator, Jordan Lloyd, who will be officing out of Muscatine Community College. Jordan will be available to meet with clients in person, over zoom, and phone, and facilitating meetings, events, classes, and coaching sessions. The Iowa Center has built key programs that support the core areas needed to empower individuals to succeed in small business, families to prosper, and communities to thrive, including:
- Hosting a robust lineup of classes and events with local experts designed to help Iowans become smarter, savvier and well-connected small business owners.
- Offering one-on-one coaching to connect clients with staff and experts who can guide them to the next steps in their entrepreneurial journey
- Providing loans up to $50,000 to help Iowans launch an idea or take and existing business to the next level.
Charla Schafer, Executive Director of Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine became an ally to The Iowa Center a few years ago helping make the choice of a partnership with Muscatine the natural choice. She shares, “Iowa Center for Economic Success empowers clients by educating, equipping, and emboldening them to successfully pursue entrepreneurial opportunities though the provision of foundational support and catalytic tools. Decades ago, local community leaders Dick and Mary Jo Stanley recognized the vision of the Iowa Center, as they worked alongside women and minorities to provide the linkage and tailored support to launch micro-enterprises. We are thrilled that The Iowa Center has chosen Muscatine to serve as its first satellite office outside of Des Moines, creating bettered economic futures for families in our community.”
Naomi DeWinter, Ed.D., President of Muscatine Community College said “We are eager to work with the team at Iowa Center for Economic Success in building up and supporting the diverse entrepreneurs within our community. Muscatine is brighter and stronger for its rich diversity. With the help of The Iowa Center and the generous gift from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, we will be able to focus efforts to grow small and family businesses which are minority-owned. These efforts can serve to lift up all small businesses in Muscatine county.”
The Greater Des Moines Partnership will also support this effort by helping to promote The Iowa Center to entrepreneurs in rural central Iowa.
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For more than 25 years, Iowa Center for Economic Success has been committed to empowering Iowans to pursue opportunities for financial success. Whether someone starts their relationship with us through our Education, Capital or Networking, our commitment remains the same: empowering them to turn good ideas into strong plans that result in financial success. www.theiowacenter.org
