Economic Prosperity

Economic Prosperity includes 9 recommendations across 3 sub-categories: Employment, Housing, and Business. The bar chart below highlights the status of the 9 recommendations. Scroll down to the Recommendation Tracker for details. Status information reflects the community's work toward each recommendation.

Recommendation Highlight - Identify markets and sites for new homes #A2a

Click the image to learn about Dubuque's efforts to increase affordable housing.

The Collective Impact Model

The Collective Impact Model is the vehicle we use to implement the plan. It relies on organizations working together in a structured way, to achieve social change. The model relies on:

A Common Agenda
Shared Measurements
Mutually Reinforcing Activities
Continuous Communication
A Strong Backbone Organization

Each of the seven categories has a Connector and every recommendation has a Coordinator, which is the subject expert. Champions are the boots-on-the-ground; they are the programs, organizations, people, projects, events and initiatives doing the work of the plan. Click here for an infographic illustrating the model.

Recommendation Identification

Connect With Us

A dedicated team of Dubuque residents and community partners are helping turn our city's comprehensive plan, into a reality. These coordinators, connectors, and champions are tracking progress across each of the 7 categories, 32 subcategories and 110 recommendations of Imagine Dubuque.

For information on the Economic Prosperity Category, contact Connector Jill Connors, Economic Development Director at the City of Dubuque, 563-589-4392 or jilconno@cityofdubuque.org.

For additional information on Imagine Dubuque, contact Assistant Planner Jason Duba at the City of Dubuque, 563-589-4223 or jduba@cityofdubuque.org.

Tracking Definitions

Needs Resources: Recommendation implementation has not yet begun. Needs will vary and may include funding, coordination, time, and staffing. The impacts of Covid may be a root cause of resource needs, deferment, and disruption of implementation timelines.

Getting Started: Recommendation implementation is in the early stages of moving forward by way of active organizing, connecting with partners, planning and data collection, and/or a few early action items.

Underway: Recommendation implementation is moving forward, with multiple actions in motion and steady progress being made towards realizing the recommendation.

Complete / Ongoing: Recommendation implementation has been completed or is ongoing with continuity and growth in progress. Some recommendations will be ongoing because focus and attention is required to maintain and further the success of each recommendation.

City Council Priority Alignment 2021-2023

City Council Priorities reflect recommendations throughout Imagine Dubuque. Annually Council sets goals that contain Top and High Priorities. Thirteen priorities align with the 110 recommendations, some identifying with more than one. Additionally, the implementation of Imagine Dubuque was also identified as a High Priority.

To see a list of 2021-2023 City Council Priorities, click here. Additionally, look for language in the progress section for each recommendation to see if a priority aligns with it.

- Data will be updated bi-annually to align with Council Reports -

Recommendation tracker

Economic Prosperity: 9 recommendations

• Needs Resources • Getting Started • Underway • Complete/Ongoing

Employment Housing Business

Employment

RECOMMENDATIONS - AT A GLANCE

► Continue to diversify Dubuque’s economy - A1a *
► Develop a ‘hyper-local’ approach to diverse talent attraction/development - A1b
► Strengthen start-up businesses and entrepreneurial programming -A1c
► Continue work of Inclusive Dubuque / enhance economic resilience -A1d

RECOMMENDATIONS - DETAILS & STATUS

Continue ongoing efforts to diversify Dubuque’s economy, including all sectors and all employment types and categories. A1a * - Coordinator: Jason White, jasonw@greaterdubuque.org

► Status: Underway

As America's longest-running urban Main Street program, Dubuque Main Street pivoted in 2020 to support small businesses as they struggled to navigate how to stay open, relevant and safe during the pandemic. Signage, marketing and advocacy helped local businesses shift to alternative services, like curbside delivery of not just food, but everything from books to beer.
Cottingham & Butler and Heartland Financial USA purchased the Roshek Building in order to expand in the Dubuque market. Heartland has exceeded their projection for capital and jobs creation investment. Capital investment will exceed $15.5 million, with the creation of 420 full time equivalent positions, exceeding their required 348 jobs.
Simmons Pet Food purchased vacated Flexsteel Industries manufacturing plant in the Dubuque Industrial Center West, with plans to create 271 new full-time, living-wage jobs by 2023. Production at the facility began on July 1, 2021 with over 200 employees already on-staff, far exceeding initial employment projections.
Progressive Processing, a subsidiary of Hormel Foods, announced a $13 million plan to expand their facility and add 58 new jobs.
The 75 year old Dubuque Screw Products Inc. announced its physical expansion in order to accommodate 10 more employees in April 2022. “The growth in our sales over the past years continues to have us purchase more equipment and hire more people,” President Matt Scherr relays in a Telegraph Herald article dated April 45, 2022. “We have simply run out of space."
Walter Development (HODGE) has leased existing space on Chavenelle Road to Duluth Trading Company and Crown Holdings, two new employers to Dubuque who pledged to add a collective 116 jobs. Job numbers have significantly outpaced original commitments. A new distribution facility exceeding 220,000 square feet, was built by HODGE for Duluth Trading in 2020. The balance of the space vacated by Duluth Trading, has been leased by Crown Holdings for expanded production and warehousing and distribution of their finished product.

Convene local employers attracting talent from elsewhere and from the region, identify successes and challenges based upon local employer experiences, and develop a comprehensive ‘hyper-local’ approach to overall diverse talent attraction and development, including a local talent pipeline. A1b - Coordinator: Jason White, jasonw@greaterdubuque.org

► Status: Underway

Greater Dubuque Development Corporation's five year capital campaign for 2027 includes efforts to increase the County's workforce to more than 64,000 from 59,000, surpassing the workforce loss during the pandemic. Another goal is reach a median household income of $76,000 in the county over the next five years, up from about $63,000 in 2021 and $56,000 in 2017. (March 2022)
Greater Dubuque Development Corporation's InfoAction confers with 300 CEOs, while HR Action confers with human resource professionals from 60 businesses annually. Together, they aggregate data to inform business and the community.
The Tri-State Black Business Expo, organized by Tri-Phoenix Group, premiered in August 2021 to build connections and awareness between Black-owned business and consumers.
Greater Dubuque Development Corporation's Workforce Solutions team and AccessDubuqueJobs host events to connect employers and the potential workforce.
DubuqueWorks is a collaborative regional partnership of 18 employers, funding partners, workforce experts, and educators. The initiative focuses on human capital, skill development, and collaboration & valuation.
Big Life, Small City attracts, informs, and engages young people to return or stay in Dubuque.
Greater Dubuque Development's Retention Recruitment Creation strategy measures the temperature of newcomers to understand what's working (and what's not) in Dubuque.

Continue to strengthen existing start-up business and entrepreneurial programming to develop a comprehensive entrepreneurial eco-system. This system should include programs and resources, including funding, for entrepreneurs through Stage 2 growth. A1c - Coordinator: Jill Connors, jilconno@cityofdubuque.org

► Status: Getting Started

Greater Dubuque Development Corporation's Future Leadership Team explores issues and best practices in business and industry, community, non-profits, and education.
The Tri-State Black Business Expo, organized by Tri-Phoenix Group, premiered in August 2021 to build connections and awareness between Black-owned business and consumers.
The Tri-Phoenix Group's Goldie Pages DBQ is a directory of Black-owned businesses.
City support through the Economic Development Department of the Fountain of Youth Program, which connects low-moderate income individuals to small business grants of up to $3,000 each. (August 2021)
Program & Initiatives:
- Dupaco Virtual Entrepreneur Lab
- BizHub at Key City Creative Center
- Open 4 Business through Dubuque Main Street financially supports innovative work in collaboration with Iowa Main Street.

Continue the current work of Inclusive Dubuque, also formulating strategies to enhance economic resiliency and mitigate the impact of economic disruptions locally. A1d - Coordinator: Alex Baum, alex@dbqfoundation.org

► Status: Ongoing

The Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque's New Business Leader Equity Cohort has over 30 local CEOs providing support to emerging leaders.
Dubuque College Access Network post-secondary training & education with 50 partners. Read more about a grant supporting this effort.
The City of Dubuque scores 100% on the 2020 Municipal Equality Index, demonstrating the support of LGBTQ people who work and live in Dubuque.
As the Dubuque region grows more racially and ethnically diverse, the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque’s Inclusive Dubuque team has created the new DEI Toolkit, a collection of resources that local organizations can use on their DEI learning journeys.
A modification to the City's code in Fall 2021 provided more flexibility to include a registered child development home as a permitted use in office, industrial and zoning districts.
The Dubuque Cultural Resource Guide is a list of available resources for the diverse people in Dubuque, whether they have lived here many years, are newcomers, or are considering making this community their home.
City Council Priority Alignment 2021-2023:
- Equitable Poverty Prevention & Reduction Plan Implementation
- Childcare Initiative

Housing

RECOMMENDATIONS - AT A GLANCE

► Identify markets and sites for new homes - A2a
► Foster development of new and additional housing products - A2b
► Continue work of Inclusive Dubuque to enhance economic resiliency - A2c

RECOMMENDATIONS - DETAILS & STATUS

Work with local residential realtors to understand why families choose or do not choose Dubuque when purchasing a new home. Once understood, use this data to identify suitable development sites for new homes. A2a - Coordinator: Alexis Steger, asteger@cityofdubuque.org

►Status: Underway

Presentations from City Economic Development, Housing & Community Development and Planning Services departments help educate the local realtors about neighborhood revitalization and incentives.
The interactive financial incentives map supports reinvestment in existing, walkable neighborhoods that are close to shopping, schools, places of worship and services.
Multiple private and public programs contribute to creating quality housing, revitalizing downtown neighborhoods.

Foster the development of new and additional housing products in suitable locations throughout the City. A2b - Coordinator: Alexis Steger, asteger@cityofdubuque.org

► Status: Underway

The increase in housing inventory is supported by Housing & Historic Tax Credit programs, and local Urban Renewal and Urban Revitalization districts and Workforce Housing grants. See Financial Incentives Map for more.
Examples include: Gardens of Dubuque, Roosevelt West, Full Circle Communities, Sky Blue Development, and Marquette Hall.

Continue the current work of Inclusive Dubuque, also formulating strategies to enhance economic resiliency and mitigate the impact of economic disruptions locally. A2c - Coordinator: Alex Baum, alex@dbqfoundation.org

► Status: Underway

Housed at Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, Inclusive Dubuque continues outreach, research and education.
Targeted assistance for those affected economically during the COVID-19 pandemic, focused on preventing evictions and assisting those who are rent-burdened. Stakeholders include Inclusive Dubuque, City of Dubuque's Housing & Community Development Department, Catholic Charities, and St. Vincent DePaul.

Business

RECOMMENDATIONS - AT A GLANCE

► Enhance broadband service to align with business/employment growth - A3a
► Strengthen Dubuque as a regional retail destination - A3b

RECOMMENDATIONS - DETAILS & STATUS

Work with the city’s broadband providers to ensure the city’s technological future, given its implications for the city’s business growth and employment growth. A3a - Coordinator: Dave Lyons, davel@greaterdubuque.org

► Status: Underway

Broadband Planning Team, led through Greater Dubuque Development Corporation, strives toward redundancy of service for business areas (at 100%) and the goal of 100% coverage at homes. Check their website for up to date provider lists and information.
The continued laying of fiber increases access across the community and creates healthy competition, which lowers pricing and increases service for consumers and businesses.
Redundancy is good, especially for fire and Emergency Management Services (EMS) which cannot afford to lose signal. Both private sector and City fiber are installed, and in some cases each may share with the other.
Fiber optics have the opportunity to support all types of systems through Dubuque. For water delivery, it's an improvement from radio, helping with monitoring, breaks, towers, pump and lift stations. By helping to monitor, it prevents breaks and costs.
Fiber optics are critical for the 5G network and the City's STREETS program, which leads nationally with premier video surveillance technology, making Dubuque streets safer and its traffic more efficient.
Learn more about the community's need for broadband and its work to utilize data to make the case for strengthening it's broadband capacity through an article published by ESRI. (October 2021)
City Council Priority Alignment 2021-2023:
- Community Broadband Expansion

Collaborate with Kennedy Mall ownership and surrounding major centers to support regional retail. A3b - Coordinator: Jason White, jasonw@greaterdubuque.org

► Status: Getting Started

Greater Dubuque Development Corporation's (GDDC) Retail Strategies report provides companies with important information about the market and recruitment efforts. GDDC utilizes LOIS, a national inventory of retail, commercial and industrial property, and maintains contact with retail centers including Plaza 20, Cafaro properties and Platinum properties.
Greater Dubuque Development Corporation's InfoAction confers with 300 CEOs, while HR Action confers with human resource professionals from 60 businesses annually. Together, they aggregate data to inform business and the community.