The Southern Iowa Council of Governments (SICOG) actively participates in community development by providing technical assistance to local governments in the following areas:
Grant Writing and Administration
SICOG assists local governments to secure grants and loans from state and federal agencies by assisting with grant applications. These funds help finance a variety of community improvement projects. The funds have typically been used to complete a variety of infrastructure upgrades and repairs, community facilities, housing projects, and public infrastructure projects. SICOG administers a variety of grants for communities, the most prevalent being the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.
Special projects
SICOG provides technical assistance for community and regional projects relating to the well-being of the area. These special projects include urban revitalization plans for tax abatements, urban renewal plans for tax increment financing, and housing programs.
*With growth and economic development goals, elected officials and community staff are challenged to meet infrastructure needs, implement land use controls and manage community resources wisely and cost effectively. SICOG staff can provide assistance with information and resources on comprehensive planning, zoning and subdivision regulation, land use planning, infrastructure and service planning and implementation, annexation studies, etc.
