Data is the backbone of good decision-making. That theory is at the heart of Heartland Forward’s newest initiative, The Center for Investment Readiness (CIR), which works to give local leaders access to the data they need to implement effective policies, spur economic growth and attract outside investment. 

CIR combines high-quality, localized data along with research insights and strategic partnerships into one hub intended to help leaders understand the state of play in their communities. Designed to supercharge the investments needed to promote economic development in heartland towns and change the narrative about the middle of the country, the initiative’s cornerstone goal is 30 by 2030–a pledge to partner with 30 communities with populations of 100,000 and below, in the five years following the program’s launch. 

Aligned with Heartland Forward’s three impact areas, CIR works to strengthen regional competitiveness, build the talent pipeline and invest in the health and wellness of communities across the heartland. The CIR Hub provides communities with data insights on everything from access to high-speed internet in their communities to educational attainment and health indicators and beyond. Most importantly, CIR meets communities where they are—meeting a distinct need for localized and actionable data to help drive change. 

Meeting a Need

“At Greater Iowa City, Inc., we believe in utilizing data as essential infrastructure for economic and community development, it is not a supplemental or optional tool. Greater IC uses data to guide investment, align partners, measure readiness, and ensure long‑term regional resilience in our programs and opportunities.” 

Nancy Bird, President and CEO, Greater Iowa City Inc. 

While data-driven economic development is highly impactful, it can also be costly and time-consuming. Gathering the data that small communities need in order to drive effective local policy for economic development can be challenging. Data sets relevant for smaller towns can be scattered, incomplete or out of date. 

CIR’s dashboard provides community leaders with the information needed to fully incorporate data-driven decisionmaking into their everyday governance practice, but the initiative does more than hand local leaders the numbers. CIR provides the wrap-around support to communities they may not otherwise have the resources, staff or time to implement. 

“We are excited to partner with communities to pair data with action—linking education to jobs, growing small businesses, advancing AI, expanding health and overall economic opportunity. CIR will empower communities to shape their future and strengthen the heartland’s position as the third-largest economy in the world.” 

Angie Cooper, President, Heartland Forward

Collaboration between Heartland Forward and the CIR communities is paramount to the success of the initiative and to community growth. The first step in that work involves on-the-ground visits to each community to meet with local leaders face-to-face, get aligned on priorities and goals and get a head start at defining success. 

On-the-Ground Collaboration

Over the past several months, Heartland Forward’s CIR team has worked on the ground with the inaugural CIR communities—Enid, Oklahoma; Hutchinson, Kansas; Iowa City, Iowa; and Perry, Oklahoma—to align priorities and begin implementation.

In these initial meetings, local leaders consistently expressed a strong interest in benchmarking their communities against peer towns that have successfully attracted investment as a helpful reference point in charting a path forward. While there is deep pride in existing accomplishments, leaders are eager to use CIR’s data and tools to guide growth over the next five to ten years.

Benchmarking against peer communities has already revealed strengths and challenges that were not previously identifiable in other data. In one community, for example, leaders were pleased to learn that an under-construction power plant will increase their electricity generation capacity to a uniquely high level among similar communities. CIR enables communities to identify these advantages and gaps and translate them into policies that support future investment.

Several communities have already incorporated CIR insights into city strategic plans just weeks after kickoff, demonstrating the impact and clarity that localized data provides. While common trends—such as aging populations, rising childcare costs and barriers for first-time homebuyers—emerge across the cohort, each community’s path to investment readiness is shaped by the tailored, place-based collaboration at the core of CIR.

Coming Together for Development

Collaboration is central to Heartland Forward’s strategy for driving impact. By working closely with community leaders, CIR strengthens local capacity and informs their economic development strategies in real time. Each community’s dashboard is developed in partnership with local leaders, ensuring it is tailored to their specific priorities, and communities are already putting those insights to work.