ECIA ECIA
East Central Intergovernmental Association ECIA
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Services to Businesses


Business Loans

Revolving Loan Funds

Revolving Loan Funds are targeted primarily to manufacturers for the purchase of equipment. The objective of the RLF's are private sector job creation and capital formation for expansion or start-up projects. Features include below market interest rates, filling financial gaps, and leveraging private sector funds. There are four revolving loan funds operated by ECIA Business Growth:
  • ECIA Regional Revolving Loan Fund
  • EDA Revolving Loan Fund
  • Dubuque County Intermediary Revolving Loan Fund
  • Jackson County Revolving Loan Fund
  • Eligibility

  • Business owner must be a US citizen or resident alien with a green card
  • ECIA and EDA funds are available to any business in the five-county region
  • Jackson County Fund is reserved for businesses in Jackson County
  • Dubuque County Fund is for businesses within the County but outside the City of Dubuque
    • Dubuque County requires the starting wage of new jobs to be at 75% of the average county wage
    • Financing of speculative buildings is allowed under the Dubuque County Fund

    Loan Amounts

  • Minimum: flexible at $50,000
  • Maximum: $250,000
  • Uses of Loan Proceeds

  • Acquisition of machinery and equipment
  • Advantages

  • Below market interest rates
  • Provides gap financing
  • Matches term of loan to life of assets being financed
  • Meets local match dollar requirement for IDED funding
  • Creates jobs and wealth
  • Can be combined with other loan programs like SBA 504
  • Recently Approved Projects

    Since 1983, approximately 96 RLF loans have been approved representing financing of over $13,232,533 and resulting in the creation or retention of over 4,344 jobs.
    • $179,000 to Carlisle Ryan Digital Services, Inc. of Dubuque
    • $187,500 to Kalot Industries, Inc. of DeWitt
    • $187,500 to Summit Building Systems, Inc. of DeWitt
    • $255,000 to Eagle Tool Company, Inc. of Dyersville
    • $809,000 Total for 2005-2006

Featured Company

"We are very pleased with our results to date. Our food and beverage revenues are exceeding projections, and our league revenues are 20% higher than anticipated." - Jerry David Co-Owner, Courtside
The combined experiences of Ann Cunningham and Jerry David have brought an amazing new hot spot to the Dubuque area. Courtside is the first full-scale sports bar in the Dubuque area and contains 3 indoor basketball/volleyball courts and 2 outdoor sand volleyball courts. The sports bar portion covers 9,000 square feet, has 30 televisions, and provides seating for over 200. The indoor and outdoor courts cover another 17,000 square feet providing plenty of space for league play, team practice, and sports camps. This is a total of 26,000 square feet with room for expansion on 3 acres of land. The opening of Courtside only one year ago has created 12 full-time equivalent positions.

Information and Referral

Special Project Funding

Loans

The SBA 504 Program is a loan program that ECIA provides in cooperation with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the local banking community. ECIA is currently providing 10- and 20-year fixed rate loans to businesses. ECIA will finance fixed assets such as land, buildings, and equipment. ECIA also operates four Revolving Loan Funds.

Job Training

The vision for Iowa's Workforce Development System is to provide an efficient, effective, and convenient system that helps job-seekers find jobs and assists businesses in finding skilled workers. This system is also intended to give job-seekers and employers access to information that will assist them in developing their career plans or planning for their labor force needs.

Programs

As a partner in Iowa Workforce Development System, ECIA's Employment and Training Department operates a variety of programs designed to provide employment and training opportunities for low-income people and other special groups. The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) offers assistance to workers who have been laid off, as well as low income youth and adults seeking employment. This program also offers financial incentives to businesses who participate in on-the-job training. In addition, we administer the Promise Jobs Program to assist welfare recipients in becoming self-sufficient.

Do you own or operate a business and need quality workers?

We can provide you with job candidates who have been screened, tested, and have the skills and abilities you are looking for. In some cases, if you are willing to train qualifying individuals on the job and retain them once their training ends, we can provide a 50% wages subsidy for up to six months during the training period.

Public Transit

Prosperity Eastern Iowa

 

 

 

 

 

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