Connect Lee County

A cohesive strategy that bridges our communities and industries, empowering us to address shared challenged and leverage new opportunities 

Connect Lee County is a collaborative effort spearheaded and facilitated by Lee County EDG

Under the People pillar, we’re focused on building a skilled workforce, attracting talent, and supporting entrepreneurs. Grow Lee leads this effort with programs from elementary STEM to adult upskilling through the Industrial Technology Center. A Talent Hub will connect employers to training, while the Community Concierge helps new residents settle in. We’re relaunching DreamBuilder and creating a startup fund by 2027. The Career Advantage Center will link education and industry. By 2026, we’ll have a talent strategy in place and aim to engage 80% of students annually in workforce programs.  

The Business pillar focuses on supporting local companies, attracting new industries, and eliminating barriers to growth. We will continue conducting business retention and expansion visits, aiming for 40 per year and 100 touchpoints annually, to better understand and respond to business needs. Our advocacy efforts will include annual state and federal events to push for policies that support a strong business environment. We will also target emerging industries, host two headquarters visits per year, and launch an annual business survey in 2025 to help guide strategy and measure impact.

Quality of Life efforts aim to make Lee County a more vibrant, welcoming place to live. We are completing a county-wide housing study and will form a taskforce to implement its recommendations. Community development efforts will build on momentum from recent visioning work in Keokuk and Fort Madison, expanding across the county to enhance amenities, public spaces, and overall livability.  

Connect Lee County is more than a strategy—it’s a unified vision for long-term success that aligns our people, businesses, and communities to create a stronger future for everyone in Lee County.