ICDD 2025-2031 Strategic Plan

It is with great pride and optimism that we launched the Iowa City Downtown District’s organizational Strategic Plan for 2025–2031. This plan is the result of a six-month process filled with thoughtful evaluation, robust engagement, and forward-thinking visioning. It builds on over a decade of experience and positions us to meet the challenges and opportunities of the next five years with renewed focus and enthusiasm.

As we prepare for the renewal of our Self-Supported Municipal Improvement District (SSMID), this moment offers a meaningful opportunity to reflect, reimagine, and reenergize our work in service of Downtown Iowa City. Downtown Iowa City has always been more than a place—it is the cultural and economic heartbeat of our region. It is where creativity meets commerce, and where history and innovation coexist. This strategic plan reflects that spirit and charts a focused and strong path forward.

Whether it’s through activating and investing in place management, supporting local businesses, promoting and driving foot traffic, or investing in mobility and
infrastructure, we aim to ensure that Downtown Iowa City continues to be a place where all are welcome, and where everyone can thrive.

We are ready to move with a strong focus into the future. This is our chance to build on past successes while embracing new ideas, partnerships, and strategies to deepen our impact. I invite you to join us as we embark on this exciting new chapter—full of possibility, purpose, and progress.

About the Organization

The ICDD provides a leadership directive that advocates for the District mission and serves as a mechanism to more efficiently implement District-wide marketing, programs, events, and projects that support vitality for the benefit of all the businesses within it, the University of Iowa, community members, and the region at large. Since its inception, the Downtown District continues to forge an exciting and deliberate path forward towards cultural vibrancy, resiliency, and sustainability.

VISION

Downtown Iowa City is the creative and innovative heart of the region.

MISSION

The Iowa City Downtown District champions a thriving downtown economy, fostering a vibrant community and welcoming experiences for all.

VALUES

Big Thinking
Original & Authentic
Locally Conscious
Welcoming, Supportive & Collaborative

Strategic Planning Process

Between August 2024 and March 2025, the Iowa City Downtown District (ICDD) embarked on a strategic planning process, structured into three phases: assessment, planning, and implementation.

In the assessment phase, ICDD revisited its vision, mission, and values to ensure they were aligned with the current status of the organization and Downtown. Ultimately, these foundational elements evolved to better reflect the bright future envisioned by downtown stakeholders. Engaging a wide range of participants—including business and property owners, residents, ICDD board members, and institutional partners—provided critical insights that helped shape the organization’s strategic priorities for disproportionate emphasis over the next five years: Economic Vitality, Place Management, Leadership Partnership, & Coordination, and Organizational Infrastructure.

During the planning phase, strategic priorities were carefully refined through workshops with board members and community partners, which defined success for each priority and established measurable objectives.

In the final phase of the planning process, ICDD staff, board members, and community leaders developed initial tactics, implementation guidelines, and accountability measures to ensure the successful execution of the plan. This comprehensive, inclusive process ensures that ICDD is positioned to effectively serve and strengthen downtown Iowa City for years to come.

ECONOMIC VITALITY

PLACE MANAGEMENT

Economic accessibility
Development & redevelopment
Arts & culture
Economic development

High-quality events
Walkability & approachability
Community perceptions & downtown’s brand identity
Ambassador services
Placemaking

GOAL

A thriving downtown economy fosters a balance of business, university, arts and cultural activities, a well as residential and public spaces.

GOAL

Downtown enjoys the most vibrant sense of place in the region.

OBJECTIVES

Enhance downtown’s economic accessibility and desirability as a place to live, work, and visit.
Development & redevelopment proactively elevates downtown’s economy and character – with emphasis on high impact properties and attractor businesses.
Support the local arts & culture economy as the most creative place in the Midwest, including artists and downtown arts & cultural venues and events.
Collect and leverage data to support and inform economic development.

OBJECTIVES

Curate a finite portfolio of high- quality events that are intentionally targeted toward specific outcomes.
Increase downtown’s walkability & approachability – increasing foot traffic and promoting parking and transportation options for downtown users.
Continue to improve community perceptions and leverage downtown’s brand identity.
Sustain and grow ambassador services.
Sustain intentional, inclusive, and interactive placemaking.

LEADERSHIP, PARTNERSHIP, & COORDINATION

ORGANIZATIONAL

INFRASTRUCTURE

Advocate
Partnership & coordinated initiatives
Coordinate with UI Healthcare Downtown Campus

Funding
Board engagement, perspectives, & participation
Operational & advocacy capacity
Independent & community-based

GOAL

A coalition of community, city, university, and regional leaders continue to shape a vibrant, safe, and inclusive downtown.

GOAL

ICDD is an exciting, effective, and responsive organization with bold leadership and diverse resources.

OBJECTIVES

Advocate for downtown issues.
Consciously multiply ICDD’s impact by leveraging partnership & coordinated initiatives with the city, university and other regional
partners on critical issues.
Collaborate with UI Healthcare Downtown Campus as an active partner in downtown Iowa City.

OBJECTIVES

Increase overall funding by 15%.
Strengthen board engagement, perspectives, & participation in organizational
leadership.
Increase and allocate operational & advocacy capacity focused on strategic
priorities.
Reinforce our role as an independent, community-based nonprofit organization.

Implementation

The implementation of this five-year strategic plan for the Iowa City Downtown District will be a dynamic and iterative process, with specific tactics continuously refined through ongoing, detailed work planning. This adaptive framework includes:

Defining critical steps to advance strategic priorities.
Tracking progress through key metrics that will inform future actions and demonstrate the plan’s impact.
Identifying accountable individuals or partner organizations for each objective and tactic.

To initiate implementation and establish accountability ICDD staff in collaboration with its partners and Board of Directors, has developed a set of high-level metrics for each strategic priority. Monitoring progress against these metrics will enable the ICDD, its leadership, and partners to assess the plan’s effectiveness and guide future efforts.