Greater Des Moines Partnership

Greater Des Moines Partnership
Name	Greater Des Moines Partnership
Type	Public-private economic development organization
Founded	1985
Location	Des Moines, Iowa, United States
Area served	Des Moines metropolitan area
Key people	CEO, Board Chair
Focus	Economic development, business attraction, regional marketing

Greater Des Moines Partnership is a public-private partnership headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa serving the Des Moines metropolitan area and surrounding counties. The organization operates as a regional business alliance engaging corporations, municipalities, educational institutions, and nonprofit stakeholders to attract investment, foster workforce development, and promote tourism. It collaborates with local leaders, multinational corporations, academic institutions, and civic organizations to position the region within national and international markets.

History

The organization traces roots to mid-20th century civic initiatives in Polk County, Iowa and coalitions that included business leaders from West Des Moines, Ankeny, Iowa, Johnston, Iowa, Waukee, Iowa, and Urbandale, Iowa. Early precursors involved chambers of commerce and economic boards tied to entities like Principal Financial Group, Wells Fargo, Bankers Trust, and regional development bodies influenced by municipal leaders from Clive, Iowa and Grimes, Iowa. The formal regional partnership emerged amid consolidation movements similar to efforts in Greater Cleveland Partnership and Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce to pool resources for marketing campaigns that competed with initiatives from Greater Phoenix Economic Council and Greater Nashville Regional Council. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s the organization worked with state officials from the Iowa Department of Economic Development and elected officials from the Iowa Senate and Iowa House of Representatives on site-selection projects that involved corporate relocations similar to cases involving Microsoft, Google, Caterpillar, and John Deere. Post-2010 expansion included strategic alliances with academic partners such as Iowa State University, Drake University, Des Moines Area Community College, and Grand View University to align workforce pipelines with employers like Hy-Vee, Wells Fargo Advisors, American Equity Investment Life Insurance Company, and Meredith Corporation.

Mission and Organization

The Partnership's stated mission aligns with models used by institutions such as Chamber of Commerce of the United States, Brookings Institution regional studies, and initiatives championed by philanthropic entities like the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. Leadership comprises an executive team reporting to a board of directors with representation from corporate members including Principal Financial Group, Aegon/Transamerica, Mercy Medical Center, and regional hospital systems such as UnityPoint Health and Methodist Health System. The organizational structure features divisions for business attraction, talent development, public policy advocacy, and community partnerships, paralleling functions found at the Economic Development Council of Seattle and Greater Houston Partnership. Strategic planning cycles reference benchmarking frameworks used by U.S. Conference of Mayors reports and regional competitiveness indices produced by Milken Institute and Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program.

Economic Development Initiatives

Initiatives include corporate recruitment campaigns styled like efforts by SelectUSA and state-level programs associated with the Iowa Economic Development Authority. Target industries reflect strengths in finance and insurance with firms comparable to Principal Financial Group and Voya Financial, insurance providers akin to EMC Insurance and Aflac, agribusiness ties resonant with Cargill and Tyson Foods, and technology clusters similar to developments in Raleigh–Durham and Minneapolis–Saint Paul. Projects have involved site readiness for corporate headquarters relocations, facilities expansions, and infrastructure investments resembling public-private partnerships seen in Port of Seattle and Port of Los Angeles initiatives. The Partnership has supported workforce training programs in coordination with Iowa Workforce Development, apprenticeship models promoted by U.S. Department of Labor, and talent attraction campaigns that mirror branding strategies used by Choose Chicago and NYC & Company.

Business Services and Programs

Programs encompass export assistance comparable to services from U.S. Commercial Service, small business support like Small Business Administration resources, and entrepreneur incubator collaborations modeled on Techstars and Y Combinator partnerships. Services offered include site selection support, incentive negotiation aid with entities such as the Iowa Economic Development Authority and municipal finance officers from Polk County, access to capital initiatives resembling Community Development Financial Institutions Fund principles, and executive education partnerships with Iowa State University Research Park and Drake University Law School. The Partnership convenes sector roundtables akin to forums hosted by National Association of Manufacturers and coordinates supply-chain matchmaking events similar to those run by Auto Industry Action Group and National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

Regional Impact and Metrics

The Partnership tracks metrics common to metropolitan development organizations such as job creation numbers, capital investment totals, new business formation rates, and labor force participation statistics used by Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Census Bureau metropolitan analyses. Reported impact measures reference projects involving corporate expansions by firms comparable to Hy-Vee and expansions in financial services echoing relocations seen with Wells Fargo regional centers. Workforce outcomes are benchmarked against educational attainment data from Iowa Department of Education, enrollment figures at Iowa State University, and certificate completions at Des Moines Area Community College. Regional quality-of-place indicators cite downtown development projects reminiscent of downtown revitalizations in Cleveland and Pittsburgh, transit-oriented development concepts like those promoted by Federal Transit Administration, and arts and culture investments comparable to programming by Des Moines Arts Festival partners and performing arts institutions such as Des Moines Symphony.

Governance and Funding

Governance follows a board-driven model featuring civic leaders from corporations such as Principal Financial Group, healthcare systems like UnityPoint Health, higher-education representatives from Drake University, and municipal appointees from Des Moines City Council and county boards. Funding streams include membership dues, corporate sponsorships from companies like Hy-Vee and Principal Financial Group, program fees, and project-based grants similar to awards from foundations such as Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and federal discretionary grants administered by entities like U.S. Economic Development Administration. Fiscal oversight practices reference nonprofit governance standards promoted by Independent Sector and reporting norms aligned with accounting principles endorsed by the Financial Accounting Standards Board.

Category:Organizations based in Des Moines, Iowa Category:Economic development organizations in the United States