Iowa communities and businesses face no shortage of challenges. They need data to make decisions, plans for future growth, strategies to strengthen local economies and trusted partners to help navigate it all.

Many of them turn to the University of Northern Iowa for help.

Through its 12 outreach organizations, UNI's Business and Community Services (BCS) connects communities, businesses, nonprofits and public agencies with in-house industry leaders who help tackle complex problems. 

And the impact is vast. BCS reaches all 99 Iowa counties and beyond every year, helping clients make informed decisions. Last year, the organization reached 235,000 Iowans and 4,662 unique businesses.

"At the end of the day, our focus is on how we're helping meet that community's need, that entrepreneur's need or that business's need," said Drew Conrad, director of the Institute for Decision Making (IDM) and BCS. 

With a client-first philosophy, BCS has become a trusted resource. Many organizations have partnered with UNI for decades, returning whenever new challenges arise in a variety of industries and markets, like manufacturing, painter training, waste reduction, economic development and much more. 

"We have a lot of organizations or communities that have worked with us for 30-plus years," Conrad said. "If they have a question or need help, they pick up the phone and call us."

That work takes many forms.

Through the IDM, an economic and community development outreach unit, UNI has helped communities navigate leadership transitions, economic development efforts and long-term planning. As local officials come and go, IDM provides continuity, bringing years of institutional knowledge that communities often don't have themselves.

"We've been around for almost 40 years now, and there are organizations and communities where we've worked with several different leaders over time,” Conrad said. “We have that institutional knowledge."

Sometimes, BCS steps up when communities need it the most.

When devastating floods struck northwest Iowa in 2024, Strategic Marketing Services, which conducts primary research, quickly developed surveys to help local leaders understand residents' most immediate needs. As recovery efforts continued, additional research helped communities and state agencies identify priorities and direct resources where they were needed most.

"We don't win unless our clients win," said Strategic Marketing Services Director Christy Ryken. "We really invest the time up front because we want to provide information that helps them make successful decisions."

In another project, UNI partnered with the Iowa Department of Education to help determine where future regional career and technical education centers could have the greatest impact. Working alongside faculty and staff from across campus, GeoTREE, experts in geographic information systems (GIS), developed mapping tools that allowed educators and policymakers to analyze drive times, student populations and potential locations throughout the state.

And it’s not just projects and clients. Across BCS, students are part of the work. They attend community meetings, conduct research, analyze data, build mapping applications and work directly with clients.

For John DeGroote, director of GeoTREE, those experiences are just as important as the finished product.

"I enjoy seeing a project idea come together ... and then be able to provide students the opportunity to work on these projects while they're getting paid,” DeGroote said. “It's really nice seeing that and then bringing those projects to a conclusion. It can be very rewarding."

Over the years, hundreds of students have gained hands-on experience through BCS. Many go on to careers with city and county governments, engineering firms, utilities and federal agencies, often staying in Iowa. Others leave with something equally valuable: firsthand experience working alongside communities and solving problems. 

All the projects and students add up to BCS’ lasting impact: strengthening Iowa communities and businesses while preparing the next generation of professionals to do the same.

"We're helping make Iowa a better place," Conrad said. "We're partnering with communities, businesses and organizations across the state, and that's something we're proud to be a part of."