Next month will mark five years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a health crisis that resulted in turmoil of public health and public offices. The secondary body infected by the disease, however, was a vital sign of the American way of life: its economy.
The U.S.’s overall Gross Domestic Product dropped 9 percent during the start of the pandemic, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. With a drop in GDP, employment, and overall dollars invested into the economy, businesses suffered.
Just as cities, counties, and states are organized in a scaling order of political importance, so too are the business communities populating them, and each area saw a microcosm of economic impact that reflected the damage the pandemic wrought.
In Iowa City, community and business leaders decided to band together.
This led to the formation of Project Better Together, a collaborative group combining the expertise of various community figures like Mayor Bruce Teague and University of Iowa President Barbara Wilson to provide resources and support to the businesses of Iowa City.
Since then, the initiative has rebranded to focus less on the present moment and more on unifying business and community to build a bulwark for the future, whenever the next period of economic hardship faces the nation.
Project Better Together 2030, named as such in the rebranding, is made up of partner organizations including Think Iowa City and Greater Iowa City Inc. The project is defined by five pillars which were used as points of evaluation for area organizations to receive awards at the Excellence in Action awards, which were hosted Thursday night.
This year marks the third consecutive awards, landing on the fifth year since the COVID-19 pandemic.
A variety of Johnson County businesses and collaborating nonprofit organizations gathered on the sixth floor of the Courtyard by Marriott hotel in University Heights. Beginning with a brief “happy half-hour,” the event collected businesses encouraged by the economic success and development Iowa City has seen in the years since the pandemic.
In the release from Greater Iowa City Inc., Project Better Together 2030 Executive Director Cady Gerlach said the awards are an opportunity to evaluate the businesses that are improving the Iowa City area and prioritizing a united future.
“Each year, this event shines a spotlight on the people and projects making Johnson County a more connected, inclusive, and thriving community,” Gerlach said in the release. “Their efforts reflect a shared commitment to our collective future.”
Project Better Together 2030 commemorated businesses and individuals in four award categories but primarily to five businesses excelling in each of five pillars comprising its “All in Vision” plan which has guided the collective organizations toward improving Johnson County as a whole.
The five pillars in which organizations were awarded included:
- Champions of the natural environment
- Authentic and vibrant neighborhoods and districts
- A well-connected and mobile region
- A thriving and inclusive economic ecosystem
- Reimagined human and social services
One of the award winners was the Coralville Community Food Pantry and its Executive Director John Boller. The pantry was recognized for its work in reimagining local human and social services, the plan’s fifth pillar.
In an interview with The Daily Iowan, Boller said a stronger local service environment was one of the All in Vision plan’s goals, and one that has been achieved.
“We have so many incredible nonprofits that are doing work on the front lines to ensure that every family in Johnson County has access to basic needs,” he said.
In addition to Boller, the first four pillars were won by Pat Heiden and Bill Waldie for their work on the Johnson County Conservation Bond as champions of the natural environment. A Johnson County local, GT Karr, has worked to build affordable housing and was recognized for helping to build better neighborhoods.
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The awardee for improving the interconnectivity of Johnson County residents and its businesses was Kelly Schneider for her work with Trip Connect. Robin Springer was awarded for her work to support local small businesses.
Greater Iowa City President and Chief Executive Officer Nancy Bird said GIC is critical in fulfilling pillars two, three, and four of the All in Vision plan by providing regional economic support which fosters overall growth.
“We’re really going to support mobility,” Bird said. “We want to support emerging neighborhoods and inclusive economic development.”
She said the event is a fun opportunity to identify the county’s business growth and measure the collaboration that is making it possible.
“It feels good to recognize that we’re making progress on those goals, and the whole county is kind of working together,” she said. “So, it really is a demonstration of what we can do collectively.”
The pandemic brought these businesses together and, in some ways, the difficulty local businesses faced in that time ended up bringing businesses together in a way that might not have otherwise. Bird said the pandemic’s impact helped businesses realize the greater need to serve the local community.
“Sometimes it takes a disruption and a reminder of all the wonderful people here that want to see good things happen,” she said, “It took the pandemic to kind of encourage us to work closer together and shake loose of all the turf elements and organizational boundaries or geographic boundaries.”