Image of proposed streetscape in Knoxville.

Community members in Fairfield give input to the design team.

Image of proposed outdoor seating area in Carson.

Natalie Carran works on drawings in Grinnell.



Proposed Courthouse Plaza concept in Avoca.

The Community Design Program

Many communities across Iowa are in need of urban planning and design assistance. The Community Design Program was established in 2001 to help those communities achieve their design and planning goals.

Community needs range from redesigning a town square to a total image change for the community. The Community Design Program helps those communities by providing a very open and public decision-making process that brings organizational representatives, community officials, and concerned citizens together with professional designers.

After several months of organizing, these parties come together for an intense weekend charrette. The strength of the Community Design Program is the immediacy of the evaluation of all ideas put forward and the ability to visualize the possibilities suggested by community development initiatives.

A typical charrette requires a three-day weekend in the community, but to adequately serve the community, there are months of preparatory work with community leadership. Considerable time is also devoted to follow-up on ideas generated after the workshop. Each workshop is tailored to fit the community and in return, they are required to cover the expenses for the team by paying a fee (based on population and scope of the project) as well as provide meeting space, housing, meals and some materials.

Recent workshops have been conducted in Avoca, Oakland, Walnut, Knoxville, Sioux City, and Council Bluffs.

Click here to download the Informational Brochure.

Click here to download the Program Application.

ANNOUNCEMENT: The Foundation Board of Trustees has adopted a policy of requiring a $200 non-refundable deposit with submisssion of an application.  The deposit will be applied towards the total program fee.