Posted 4 August, 2026
The Midwest is no stranger to tornadoes and floods. We’re familiar with small, main street shops closing down. And we wonder why some commute over an hour to work every day. Maybe we ask ourselves, “Who’s job is it to help communities in need? How can we bring jobs to our city? Is there funding available to develop a beautiful riverwalk in my town so that people will visit the area, have lunch, and shop at our small businesses?”
The answer to these questions comes in the form of unsung heroes: economic developers. That’s why UNI’s Institute for Decision Making (IDM) has been training Midwest economic developers for over 25 years via the Heartland Economic Development Course.
Heartland is an intensive professional development program that equips economic developers, community leaders, planners, utility representatives and other professionals with the tools they need to help communities grow and adapt. The course blends theory with practical application, covering topics like workforce development, business retention and expansion, real estate redevelopment, entrepreneurship, and strategic planning.
The importance of the course today is perhaps greater than ever. Communities are navigating rapid change related to workforce shortages, housing availability, downtown revitalization, childcare, infrastructure, and evolving economic trends. Heartland helps professionals think strategically about those challenges while also giving them a strong network of peers and mentors they can continue to rely on long after the course ends.
What sets Heartland apart is its focus on real-world collaboration and problem-solving. Participants are not just sitting through lectures; they are working through case studies, engaging with faculty who are active practitioners in the field, and building relationships with peers from across the Midwest.
That hands-on approach is one of the aspects participants value most.
As one attendee shared, “Overall, I thought the course was amazing. I really loved the fact that not only were we learning, but we actually got to see physical ways that economic development really can impact an ecosystem.”