This blog is part of a series for Women’s History Month to highlight women who are making an impact on the manufacturing industry. View the original blog post here. Sarah Dvorak didn’t originally plan on a career in manufacturing, but her first career was not a good fit. Luckily, the opportunity to be part of a volunteer … Continue reading Sarah Dvorak: Manufacturing is for Anyone Who Wants to Solve Problems and Serve Customers
Year: 2023
Did You Know? Small Business Development Contracts Program
The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) offers a program specific to small business contractors where small businesses compete against each other and not against large contractors. This program, separate from the DBE Certification, is called the Small Business Development Contracts Program. To be eligible for this, a small business must become a Certified Small Business Contractor … Continue reading Did You Know? Small Business Development Contracts Program
Governor Reynolds, IEDA Announce $2 Million in Manufacturing 4.0 Funding
Wednesday, February 15, 2023 Press Release Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) announced that Iowa will be investing an additional $2 million in the Manufacturing 4.0 Technology Investment Program to enhance productivity, efficiency, and competitiveness in Iowa’s largest industry. The program helps small- to mid-size Iowa manufacturers invest in the adoption … Continue reading Governor Reynolds, IEDA Announce $2 Million in Manufacturing 4.0 Funding
Manufacturing 4.0 Assessments Exceed Expectations
Manufacturing 4.0 Assessments Exceed Expectations Iowa manufacturers are eager to incorporate advanced technologies into their enterprises. That was clear by the overwhelming response to the Technology Investment Grant Program led by the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA). The goal of the effort is to assist Iowa manufacturers in becoming more competitive by adopting and leveraging … Continue reading Manufacturing 4.0 Assessments Exceed Expectations
CIRAS Intern Nationally Recognized
CIRAS intern Cassandra Swacker was nationally recognized at the Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine in November 2022 for projects she completed with CIRAS. Swacker’s main project was in collaboration with On With Life, a nonprofit organization that works primarily with individuals who have experienced traumatic brain injuries, to design and produce custom life aids to increase … Continue reading CIRAS Intern Nationally Recognized
Watching Iowa’s Economy: March 2023
Watching Iowa’s Economy: March 2023 Here is CIRAS’s quick look at major economic indicators for Iowa. For an introduction and a description of the indicators used, see our first post. Indicator Status Underlying Data Notes ISM Manufacturing PMI® Manufacturing contracted for the fourth consecutive month. Inventories and prices continued to grow, while most other measures … Continue reading Watching Iowa’s Economy: March 2023
Employee Retention Credit: Warnings and Wisdom
Employee Retention Credit: Warnings and Wisdom By Jennifer Rohen While almost all COVID relief programs have run their course, it’s worth your time to keep an eye on the employee retention credit (ERC) — whether you’ve already claimed the benefit, are considering it, or even brushed it off thinking it didn’t apply due to limited … Continue reading Employee Retention Credit: Warnings and Wisdom
Calling all Iowa Innovators!
Announced last month, PTAC is now called APEX Accelerators, and with that comes some new and exciting goals from our federal grant funder, the Office of Small Business Programs under the DOD. One of these goals is to help traditionally disadvantaged businesses (8(a), Woman-Owned, HubZone, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, and more) register and sell to the Federal … Continue reading Calling all Iowa Innovators!
Why Goal Setting Matters to Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Companies
YOUR VOICE MATTERS Niki Rainey, Civil Rights Bureau Director, encourages Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) companies to “have your voice heard at the table” of each monthly DBE goal-setting meeting. WHY does it matter to a DBE? Every month, the Civil Rights Bureau hosts a virtual goal-setting meeting to set the DBE subcontracting goals for the … Continue reading Why Goal Setting Matters to Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Companies
Watching Iowa’s Economy: February 2023
Here is CIRAS’s quick look at major economic indicators for Iowa. For an introduction and a description of the indicators used, see our first post. Indicator Status Underlying Data Notes ISM Manufacturing PMI® Manufacturing contracted for the third consecutive month. Most measures continue to indicate moderate general slowing in manufacturing, except employment and inventories, which … Continue reading Watching Iowa’s Economy: February 2023