MPA graduate students will partner with the City of Ottumwa to create an economic resilience strategy that prepares the community to respond to and recover from major economic disruptions like mass layoffs, business closures, and farming crises. 

Ottumwa, with a manufacturing and agriculture-based economy, is highly susceptible to negative impacts if a single employer ceases to operate within the community. In 1987, Hormel left the community and caused major disruptions that left thousands unemployed and caused ripple effects that impacted virtually every business in the city.  More recently, COVID-19 caused major disruptions, even forcing some businesses to close. 

The project team will identify and work with partner entities like City officials, labor organizations, economic development organizations, workforce partners, and other key stakeholders to assess the community's economic vulnerabilities, current capabilities, and service gaps. Using this information, the team will research and design a coordinated response strategy for the city of Ottumwa. 

The project may include evaluating best practices from other communities, identifying roles and responsibilities among partner organizations, developing communication and coordination protocols, assessing available financial and workforce resources, and creating strategies to support business retention, workforce transition, and post-disruption recovery.

Through policy research, stakeholder engagement, and data analysis, students will develop a rapid response strategy that establishes a process and framework for coordinated decision-making before, during, and after different types of major economic disruptions. The final document will advise the City on how to improve preparedness, minimize economic impacts, accelerate recovery efforts, and strengthen long-term economic resilience through a variety of strategies identified, researched, and prepared by the project team.

This project provides students with practical experience in public administration, non-profit partnerships, labor and economic development policy, social vulnerability analysis, stakeholder engagement, and strategic planning while addressing a critical community resilience challenge.