Students in the College of Law conducted statutory and case law research to contribute to the development of the potential regulations being considered by Winneshiek County. In response to the potential entry of the frac sand mining industry into the area, Winneshiek County sought research and recommendations on best practices for interacting with the industry. This project brought together the University of Iowa Citizen lawyer program with county attorneys to provide legal research and analysis on regulatory options available to the county.

Winneshiek County sought to understand the possible economic impacts that the frac sand mining industry could have if it became established in the county. For this project, graduate students in the School of Urban and Regional Planning performed a comprehensive economic impact study that evaluated the short and long-term gains and losses to the county's economy that could follow from the industry’s establishment. The students assumed a single-mine scenario to contextualize mining impacts in three areas: county accounts, private accounts, and social costs.

Graduate students in the School of Urban and Regional Planning worked with city officials to provide recommendations and two tools for the City of Dubuque to expand its Green and Healthy Homes Initiative (GHHI).

The tools developed included the Priority Model and economic feasibility calculator for rental units. Other recommendations included strategies to engage renters and landlords; innovative funding; interdepartmental cooperation building; and participant engagement and outreach.

Graduate students in the School of Urban and Regional Planning worked with city officials in Decorah to assist in the preparation of a revised comprehensive plan that included Iowa's Smart Planning Principles, which were adopted in 2010 by the Iowa Legislature.

Graduate students in the School of Urban and Regional Planning worked closely with a citizens group in Decorah, We Can Decorah, to promote energy conservation and the use of environmentally friendly stormwater drainage techniques.

Engineering students designed a new trail layout for the Floyd River Trail that allowed for safer trail access and provided more recreational space for the residents of Sioux City and the surrounding area.

Engineering students developed design solutions to mitigate the threat of pooling behind the Floyd River levee and reduce flood insurance rates for the Leeds neighborhood in Sioux City, IA. These designs included recommendations for detention basins, pumping stations, and green alternatives.

Engineering students developed recommendations for traffic calming and reconstruction to lead to a safer roadway for residents of the Hamilton Boulevard intersection area.

Students in the School of Library and Information Science partnered with Sioux City Public Library Director Betsy Thompson to identify potential community partners who had a stake in and wanted to develop community partnerships in support of early childhood literacy. 

Students from the college of Social Work conducted a project that was focused on several programs within the Sioux City area that were seeking to improve their services for and communications with members of the population that are from traditionally disadvantaged and oppressed groups.

Students in the Tippie College of Business Marketing Institute partnered with three Sioux City based community organizations that promote sustainability to better coordinate the organizations' activities and messaging to the Sioux City public.

Students from the Urban and Regional Planning Department completed a housing plan for Sioux City, IA with the main goal of coordinating reinvestment in distressed areas.

This project focused on the Leeds Neighborhood, located in northeast Sioux City. The commercial corridor within this neighborhood serves as the northeast entryway into Sioux City. The corridor contains a mixture of small retail stores, restaurants, and service establishments that serve the local neighborhood. As new national brand commercial developments continue to develop to the south of the Leeds neighborhood, the future character of its commercial corridor has been called into question. Students from the Urban & Regional Planning Dept.

Graduate students in the School of Urban and Regional Planning conducted a project that aided Sioux City in fulfilling its recently-designated Blue Zones ProjectTM requirement of developing an active transportation plan.

Graduate students in the College of Public Health worked with the Cedar Rapids Blue Zones Project™ staff to enhance engagement with the Blue Zones Project™ among target demographics in Cedar Rapids. In particular, students worked to target high school students, aging populations, and faith-based organizations around particular Blue Zones Project™ initiatives like walking MOAIs (groups of individuals forming social circles to support healthy behaviors) and cooking MOAIs.

Mass communication students enrolled in "Philanthropy Communication in a Digital World" worked with Brucemore Historic Estate in Cedar Rapids to develop and implement a marketing plan, including research, event planning, and use of technology to produce promotional messages and a social media campaign. The students focused on volunteer recruitment and retention.

In collaboration with Arts Share, graduate students in the School of Art & Art History worked with local businesses in the Czech Village/New Bohemia Main Street District to design window displays for the holiday season.

Student in the School of Urban and Regional Planning conducted a project that evaluated the workforce of Cedar Rapids and determined the gap between supply and demand for quality workers. Students sought to understand the reasons for both attracting and retaining new workers.

The iGreenCR program was developed in late 2011 as a coordinated strategy to promote and brand Cedar Rapids’ sustainability efforts under one program rather than separate departmental initiatives. Students conducted research to evaluate community awareness and willingness to embrace sustainability, as well as their current level of awareness of iGreenCR.

Students in the School of Urban and Regional Planning conducted research on best practices for creation of a SSMID for Cedar Rapids, IA. Students held public meetings and worked with CV/NB Main Street staff to acquire the necessary support to pass a SSMID.