University of Northern Iowa
IN-4: Innovation 4

The Institute for Decision Making (IDM) is a unit of the University of Northern Iowa’s Business and Community Services Division, which is included in the College of Business Administration. They strive to guide organizations and community-based groups, and help ease their way, as they make decisions and take organized action toward economic-and-community-development results. Their team typically serves and advises economic development corporations, chambers of commerce, convention and visitors bureaus, community planning groups, and other similar groups and organizations. From March 2008 to March 2009, IDM worked with Mayor Ed Malloy, city officials, and community members from the city of Fairfield, Iowa to develop a community-wide sustainability plan. The plan, published in 2009, lays out three main goals for the community and the steps to achieve these goals. The three goals are: • To create and maintain the sustainability culture • To create jobs, wealth and opportunities for investment, with sustainable investment • To achieve sustainable community design and public policy and infrastructure Nearly the entire community was involved in the development of the plan because of the use of the visioning and planning model implemented by IDM. Mayor Malloy and 19 other community members from all walks of life made up the Fairfield Sustainability Commission. More than 40 businesses and organizations were on board with the plan and offered their assistance. Communities across Iowa are taking notice of Fairfield’s innovative sustainability plan, and some are even looking to develop similar strategies. Fairfield’s sustainability plan is paving the way for the future and setting an example for communities throughout the nation.