A Dubuque-area economic development organization has gained international acclaim for its work in improving local child care services.
The Greater Dubuque Development Corp. (GDDC) has won a 2024 Excellence in Economic Development award from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). The award will be presented at IEDC’s annual meeting in Denver later this month.
“This honor is a testament not just to the GDDC team but to all the partners who contributed to this project,” said GDDC President/CEO Rick Dickinson. “This has truly been a community effort from the start.”
GDDC received the award in the IEDC’s public-private partnership category, which recognizes projects in communities with populations between 25,000 and 200,000. The organization was honored for its collaborative efforts to improve local child care accessibility and availability.
In 2022, GDDC identified the shortage of child care as a major barrier to workforce participation. To address this issue, the organization teamed up with various public, private, and philanthropic groups.
Through state grants, business donations, and other fundraising efforts, approximately $1.4 million has been raised. About one-third of this funding has been directed to local child care centers to expand capacity and increase workers’ wages.