FuseNews_October 2020_ FuseDSM Your Chamber of Commerce Online Publication

news FIND US ONLINE @ FUSEDSM.ORG/FUSENEWS

YOUR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FUSING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER 130 East 3rd Street, Suite 301 / Des Moines, IA 50309 P / 515.829.4189 / fusedsm.org

7 STEPS TO A BUSINESS PLAN: BANKERS TRUST PG 16-17

NIGHT EYES GOES ON: BLANK PARK ZOO PG 11

TIPS FOR GOOGLE RESULTS: CREATIVE DSM PG 23

POLK COUNTY GRANTS FOR FUSEDSM: POLK COUNTY PG 12-13

FUSENEWS MAY 2020

FUSING THE COMMUNIT Y TOGETHER FuseNews is an online publication delivered to our entire chamber membership every month, and consumed far beyond that reach. The publication contains timely & relevant information from local Des Moines voices that range from large to small businesses and entrepreneurs alike, addressing the issues specific to our community.

PART_01 / OUR MEMBERS

PART_02 / OUR COMMUNITY

PART_03 / OUR EXPERTS

FuseNewsis a collectionof updates and spotlightsfrom our FuseDSM, Your C hambero f Commerce, members. Join us as we highlight t he businesses within our Des Moines E ast, South and Northside, and connect a little along the way.

FuseDSM,Your Chamberof Commerce, containst he l argest footprint of businesses in D es Moines. E ncompassingt he E ast, South and Northside,follow along as w e connect our community with w ays t o give back, and f use people together .

FuseNews is a lwaysl ookingf or great expertarticlematerial.If you, or your businesshas helpfultips for our over 10k uniquev iewers,w e welcomeyou to share your story.

Visit fusedsm.org/fusenews or our socialm edia channels for more information.

Apply for a spotlight at fusedsm.org/fusenews, or contact us on any of our social channels for more information.

APPLY

INSIDE // OCT 2020 ON THE COVER // 7 STEPS TO A BUSINESS PLAN: 16-17

ASK AN EXPERT //

Bankers Trust

EACH PAIR IOWA 15

NIGHT EYES GOES ON: 11

WHAT IS A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, FuseDSM 7

Blank Park Zoo

3 REASONS FOR PT, Integrated Physical Therapy 9

TIPS FOR GOOGLE RESULTS: 23 Creative DSM | Digital & Social Marketing POLK COUNTY GRANTS: 12-13

FUNDING LOCAL YOUTH, Starts Right Here 25 2020 TALENT TRENDS ATW Training 27 BUY LOCAL CAMPAIGN, Greater DSM Partnership 28

Polk County

IN THE COMMUNITY // COMMUNITY GIVING PAGE 10 DSM EATS & TREATS PAGE 18-19 ASK THE CHAMBER 22 CHAMBER GROUPS PAGE 24

IN THE CHAMBER // CHAMBER UPDATES PAGE 4 MONTHLY MEMBER SPOTLIGHT PAGE 9 VIRTUAL EVENTS PAGE 20-21 HOW CAN FUSEDSM HELP? PAGE 22 AFFILIATE BENEFITS PAGE 28 MEET THE BOARD PAGE 29

FUSEDSM // FROM THE CHAMBER Randy Sackett // Chairman, FuseDSM, Your Chamber of Commerce FuseDSM is a unique chamber of commerce with the largest footprint of businesses within the Des Moines metro area. Yellow Cab Co. joined the chamber years ago; naturally, because we are located in the Southside of Des Moines. We soon found a home in the welcoming atmosphere of friendly and hard-working professionals within the chamber. FuseDSM has not only provided networking opportunities, but is also active in creating educational and promotional opportunities for businesses and community leaders alike.

Let’s keep #FusingTheCommunityTogether

Randy Sackett Randy Sackett- Chairman - FuseDSM

HOW CAN FUSEDSM HELP

PERKS // FUSEDSM, YOUR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WHAT IS A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE? // FuseDSM In 2020, we are all considering our value a little bit more, and that also includes our chamber of commerce. In this time of reflection, rest assured we are pivoting and developing for the betterment of our membership.

A chamber of commerce is unique, we are not a city tax funded entity, a marketing agency, or event planning service. Conversely, we are deeply rooted in all of the functions listed above. We work with the city to make our membership’s voice heard, and we want to be your connection to the developments of our community. We work with marketing professionals within our membership to help promote your business and grow our local economy. We curated and maintain a schedule of programming and events to educate, promote, and enhance our membership AND community.

FuseDSM, Your Chamber of Commerce is here as a service to our membership. We exist to serve our business members, school districts, individual members, non profit partners, and the residents and visitors of our communities. We ARE fusing the South, East and North sides of Des Moines.

We are here to be a referral source, both TO our members and FOR our members. With the help of our marketing pros, like HeyGuid Communications, we manage a social media presence with a broad reach. We work hard to promote your brand’s events, promotions and identity through our weekly newsletter, monthly FuseNews publication & website articles.

We help newcomers settle in by giving them useful resources accompanied by a sincere warm welcome to the community.. We are an information hub, the local 411 for our community. We work closely with city leaders, Greater Des Moines Partnership, Small Business Development Centers and more to stay in the know of things that could benefit or damage our communities. We are in a constant state of event planning, and are regularly brainstorming new things to do.

If you ask us “what’s the point of joining the Chamber” we can rattle off a list of things we will do for you/your business, and I will explain that in some ways, we are like a gym membership-- the more ways you choose to use your membership, the more benefit you will see. No two people will use the exact same combination of equipment, because we recognize that different members are seeking different results. Overall, like a gym, a Chamber cultivates a healthier community.

A Chamber is many things. We are flexible and ever evolving, because that’s what it takes to be forward thinking and relevant. We offer a mix of tangible benefits and intangible benefits to our members, but a vibrant Chamber is GOOD for a vibrant community.

Before you dismiss a Chamber of commerce as non-essential for your business, please consider that Chambers are essential for the community. Supporting your chamber is doing something for yourself-- helping to build the quality of life in the communities where you live, work and play. There is most definitely a point.

If you’re ready to start taking advantage of chamber membership, fill out your application here.

- FuseDSM, Your Chamber of Commerce www.fusedsm.org www.facebook.com/fusedsm

The Heat Is On! LIHEAP season is here What is LIHEAP? The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a program that is designed to help lowincome families with winter heating costs. If approved, a family will have a protection against disconnection until April 1, 2021 and may receive a one-time payment into their energy account.

When to sign up

Beginning October 1 for households with elderly or disabled family members or those in crisis situations and November 2nd for everyone, incomeeligible households are able to sign up for LIHEAP with IMPACT Community Action Partnership. Applications are taken until April 30, 2021.

What to have

Applicants will need to provide some form of identification, a copy of their most recent heating and electric bill, social security or I-94 cards, and proof of gross income for all household members from the past 30 days, the most recent 12 months, or from the past calendar year.

How to sign up

All applications are currently being done over the phone. To set up an appointment, give us a call at 515-518-4770. For more information on the program, visit:

www.impactcap.org/

HEALTH EXPERT // INTEGRATED PHYSICAL THERAPY TOP 3 WAYS P.T. COULD IMPROVE YOUR LIFE // Tate Van Houten - DPT, PRC, In physical therapy, trained professionals evaluate and treat abnormal physical function related to, for example, an injury, disability, disease or condition. The pros at Integrated Physical Therapy are still open and providing patient care following CDC guidelines.

Did you know that physical therapy can: Assist patients in returning to the body’s previous level of function and back to valued activities in life.

Develop a home program to provide a tool to manage any condition that limits normal activity levels.

Discover the root of issues and not just address symptoms with medications and modalities.

If you’re ready to start feeling better, check out Integrated Physical Therapy for: Customized treatments per client, not just a standard routine.

Have fun, Learn and get better.

Multi practitioner collaboration to get you back to your normal physical capabilities.

Integrated PT and Sports Medicine is a locally owned and operated Physical Therapy office. We pride ourselves on a collaborative approach with other healthcare professionals to get to the root of our clients issues. Open communication and focussing on the progression of our clients is our ultimate goal.

We use a number of different treatment approaches to customise our treatment plans to each individual client. Everyone responds differently to treatments and conducting a standard protocol or treatment the same way on all patients is not an efficient treatment plan. We welcome patients with chronic back, neck, shoulder and other issues.

Read More Online

COMMUNITY CARING // GIVING BACK TO DSM

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT // BLANK PARK ZOO NIGHT EYES GOES ON // Blank Park Zoo Iowa’s most popular Halloween tradition may not be as sugary this year, but guests can look forward to nights filled with autumn cheer.

It is time for dazzling lights, festive delights and merry-not-scary Halloween nights.

Our primary focus in bringing Night Eyes, presented by Hy-Vee, back for its 30th anniversary was to be responsible in this time of COVID, so out of an abundance of caution for guests, staff, and volunteers, we have made two major changes to Night Eyes this year. First, to help control capacity, we will be requiring advance purchase timed-tickets for the event. The second change is Night Eyes will NOT have a Treat Safari this year and we will not be handing out candy.

Instead of a candy-filled, trick-or-treating experience at the Zoo for Halloween, we are thrilled to pursue activities including socially distanced costume character photo opportunities, an outstanding array of themed-displays and dazzling lights, and a Fun Zone, where all activities encourage social distancing and are cleaned and sanitized between each party. We are so appreciative of your support, understanding, and patience, and we look forward to offering a responsible merry-notscary experience for all!

As we all know, much can change in a few weeks. We will continue to monitor the pandemic and provide updates and changes accordingly.

For 30 years, Night Eyes has supported the work of saving and caring for animals, educating Iowans and operating the nonprofit Blank Park Zoo. We thank YOU for your past support. As you can imagine, Blank Park Zoo lost a significant amount of revenue by closing for two months and limiting capacity this summer. It costs nearly $19,000 a day to care for the animals of Blank Park Zoo and your support of Blank Park Zoo through Night Eyes is critical. Thank you!

Mask Policy: During Night Eyes, COVID mask use will be required both indoors and outdoors. (the mask must cover both nose and mouth). Due to CDC guidelines, please no costume masks.

Animal Viewing: This year’s Night Eyes will take place exclusively during evening hours. For the safety of the animals, zookeepers, and guests, we are unable to have the animals in their habitats. Please visit Blank Park Zoo during our regular daytime hours of 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. if you wish to see the animals.

Read more

Apply Here

Apply Here

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT // EACH PAIR- IOWA A MISSION FOR GOOD AGAINST COVID-19 // Valerie E. Cohen

March and April were very depressing, because I am a doer, and as coronavirus began to descend onto our state, there really didn’t seem to be all that much that I could do to meaningfully fight it. Sure, I stayed home and masked when I absolutely couldn’t stay home, and mailed toilet paper and essentials to a desperate friend in NYC, but this felt like a time to do so much more. Each Pair Iowa was born out of frustration with the false politicization of COVID-safe behaviors, the drive to honor Iowa’s fallen, and my training as a union leader with AFSCME. An unlikely duo, Heaven Chamberlain and I are the Co-Founders of Each Pair Iowa- Iowa’s Mobile COVID-19 Empty Shoe Memorial, and now have a Facebook page that reaches approximately 25,000 people per month. ( www. facebook.com/EachPair Each Pair - Iowa ) When we started our displays and endeavors, 231 Iowans had been felled by COVID and were represented, each with a pair of shoes, that would pack up into a minivan rather easily. We have displayed over a dozen times throughout the state, and times have sadly changed such that as of this writing, 1,382 Iowans have died of COVID-19 and our ever-growing collection now necessitates that we rent a cargo van or small box truck to do a full-scale event. Every displaying event is also a shoe drive, as the death toll keeps rising.

Nevertheless, the missions remain the same: 1: Humanize Iowa’s COVID-fallen- Each Pair was a LIFE, not merely a statistic. Our hope is that this humanization encourages COVID-safe behaviors, and thus this will help to save lives.

2 : Provide FREE reuseable cloth facemasks to people who wish to mask. With job losses and/or reduced pay, a number of people find the costs of masking to be financially challenging, particularly because not all styles work for all faces, and each member of the family needs at least 3 masks to appropriately wear and launder the masks. Through our partnership with Masks For The Frontline Iowa, we have had the honor of masking well over 1,000 Iowans, and we will continue to do so, to save lives.

3 : We added our third mission, because it worked with missions 1 & 2. With out focus being on slowing viral spread to save lives, and the fact that all of our events are already shoe drives, we have added a sanitizer/supply drive component to collect sanitizer and/or COVID-safety gear to support Iowa’s poorest schools when in-person learning resumes.

While death is certainly the most talked about concern, and well over a thousand Iowans have died of COVID, an untold number more will have lasting and perhaps lifelong complications.

As we draw into the colder time of year, we don’t plan on giving up on our commitment to slow the spread in Iowa, though moving the collection has become harder, and finding well-ventilated areas wherein people can drive through the display will be more challenging. If you wish to donate shoes, we presently have 3 contactless collection sites listed on our Facebook page (Altoona, Ankeny and Clive), and can always use a cargo van or box truck, a drone operator, volunteers for set-up and teardown, or a multistory parking area to display in this winter. Our goal is to continue to have a thought-provoking presence online and offline, until the need is no longer there, because the virus is well-controlled or eradicated.

Together- separately- we can save lives!

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COVER ARTICLE // BANKERS TRUST HOW TO CREATE A BUSINESS PLAN IN 7 STEPS // Bankers Trust It’s incredibly important for business owners to create a business plan and update it periodically. If you’re pursuing a new business idea, or you recently opened a new business, creating a business plan is a great way for you to take stock of your company’s needs, goals, strengths and challenges, as well as how it will progress over the coming years.

Use this seven-step guide to create a comprehensive business plan, which will serve as a living document that changes as your business evolves.

1. Executive summary The executive summary is a condensed version of your full business plan. It captures the big picture. It should include the high points of what your company does (or will do), plans for the future, how you will execute those plans and why your company will be successful.

2. Company description Explain the different elements of your business. Help readers quickly understand your goals, marketplace needs, how your products and services will meet those needs, and the competitive advantages of your business.

3. Market analysis Show you are knowledgeable about the industry and the market in which your business will compete.

Include your research findings and conclusions, such as industry description and outlook, information about your target market, competitive analysis and any known regulatory restrictions.

4. Organization and management Explain your company’s organizational structure and ownership, as well as management team backgrounds, qualifications and other pertinent information. Include the legal structure of your business.

5. Service or product line Emphasize how your business benefits customers and focus on why your particular service or product will fill a need for your target customers.

6. Marketing and sales Define your marketing strategy, which should be unique to your company and evaluated on an ongoing basis. Also explain how you will sell your product and include any sales strategies you have in place.

7. Contingency plan Document how you will deal with some of the good and bad situations that come with running a business by answering questions such as: 1. What will you do if your product is an overwhelming success and demand is greater than expected?

2. What will you do if initial sales are sluggish? How will you jump-start sales?

For more information, visit the Bankers Trust Education Center at Education.BankersTrust.com or contact any Bankers Trust relationship banker.

Read More Online

EATS & TREATS // DES MOINES FOOD OPTIONS

HY-VEE //

LATIN KING //

FINE DINING AT HOME

OPEN FOR PICKUP & DINE IN

Did you know that McDonald’s locations are individually owned and operated? Visit Your favorite location in Des

Tursi’s Latin King is open for pickup and dine in. Our hours

Moines.

Website: tursislatinking.com

Website: hy-vee.com

Phone: 515-266-4466

Phone: 515-285-7266

Address: 2200 Hubbell Avenue

Address: 4605 Fleur Drive

will be 4-8 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.

Des Moines, IA 50317

Des Moines, IA 50321

CAPTAIN ROY’S //

CHUCKS RESTAURANT //

AVAILABLE VIA UBER EATS

CURBSIDE AVAILABLE FRI-SAT 4-8PM

You can now order Captain Roy’s via UberEats delivery to

No longer serving carryout on Thursdays, instead, Chuck’s is partnering with Central Iowa Shelter and Services to provide free meals to our neighborhood! We feel our time is better

your door, or visit the patio.

UberEats: Captain Roy’s Phone: 515-631-2223 Address: 1900 Saylor Road Des Moines, Iowa 50313

spent this way then being open on Thursdays!

Website: chucksdsm.com Phone: 515-244-4104 Email: info@chucksdsm.com Facebook: facebook.com/chucksrestaurant

CHACHA’S CONFECTIONS //

BARATTAS //

TREATS FOR ANY OCCASSION

PICKUP & DINE IN

ChaCha’s Confections is a home bakery focusing on desserts

Monday-Friday 11am-2pm. To order ahead, call in and use our online menu. Pick restaurant menu and scroll down to

made from scratch. A weeks notice is much appreciated.

Website: chachasconfections.net

lunch menu

Phone: 515-689-1486

Website: barattas.com

Facebook: ChaCha’s Confections

Phone: 515-243-1801 Facebook: Barratta’s Address: 600 E. Locust St. Des Moines, IA 50319

THE PURVEYOR DES MOINES //

LOS CHARROS //

SAVORY SNACKS ONLINE OR IN PERSON

DINE IN OR CARRYOUT OPTIONS

Check out the full menu online at purveyordsm.com to grab a savory snack, delicious sandwich, a gourmet charcuterie board or a sweet treat! You can visit in person until 7pm, or order online through the website.

Check the daily Lunch and Dinner Specials, with a menu created with dishes from diferent zones of Mexico and TexMex Style. Try the Traditional Mexican Sopes, Molcajetes, Pollo a la Piña, Fish Tacos, Arrachera Tacos, Tacos Hawaianos,

Website: purveyordsm.com

and lots more!

Phone: 515-280-1130 Email: info@purveyordsm.com Address: 505 E Grand Ave Ste. 105

Website: loscharrosankeny.com Phone: 515-964-4264 Address: 2010 SE Delaware Ave Suite 230 Ankeny, Iowa 50021

MEMBERS // CHAMBER VIRTUAL HIGHLIGHTS

CAFFEINATE AND CONVERSATE // Presented by HeyGiud Communications Join Fuse DSM, Your Chamber of Commerce and HeyGiud Communications for Caffeinate and Conversate! This weekly, virtual event is a chance to get to know other members of our community. Meet new people, catch up with old friends, and share your experiences with people in our community

Date: Tuesdays @ 9AM Sign Up: fusedsm.org Facebook Event: Caffeinate and Conversate

NON PROFIT FORUM // Create Meaningful Non Profit Dashboards Nonprofit organizations, like any organization, need meaningful reporting to make good decisions. In addition to being easy to use and up to date, reports should be easily accessible.

Presented By: BKD CPAs & Advisors Presenting Sponsor: CICIL

Date: Oct 22, 2020 @ 8:30AM Sign Up: fusedsm.org

FEED YOUR MIND // Stop Shoulding

FEED YOUR MIND // Strategies for Putting

Yourself

Yourself First

Stop Shoulding Yourself is all about sneaky expectations and how they hijack our happiness, productivity and purpose presented by Jill Andersen.

Now more than ever, there’s pressure to do it all; work, parent, be active in our communities and social circles, volunteer, and somehow make it all look easy in real life and on social media too.

Presenting Sponsor: Mediacom Business Supporting Sponsor: McCraine Associates Speaking Sponsor: Speak Up Stories

Presenting Sponsor: Mediacom Business Supporting Sponsor: McCraine Associates Speaking Sponsor: Speak Up Stories

Dates: Oct 8, 2020 @11AM Sign Up: fusedsm.org

Dates: Oct 13, 2020 @11AM Sign Up: fusedsm.org

Move towards more.

DES MOINES

TEXT

3000 SE 14th St.

IA61 to 38000

1404 Des Moines St.

IA67 to 38000

3002 Forest Ave.

IA68 to 38000

2540 East University

IA69 to 38000

Choose your own hours.

Get $2,500 or more in tuition assistance.

Build Your Skills

ANKENY 401 Ankeny Blvd.

IA62 to 38000

2502 SE Delaware Ave.

IA65 to 38000

2625 SW State St.

IA70 to 38000

GRIMES 101 Gateway Dr.

IA66 to 38000 mcdonalds.com/careers

FILL OUT A FORM & GET CONNECTED // FuseDSM

As your chamber of commerce, the goal of FuseDSM is to support your local business in Des Moines and beyond. Is there a message you are looking to communicate? Do you want us to help spread the word on social media? Are you looking for a chance to produce an expert article?

With Des Moines’ largest footprint of businesses, FuseDSM is committed to connecting our fellow members and fostering business relationships in Des Moines.

We’re #FUSING THECOMMUNITYTOGETHER. Tell Us How We Can Help

MARKETING EXPERT // CREATIVE DSM TIPS FOR GOOGLE RESULTS // Andi Fagen As a marketing professional at Creative DSM, I am told not to give away my insight for free.

Conversely, In the time of COVID-19, most budgets are tightening. So let’s talk about some insider tips for DIY digital marketing- namely, getting noticed on Google.

My October Digital Marketing Tip: Claim Your FREE Google My Business Profile.

Google rewards you for creating content for the platform, and has been making GMB profiles more and more prominent on search results for some time. What a lot of business owners don’t know, is that you can claim this for free.

You don’t need an outside marketer to do it for you (though if you need help, of course I will!).

First, go to www.google.com/business. Claim your business, add your open hours, address, your products/services, a few photos; and for a super optimized listing, turn on messaging. Google wants consumers to interact with these profiles straight from search results, therefore, they will bump your listing for taking advantage of this shortcut.

For more SEO tips, follow our Creative DSM blog, or set up a coffee with me. It’s free.

Let’s keep #FusingTheCommunityTogether

Andi Fagen

Andi Fagen - Founder - Creative DSM | Digital & Social Marketing

FREE ADVICE HERE

Looking for a good news story? Plan to attend Mosaic’s free, annual Partners in Possibilities event on Thursday, October 29, at 11:30 a.m.

GROUPS // GET INVOLVED IN FUSEDSM

MOXIE // Business Owners & Presidents Networking A group of member business owners/presidents that meet monthly to discuss issues impacting their business. This is exclusive to business owners/presidents and limited by category.

Contact Person:Cassie Sampson

NON-POFIT FORUM // 501(C) Group This program is tailored for members that represent or work closely with non-profits and meet monthly to discuss issues impacting their organizations.

Contact Person: Laura Gibson

DES MOINES JAYCEES // Young Professionals Group Connects emerging leaders, 20-40 years old, from the Chamber and the Des Moines Jaycees to enhance opportunities in leadership, volunteering, development and networking.

Contact Person: MaeLee Rahm

EMPRESARIOS // Latino Business Group The main effort of the Empresari@s is to increase diversity and better serve our members, we are proud to partner with local Latino community leaders to create a Latino membership arm of the chamber called Empresari@s, meaning “entrepreneur� in Spanish.

Contact Person: Darwin Sales or Fernando Aveiga

FIRESTARTERS // Chamber Ambassador Program Our ambassador program that helps welcome and encourage involvement from new and current members. They also attend events and assist with registration and greeting of guests.

Co-Chairs: Emily Cory & Andi Fagen

COMMUNITY // START RIGHT HERE SEEKING FUNDING FOR LOCAL YOUTH // Will Keeps Starts Right Here is a nonprofit in Des Moines, IA committed to giving youth a chance to rise above the circumstances they were born into to reach their mental, emotional, physical and economic potential with the programs it offers.

Starts Right Here is leasing a 1700 Square foot warehouse conveniently located at 455 SW 5th Street, Des Moines. This location is within walking distance to much of downtown Des Moines. Convenient Metro Bus access was a deciding factor to this location. Adequate parking is present, and a bit removed from the high traffic areas.

Location is ground level and a warehouse that will allow for ease of build out.

Services and Programs include: Tutoring -- Mentoring--Mental Health Counseling -- Facility Space (refuge) --Computer Lab --Music Workshops --Talent Shows -- Transportation Starts Right Here offers Mentoring Programs: The Porch aims to provide a safe place for kids during school and after school hours. The porch offers educational and student support classes. A place of laughter, relaxation and play, and of quiet conversations, companionable silence and reflection as well as the opportunity for mentoring.

Second Chance program is a one-on-one mentoring program in partnership with the Des Moines Police Department. Programming is customized to the needs as they arise.

Polk County Juvenile Detention partnership also provides individualized mentoring services for youth.

Mental Health Counseling services on-site by appointment.

Our Principles: We seek to close opportunity gaps and ensure equity for all. According to a paper authored by Lardier, Herr, Barrios, Garcia-Reid and Reid, kids in the urban core lack organic access to social capital – the resources and relationships that facilitate positive, long-term outcomes – making them dependent on institutional programs to close the gap.

Donate Here

BUSINESS EXPERT // ATW TRAINING 2020 IOWA TRENDS IN TALENT DEVELOPMENT // Todd McDonald ATW Training Solutions recently released the results of its 14th annual “Iowa Trends in Talent Development Survey” conducted in partnership with New Horizons Computer Learning Center, the Association for Talent Development Central Iowa chapter (ATD-CI), and the Iowa Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) State Council. The survey, conducted between August 3-21, 2020, was completed by 117 respondents representing a variety of Iowa industries, companies, and organizations.

Talent Development Budgets Hold Steady Survey results indicate that 50% of respondents expect budgets to stay the same next year, down slightly from 53.2% last year. Only slightly more (26.9%) companies expect to see budgets increase next year than companies who expect to see budgets decrease (23.2% - significantly higher than last year). Overall, next year appears to be a “hold steady” year when it comes to budgets More Employees are Working Remotely and Learning Virtually 87.8% of respondents indicate that their organizations have employees who work remotely (compared to 70.6% last year). Talent development is provided to these employees in various ways with nearly three in four respondents having employees participate in scheduled webinars led by facilitators. 62% have employees connect virtually to classroom sessions. Slightly fewer than half respond that learning takes place through e-learning courses, recorded webinars/courses, and classroom sessions. The biggest shift seen in these results is less classroom participation and more technology aided development, a direct impact of Covid-19.

Online Delivery ties with Classroom Instruction In previous surveys, classroom instruction has always been the clear preferred delivery method for talent development. With Covid-19 disruptions and consequent restrictions in meetings and face-to-face learning events, online delivery tied with classroom instruction as the most frequently used method. Other delivery methods in use are videoconferences at 55% (up from 32%), webinars at 52.8% (up from 33.6%), on-the-job training at 50.6% (down from 56.3%), and virtual classroom at 47.3%. The survey results this year show the impact of Covid-19 with a clear shift away from classroom delivery to technology supported delivery.A screenshot of a cell phone Description automatically generated Three Key Challenges for Talent Development Identified Respondents answered the question, “What are the most significant challenges to implementing your talent development strategies?”

ATW identified three themes, with the most frequently mentioned one reflecting the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on business practices regarding talent development.

“Covid 19 coronavirus pandemic” was mentioned more frequently than any other challenge and includes concerns about employees working and learning remotely, the difficulty in planning for development given the uncertainty about the future, canceling or postponing talent development activities until restrictions are lifted, the inability to bring employees together, and challenges with adopting technology and shifting to virtual learning.

“Budget/Resources, People/Staff” was mentioned next most often and references difficulties in getting budget approval for learning and development activities, understaffing of training departments, the challenge of getting headcount approved during these unprecedented times, having enough people to analyze, plan, and execute on strategies/initiatives, and the lack of space and computers for some employees to take part in training.

“Time constraints” was the third most frequently mentioned challenge and refers to time-strapped L&D employees, time to respond to rapid changes in focus, and the time required to convert classroom training to virtual/blended learning.

Infographic and Full Survey Results Available An infographic summarizing key findings as well as detailed survey results and all respondent comments are available on the ATW Training Solutions website, www.atwtraining.com. ATW’s goal is to help unleash human potential in organizations. For specific comments on the survey or observations for the purpose of print or online news articles, contact ATW at 515-727-0731.

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AFFILIATE MEMBERSHIP // DSM PARTNERSHIP DSM Local Encourages Buying Local // DSM Partnership The Greater Des Moines Partnership announced #DSMlocal,an initiative to drive more investment to local small businesses in Greater Des Moines (DSM).The campaign will aim toshowcasethe crucial role small businesses play in DSM and inform the public about the benefits and opportunities of doing business locally — all to help small businesses thrive.The campaign builds on the successful DSM Local Challenge launched by The Partnership and CatchDesMoines that took place throughout the spring and summer and garnered more than 40 million impressions on social media.

“Supporting local businesses during this turbulent time is more than just completinga 7-day challenge,” said Meg Schneider, Executive Vice President of Business Resources and Community Development at the Greater Des Moines Partnership. “Small businesses are thelifebloodof our community and make DSM more vibrant, and now is a critical time to come together to support local restaurants, retailers and all local businesses during this difficult time to keep our region strong. ”The Partnership has created aDSM Local Toolkitfor local businesses to utilize and promote DSM Local, including plug and play content, graphics, videos and more. There is also a series of posters and flyers with graphics for individuals and businesses to print, hang and share to support the movement.

Those interested in participating can use#DSMLocal on social media to share how they spent their money locally and lessons they have learned along the way, or promote a new favorite local shop and encourage others to support these companies. DSM Local purchases could be as easy as ordering takeout or delivery from a local restaurant, purchasing gift cards from local retailers or restaurants online or purchasing season passes to local attractions and museums.Find more resources onThe Partnership’s websiteand make sure to use #DSMlocal on social media.

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS // 2020 FuseDSM’s Board of Directors serve a three-year term with a maximum of two terms. Members of the Board focus on the development of Board policies that govern the implementation of institutional plans and purposes. The role is separate and distinct from the role of the staff, to whom are delegated the implementation of these policies.

RANDY SACKETT //

RYAN ANDERSON //

CAROLYN JENISON //

LAURA GIBSON //

TOM WELCHANS //

MICHAEL BIRD //

JEREMY MERRILL //

FERNANDO AVEIGA //

BILL RAINE //

DANIEL WILLRICH //

MEGAN FLETCHER //

PAM THOMPSON //

DANNY BEYER //

PATRICK RUPE //

Yellow & Capital Cab Co, Chair

Central Iowa Center for Independent Living Secretary

Lubinus Law Firm Board Member

Pelds Design Services Board Member

Iron Horse Wealth Management, LLC Board Member

No Coast Consulting Immediate Past

Denman & Company, CPA Treasurer

Hacha & Machete, Inc. Board Member

Siegwerk Board Member

Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company Board Member

SpeakPR Vice Chair

Spindustry Board Member

Raine Recruiting, LLC Board Member

Parks Area Foundation Board Member

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