Southwest Lowa Planning Council

What Southwest Lowa Planning Council does

Southwest Iowa Planning Council (SWIPCO) is a non-profit regional planning organization incorporated in Iowa and headquartered at 1501 SW 7th St., Atlantic, Iowa. Founded in 1975, SWIPCO serves eight counties in southwest Iowa (Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, and Shelby) and their municipalities, governed by a 17-member Policy Council with representatives from each county board and appointed citizens. The organization's mission is to promote regional cooperation and community economic development across this rural region, with services delivered through wholly-owned subsidiaries and program units including SWITA (Southwest Iowa Transit Agency, public transit across eight counties), SWIHTF (Southwest Iowa Housing Trust Fund, affordable housing assistance), RPA 13 (Regional Planning Affiliate 13, transportation planning for four counties), and the Business Revolving Loan Fund (gap financing for new and existing businesses in six counties). Supporting services include comprehensive planning, code compliance and building inspections, lead hazard reduction, student transportation, and disaster recovery coordination.

SWIPCO operates four core revenue streams. Transit services (SWITA) are funded via federal transit assistance, state transit assistance, and rider fares across public transit, medical trips, taxi services, and student/work route shuttles at usage-based rates ranging from $1.75 per student ride to $45/hour for special trips. Housing programs (SWIHTF) generate fee-based revenue from 5-year forgivable loans (up to $8,000 down payment assistance), up to $35,000 in new construction down payment assistance, demolition cost matching up to $15,000, and lead hazard reduction grants, with the fund currently assisting over 100 homes annually through more than $1.5 million in funding. Planning and technical assistance is provided to member governments on a professional services basis at competitive rates for comprehensive plans, urban renewal plans, zoning ordinances, and grant writing. The Business RLF, established in 2009, operates as a gap-financing facility on a transaction-fee basis for businesses in six counties.

The organization's competitive position rests on three legally protected regulatory designations: RPA 13 status through Iowa DOT, Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) authority for a six-county region through EDA, and member-government status with 17 county-level policy board representatives. SWIPCO holds extensive core partnerships with Iowa Finance Authority, Iowa DOT, Iowa West Foundation, MAPA, USDA Rural Development, Homes for Iowa, and Iowa Prison Industries. The technology stack is standard government/nonprofit administrative systems, transit dispatch technology, and housing inspection tools; no proprietary software, AI/ML capabilities, or patented technology is disclosed. Headcount is approximately 25+ staff including an Executive Director (John McCurdy), Transit Director, Administrative Services Director, Finance Manager, and a roster of housing programs, grants specialists, building inspectors, schedulers, and transit coordinators. The organization publishes annual audits and reports (FY2023 through FY2025) but does not disclose headline revenue figures.

Name

Southwest Lowa Planning Council

Legal name

Southwest Iowa Planning Council

Website

https://swipco.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Southwest Iowa Planning Council (SWIPCO) is a non-profit regional planning organization founded in 1975, serving eight counties in southwest Iowa with public transit (SWITA), housing assistance (SWIHTF), transportation planning (RPA 13), business lending, and municipal planning services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Planning and Community Development Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (925120), Special Needs Transportation (485991), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regional & Land Use Planning (BPAHAKAE), Community / Nonprofit Public Transit Bus Operators (TLAFAGAJ), ADA/Accessible Paratransit (Complementary to Fixed-Route Transit) (THAIAHAA), Special Education Paratransit & On-Demand Ride Services (EDAKAOAC)

Keywords

• Regional planning services
• Public transit operations
• Housing assistance programs
• Economic development loans
• Community development planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlantic

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Transit Services Revenue: SWITA operates public transit services funded through a combination of federal transit assistance, state transit assistance, and rider fares. Services include general public transit, medical trips, taxi services, student transportation, and work route shuttles.
2. Housing Programs and Trust Fund: SWIHTF provides housing repairs, homeownership assistance, and demolition services. Currently assists over 100 homes with over $1.5 million in funding each year. Programs include 5-year forgivable loans, down payment assistance up to $8,000, and demolition cost matching up to $15,000.
3. Business Revolving Loan Fund: Established in 2009, provides gap financing to new and existing businesses in Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Montgomery, Page, and Shelby Counties. RLF dollars may be used in conjunction with local lenders or serve businesses turned down from financial institutions.
4. Planning and Technical Assistance: Provides professional planning services to member cities and counties including comprehensive plans, urban renewal plans, zoning ordinances, grant writing, and project administration. Services are provided at competitive rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Southwest Iowa Planning Council (SWIPCO) is a non-profit regional planning organization serving eight counties in southwest Iowa. It delivers integrated services through four core programs: public transit (SWITA) operating 24/7 transit across the region, affordable housing assistance (SWIHTF) including rehabilitation loans and down payment assistance, transportation planning (RPA 13) designated through Iowa DOT, and a Business Revolving Loan Fund for economic development gap financing.

Product overview

Southwest Iowa Planning Council (SWIPCO) is a regional planning organization formed in 1975 that operates as a unified service organization with multiple interconnected programs. The core offerings include SWITA (Southwest Iowa Transit Agency) providing public transportation across eight counties, the Southwest Iowa Housing Trust Fund (SWIHTF) offering housing assistance and rehabilitation programs, the Business Revolving Loan Fund for economic development, and RPA 13 managing regional transportation planning. Supporting services include code compliance and building inspections, lead hazard reduction, student transportation, and new construction housing programs. These services work together to fulfill SWIPCO's mission of regional cooperation and community development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SWITA (Southwest Iowa Transit Agency): Public transportation system operating in eight county region
• SWIHTF (Southwest Iowa Housing Trust Fund)
• RPA 13 (Regional Planning Affiliate 13)

Products and services

• Southwest Iowa Transit Agency (SWITA) Public transportation system serving Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, and Shelby Counties with 24/7 service availability. Provides medical trips, work routes, student transportation, taxi services, and summer fun bus programs. Service is open to the general public including persons with disabilities as required by the ADA.
• Southwest Iowa Housing Trust Fund (SWIHTF) Housing assistance program providing safe, affordable housing and expanding housing opportunities in the region. Includes owner-occupied housing rehabilitation, lead paint reduction, homeownership down payment assistance, and demolition of blighted properties. Currently assists over 100 homes with over $1.5 million in funding each year.
• Business Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Economic development loan program providing gap financing to new and existing businesses in Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Montgomery, Page, and Shelby Counties. RLF dollars may be used in conjunction with local lenders or serve businesses turned down by financial institutions.
• Regional Planning Affiliate 13 (RPA 13) Transportation planning region designated through the Iowa Department of Transportation covering Cass, Fremont, Montgomery, and Page counties. Provides regional transportation planning including TIP, PTP, LRTP, and TPWP documents and technical assistance.
• Planning Department Services Comprehensive planning assistance for member cities and counties including comprehensive/strategic plans, urban renewal plans, land use planning, trails plans, hazard mitigation planning, and technical assistance for codes, ordinances, and grant writing.
• Code Compliance and Building Inspection Services Code enforcement and building inspection services including dangerous/dilapidated building inspections, rental property maintenance inspections, new construction inspections, and International Building Codes enforcement.
• Student Transportation Services Safe, reliable, and affordable transportation for students in preschool through 12th grade in Atlantic, Glenwood, Harlan, Red Oak, and Shelby County areas. Includes scheduled early dismissal days and weather-related schedule changes. $1.75 per ride per child with $30 minimum initial payment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Assists over 100 homes with over $1.5 million in funding each year through SWIHTF
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Homes for IowaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Homes for Iowa, Inc. (501c3) reduces recidivism by training incarcerated men in building trades while constructing single family homes. SWIPCO promotes this program to provide housing opportunities in southwest Iowa. Homes are built at Newton Correctional Facility and patterned on South Dakota Governor's House program.
• Iowa Prison IndustriesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Iowa Prison Industries is contracted to build homes and train crew members for the Homes for Iowa program at Newton Correctional Facility.
• Iowa Finance AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006SWIHTF partners with Iowa Finance Authority for housing repair programs including the Housing Repair Regional Program. IFA provides funding and administrative support for housing assistance programs serving southwest Iowa residents.
• Iowa Department of TransportationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSWIPCO manages Regional Planning Affiliate 13 (RPA 13), designated through the Iowa Department of Transportation to provide regional transportation planning services. Iowa DOT also provides state transit assistance and federal transit assistance funding for SWITA operations.
• Metropolitan Area Planning Agency (MAPA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPottawattamie and Mills counties are also members of MAPA based in Omaha, Nebraska, providing coordination on regional planning matters that cross state boundaries.
• Local BanksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSWIPCO partners with local banks for the Housing Repair Regional Program, combining IFA and local bank resources to provide repairs improving health, safety, and energy efficiency in owner occupied homes.
• Southwest Iowa Housing Trust Fund BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSWIHTF has its own Board of Directors including representatives from each county (Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Shelby) providing governance and strategic direction for housing programs.
• USDA Rural DevelopmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSDA Rural Development has home repair grants available for rural homeowners affected by May 2024 storms/tornadoes and June 2024 floods. SWIPCO assists with administration of these disaster recovery programs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission (SEIRPC): Iowa regional planning commission covering several southeast Iowa counties. Directly comparable to SWIPCO as a fellow Council of Government providing planning, housing, and economic development services to member counties in a similar rural Iowa context.
• East Central Intergovernmental Association (ECIA): Iowa regional planning council providing transportation planning (RPA), housing programs, and economic development services to member counties in east central Iowa. Operates under the same Iowa DOT RPA and EDA CEDS framework as SWIPCO.
• Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC): Northeast Iowa regional planning commission offering regional planning, housing rehabilitation, and economic development programs. Directly comparable in scope, structure, and rural Iowa member-county service model to SWIPCO.
• Metropolitan Area Planning Agency (MAPA): Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan planning organization with overlapping member counties (Pottawattamie, Mills) in SWIPCO's service area. Comparable as a regional planning agency with transportation planning, housing, and economic development functions, though larger and more metropolitan in scope.
• Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments (INRCOG): Northeast Iowa regional council of governments providing planning, housing, and economic development services. Operates as a fellow Iowa Council of Government under the same state and federal program framework as SWIPCO.
• Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Agency (HIRTA): Iowa regional public transit agency serving multiple central Iowa counties. Directly comparable to SWIPCO's SWITA operation in providing fixed-route, demand-responsive, and paratransit services funded through Iowa DOT and FTA programs.

Broad incumbents

• Mid-America Regional Council (MARC): Kansas City region's federally designated metropolitan planning organization, substantially larger than SWIPCO. Comparable in function (regional planning, transportation, housing, economic development) but operates at metropolitan scale and is not a direct rural Iowa competitor.
• Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit that finances and develops affordable housing, including rural and small-community programs. Overlaps with SWIPCO's SWIHTF and lead hazard reduction work but operates nationally with private capital rather than purely public grants.

Regional players

• Greater Des Moines Partnership: Central Iowa regional economic development and chamber organization. Comparable to SWIPCO's CEDS-aligned economic development and Business RLF functions but serves a different (more metropolitan) geography in central Iowa.

Others

• National Association of Development Organizations (NADO): National membership association representing regional development organizations including SWIPCO. Thematically related as SWIPCO's industry body and a 2022 NADO Impact Award recipient, but operates as an advocacy/peer network rather than a direct service competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Southwest-Iowa-Planning-Council-169360229786860
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/445977/admin
• Xx.com/SWIPCO1975

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Southwest Lowa Planning Council