What Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission does

Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC) is a public regional planning commission established in November 1972, serving Northeast Iowa as one of 18 Regional Planning Affiliations (RPA-1) under Iowa state designation and as a federally designated Economic Development District. The organization serves five counties (Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard, and Winneshiek) and approximately 50 cities with a staff of 13 employees, administering over $10 million in grants annually across transportation, economic development, housing, and community development programs.

UERPC's core operational portfolio includes transportation planning and programming (administering Iowa DOT Surface Transportation Block Grants of $2.5 million and Transportation Alternatives Program funds of $236,000), HUD Community Development Block Grant administration ($1.75 million), economic development lending through a $2.25 million regional revolving loan pool, housing programs including two rental properties, and emerging service lines covering EV infrastructure planning, Energy Burden reduction, Brownfields assessment, and Iowa's first rural regional Safe Routes to School program. The organization received the 2026 National Excellence in Regional Transportation Award for its EV infrastructure planning initiative.

UERPC's business model is grant-funded and government-anchored. Revenue is generated primarily through federal pass-through allocations (DOT, HUD, EDA), state appropriations, and local government member contributions, with supplemental income from revolving loan interest and modest apartment rental operations. In FY25, revenue from governmental activities reached $3,459,333, representing an 86.3% year-over-year increase. Customer segments are exclusively governmental: federal and state funding agencies, the five member counties, and the ~50 municipalities within its statutory service territory. Distribution is direct through institutional relationships rather than market-based sales channels.

Name

Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission

Legal name

Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission

Website

https://uerpc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UERPC is a public regional planning commission serving five counties and ~50 cities in Northeast Iowa. Established 1972, it administers over $10 million in annual grants across transportation, economic development, housing, and community development programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Planning and Community Development Services

NAICS

Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (925120), Regulation and Administration of Transportation Programs (926120)

SIC

Non-Operating Establishments (9995), Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Urban & Regional Planning (Land Use, Zoning, Master Planning) (BPAIANAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Transportation & Infrastructure Planning (BPAHAKAF), Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)

Keywords

• Regional planning services
• Economic development
• Housing assistance programs
• Transportation planning
• Community development

Headquarters

HQ city

Decorah

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Grants: UERPC receives significant funding from federal sources including HUD Section 8, DOT FHWA/FTA grants, EDA planning grants, USDA Rural Development programs, FEMA hazard mitigation grants, and CDBG funds. FY25 revenue from governmental activities was $3,459,333 (increased 86.3% from FY24).
2. State Grants and Programs: State funding from Iowa Finance Authority, Iowa Economic Development Authority, Iowa DOT, and Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Includes housing trust funds, pilot repair programs, and transportation planning funds.
3. Fund Alert Services: UERPC assembles and distributes monthly Fund Alerts listing grants and funding sources from regional councils of government to assist communities in locating financial assistance for projects.
4. Fiscal Agent Services: UERPC serves as fiscal agent for various programs and groups including revolving loan funds, Northeast Iowa Business Network, and community foundations, providing financial management and reporting services.
5. Regional Housing Authority Administration: Administers the Regional Housing Authority overseeing the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Rental Assistance Program funded through HUD.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission is a government regional planning commission established in 1972 to promote regional cooperation and meet the planning and economic development needs of local governments across five Northeast Iowa counties (Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard, and Winneshiek). The organization provides technical assistance, grant administration, housing programs, transportation planning, economic development financing, mapping/GIS services, and planning facilitation to 50 cities, counties, nonprofits, and residents.

Product overview

Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission offers a comprehensive portfolio of regional planning and community development services across five Northeast Iowa counties. The organization operates as a unified service provider rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture, offering core programs in housing (Regional Housing Trust Fund, HOME Program, Section 8 vouchers, apartment rentals), transportation (RPA-1 planning, Safe Routes to School, WalkBike initiatives), economic development (revolving loans, business assistance), and municipal services (planning facilitation, GIS mapping, code updates, fiscal agency). These services are delivered through dedicated departments and programs that interconnect to support regional cooperation, economic growth, and community resilience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Northeast Iowa Regional Housing Trust Fund A regional housing trust fund serving Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard, and Winneshiek Counties that provides grants up to $12,500 per project for home repairs, furnace replacements, energy efficiency updates, and homebuyer assistance.
• Northeast Iowa HOME Program Down payment assistance program providing up to $32,000 for first-time homebuyers purchasing existing or newly built homes, limited to 15 applicants over two years for buyers meeting income and property standards.
• Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) HUD-funded rental assistance program administered by the Regional Housing Authority, helping lower-income families access safe housing in the private market across the five-county region.
• Transportation Planning Services (RPA-1) Regional transportation planning as the designated Regional Planning Affiliation (RPA-1), distributing federal transportation funds and managing multimodal transportation projects including roads, transit, walking, and bicycling infrastructure.
• Planning and Facilitation Services Community planning services including comprehensive plans, strategic plans, capital improvement plans, hazard mitigation plans, housing needs assessments, and business plans for local governments and organizations.
• Economic Development Services Serves as the Economic Development District for Northeast Iowa with a $2,250,000 regional loan pool, providing small business loans up to $150,000, SBA financing assistance, and technical assistance for business plans.
• Revolving Loan Programs EDA and USDA-funded revolving loan funds providing financing to new and expanding small businesses unable to obtain credit on standard terms.
• Mapping and GIS Services GIS mapping services including parcel, land use, zoning, utility, street, census, environmental, housing, and recreational trail maps using digital aerial photography and topographic data.
• Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Administration Administers federal CDBG programs for communities including housing rehabilitation, water and sewer improvements, downtown revitalization, community facilities, and downtown facade programs.
• Brownfields Program Identifies, prioritizes, and assesses Brownfields properties for sustainable redevelopment, helping communities return contaminated sites to productive reuse.
• Hazard Mitigation Planning Works with communities to identify potential hazards and develop mitigation strategies, helping communities qualify for federal and state grant money following disasters.
• Safe Routes to School State's first rural, regional Safe Routes to School program offering walking and biking school buses, bike safety lessons, bike rodeo supplies, and community coalitions to promote active school travel.
• UERPC Housing Inc. Apartment Rental Owns and manages apartment rentals in Calmar and Postville, offering 1-bedroom units at $550-$600/month and 2-bedroom units at $600-$650/month with free water, sewage, and garbage.
• City Code of Ordinances Services Assists cities with updating their code of ordinances using a model code provided by the Iowa Association of Regional Councils, incorporating all current ordinances within 3-6 months.
• Fiscal Agent Services Provides financial management of grant programs and reporting assistance for various organizations including revolving loan funds and nonprofit groups.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving 50 cities across five Northeast Iowa counties since 1972
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Allamakee County Economic Development (ACED)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 July 2026ACED is a nonprofit, county-wide economic development corporation focused on expanding economic growth in Allamakee County. UERPC provides contracted services including a Part-time Communications Coordinator position to support ACED's marketing and communications needs.
• Allamakee-Clayton Electric CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive participant in economic development for northeast Iowa. Through partnerships with Dairyland Power Cooperative and USDA Rural Development, as well as their own revolving loan fund, provides financial assistance for retention and expansion of existing businesses as well as attracting new businesses to the area.
• Alliant EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive economic development group that supports and pursues business investment in communities Alliant serves. Values partnership and opportunity to do business with suppliers, dealers and customer-owned electric generators.
• Black Hills EnergyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides electric and natural gas service to over 600,000 customers in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska. Partners to produce results that improve life with energy.
• Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency responsible for conserving and enhancing Iowa's natural resources. UERPC collaborates on environmental planning, brownfields assessment, and natural resource protection initiatives.
• Iowa Department of TransportationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvocates and delivers transportation services that support the economic, environmental and social vitality of Iowa. UERPC serves as RPA-1 for transportation planning in the five-county region.
• FEMAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports citizens and first responders to ensure nation works together to build, sustain, and improve capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. UERPC coordinates hazard mitigation planning for the region.
• Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) and Iowa Finance Authority (IFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreating a culture in which businesses prosper, to build communities where people want to visit and live, and to raise the standard of living for Iowans. UERPC assists communities with CDBG applications and housing programs administered through these authorities.
• ISU Extension and OutreachminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelps Iowans appreciate and take care of our land, making Iowa a great place to live today and tomorrow. UERPC collaborates on community development and planning initiatives.
• ITC Midwest, LLCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWholly-owned subsidiary of ITC Holdings Corp., the nation's largest independent electricity transmission company. Operates more than 6,800 circuit miles of transmission lines in Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois and Missouri.
• Luther CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUndergraduate liberal arts institution of about 2,500 students located in Decorah. Affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. UERPC partners with Luther on EV planning initiatives and community development projects.
• Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides accessible, affordable, quality education and training to meet the needs of communities. UERPC partners with NICC on EV workforce training, transportation planning, and economic development initiatives. NICC Calmar campus hosts UERPC community meetings.
• Northeast Iowa Food & Fitness InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHas brought people in northeast Iowa together to make the region a place where every day, all people have access to healthy, locally grown foods and abundant opportunities for physical activity.
• Upper Iowa UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 1857, preparing students to succeed in the classroom and in the world. Recognized innovator in offering accredited, quality programs through flexible, multiple delivery systems.
• Northeast Iowa Business Network (NIBN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFive-county economic development group comprised of region's economic development staff, educational institutions, SDBC, MiEnergy, Black Hills Energy, ITC, Alliant Energy, Allamakee Clayton Electric Cooperative, SBA, ISU Extension and Outreach, area chambers of commerce and other business leaders. UERPC provides administration and leads programmatic and grant writing efforts.
• Iowa Councils of Governments (ICOG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreated more than thirty years ago by visionary public leaders, provides professional planning, programming, and technical assistance to Iowa's cities, counties, businesses, community organizations and Iowans of all ages. UERPC is a member COG.
• Winneshiek Energy DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with UERPC on Driving Electric in Rural NE Iowa project including EV infrastructure planning, tourism analysis, stakeholder engagement, and charging station corridor planning. Partner for energy efficiency and sustainability initiatives.
• Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation and DevelopmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on EV planning project and regional sustainability initiatives.
• GoodwillminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInspires hope and self-confidence, helping people from all backgrounds and walks of life to feel successful, valuable and dignified through the power of work. Partner in regional workforce development efforts.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mid-Iowa Planning Council (MIPC): Regional planning council serving central Iowa counties with parallel EDA, RPA, and housing programs. Operates as a directly comparable Iowa regional planning entity with identical service categories.
• Southern Iowa Council of Governments (SICOG): Iowa regional COG offering parallel planning, economic development, housing, and transportation services across southern Iowa counties under the same Iowa statutory framework as UERPC.
• Chariton Valley Planning and Development: Iowa regional planning commission serving south-central Iowa counties. Provides directly comparable EDA District, RPA, housing, and community development services to the same client base of small cities and counties.
• East Central Intergovernmental Association (ECIA): Iowa regional planning commission serving an adjacent multi-county area with the same EDA District, RPA, and housing authority designations as UERPC. Provides directly comparable planning, transportation, and economic development services.
• Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council (SIMPCO): Iowa regional planning agency with equivalent EDA District and MPO/RPA designations, offering the same portfolio of housing, transportation, and economic development services in northwest Iowa. Same statutory authority and funding sources as UERPC.
• Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments (INRCOG): Direct peer regional council of governments in Iowa serving a multi-county region with planning, housing, transportation (RPA), and economic development programs. Operates under identical Iowa statutory framework as UERPC with equivalent federal/state designations.

Broad incumbents

• Mid-America Regional Council (MARC): Much larger metropolitan-area regional planning council serving the Kansas City region. Operates the same EDA/RPA/housing service model as UERPC but at significantly greater scale, useful for understanding scaling potential.
• Iowa Association of Regional Councils (IARC): Umbrella association for Iowa's 18 regional planning affiliations including UERPC. Provides shared services, training, and model ordinances that UERPC uses (e.g., city code of ordinances), making it both a peer and a support entity.

Others

• National Association of Regional Councils (NARC): National membership association for regional councils of governments including UERPC. Provides advocacy, training, and the awards program that recognized UERPC's EV planning work, making it a peer ecosystem organization rather than a competitor.

Regional players

• Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission: Regional planning commission in a different state (Arkansas) with comparable scope — multi-county regional planning, housing programs, transportation coordination, and economic development — useful as a cross-state comparable for UERPC's operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/upper-explorerland-regional-planning-commission

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission