Region 6 Planning Commission

What Region 6 Planning Commission does

Region 6 Resource Partners (formerly Region 6 Planning Commission) is a voluntary association of local governments in rural central Iowa, established in 1974 and headquartered at 903 East Main Street in Marshalltown. The organization serves member communities across four counties — Hardin, Marshall, Poweshiek, and Tama — with a combined service-area population of approximately 95,000 (2010 Census). Its functional portfolio spans comprehensive community planning, federal and state transportation funding administration, affordable housing assistance, public transit operations, and grant writing and administration for member municipalities. Membership is voluntary and open to any local government in the four-county region, with member communities paying annual dues to access services delivered at zero or nominal cost.

The organization's service architecture rests on three operating pillars. Peoplerides, established concurrently in 1974, is the sole public transit operator in the four-county region, running a fleet of 20 ADA-accessible vehicles that delivered more than 50,000 rides annually, offering demand response, fixed routes, ADA paratransit, and — as of July 2024 — a vanpool service through a partnership with Commute with Enterprise. The Region 6 Housing Trust Fund, organized in 2009, administers state funding from the Iowa Finance Authority ($455,199 for the 2026 grant cycle, up from $240,120 in 2020) for affordable housing programs serving homeowners, renters, and developers across the region. Transportation planning operates under Region 6's designation as Regional Planning Affiliate (RPA 6), through which it distributes more than $2.7 million annually in federal Surface Transportation Program and Transportation Alternative Program grants and develops required long-range transportation, passenger transportation, and transportation improvement documents. Underlying technology is conventional: an informational website, online application and ride-scheduling forms, Google Maps for mileage-based fare calculation, and phone-based dispatch by human schedulers.

Region 6 operates as a quasi-governmental organization rather than a commercial enterprise, generating revenue through annual membership dues from member local governments, administrative retainage on federal and state grant distributions, farebox revenue from Peoplerides, and FTA Section 5311 rural transit operating subsidies. It holds unique statutory designations that anchor its market position: it is the US Economic Development Administration's designated Economic Development District for the four-county region, the sole Iowa DOT Regional Planning Affiliate (RPA 6) for the area, and the designated regional housing trust fund administrator under the Iowa Finance Authority. The organization rebranded from Region 6 Planning Commission to Region 6 Resource Partners in June 2019 to better reflect its expanded service scope. Leadership has been stable — Executive Director Marty Wymore has held the role since August 1991 — and is supported by a staff of approximately 10 including planning, housing, accounting, and transit operations personnel.

Name

Region 6 Planning Commission

Legal name

Region 6 Resource Partners

Website

https://region6resources.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Region 6 Resource Partners is an Iowa voluntary association of local governments, established in 1974, providing regional planning, public transit (Peoplerides), affordable housing assistance, and grant administration to member communities across four rural counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Government Services

NAICS

Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (925120), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (92512), Administration of Housing Programs (92511), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Planning, Zoning, Permitting & Code Enforcement (BPAIACAE), State/Provincial Housing, Urban/Regional Planning & Community Development (BPAIABAM), Urban Planning & Master Planning (BPAHAKAD)

Keywords

• Regional planning services
• Public transit operations
• Housing trust administration
• Transportation funding administration
• Grant writing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Marshalltown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Local governments in Hardin, Marshall, Poweshiek, and Tama Counties pay annual membership dues to access services including grant writing, planning, transportation funding access, and housing assistance
2. Transportation Grants Administration: Cities and counties access more than $2.7 million in annual transportation grants through Region 6 for road rebuilding, bridge reconstruction, and transit vehicle purchases. Approximately $135,000 annually for transportation enhancement projects. All funded projects require at least 20% local financial match.
3. Federal Transportation Funding Distribution: Distributes Surface Transportation Program grant funding - approximately $1.8 million in FY2027, $3.0 million in FY2028, $3.0 million in FY2029, and $3.0 million in FY2030 (totaling $10.8 million). Also distributes Transportation Alternative Program funding of approximately $645,000.
4. Public Transit Fares: Peoplerides generates farebox revenue from transit trips. Fares vary by county: Marshalltown in-town demand response $15, paratransit $2, out of town $2.89/mile; Iowa Falls in-town $3; Grinnell in-town $3; Tama/Toledo in-town $3; Marshalltown Unity Point subsidized $8.
5. Housing Trust Fund Administration: Region 6 Housing Trust Fund administered by staff. Trust receives state funding from Iowa Finance Authority - $455,199 for 2026 cycle, $450,560 for 2025, $415,865 for 2024, $414,009 for 2023, $337,295 for 2022, $259,092 for 2021, $240,120 for 2020. Provides grants to new home buyers, existing homeowners, rental property owners, and affordable housing projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Region 6 Planning Commission is a voluntary association of local governments in central Iowa, established in 1974, that delivers regional planning, transportation funding administration, housing assistance through the Region 6 Housing Trust Fund, the Peoplerides public transit system, and grant/loan packaging services to member communities across Hardin, Marshall, Poweshiek, and Tama Counties. Its core mission is to pool the resources of its member local governments to deliver services and administer federal/state programs that individual small rural counties could not efficiently support on their own.

Product overview

Region 6 Resource Partners (formerly Region 6 Planning Commission) offers a portfolio of government and public services rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include: Peoplerides, a public transit service providing ADA-accessible transportation across four Iowa counties using 20 vehicles and offering over 50,000 rides annually; the Region 6 Housing Trust Fund, a housing assistance program providing funds for homeowners, renters, and rental property owners; and Transportation Planning services as the designated Regional Planning Affiliate (RPA 6) for federal transportation fund distribution. Supporting services include grant writing and administration, vanpooling through an Enterprise partnership, and online scheduling/application systems for transit and housing services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Peoplerides Public Transit Fixed-route public transit service operated by Region 6 Planning Commission under the Peoplerides brand, providing general-public mobility across Hardin, Marshall, Poweshiek, and Tama Counties using a fleet of 20 ADA-accessible vehicles. Riders pay per-ride fares and can book trips via the online scheduling portal, by phone, or in person.
• Peoplerides ADA Paratransit Door-to-door ADA paratransit service for seniors and persons with disabilities who cannot use the fixed-route service. Riders book through the online portal or by phone and pay a subsidized fare, with the service meeting federal ADA paratransit requirements within the region.
• Peoplerides Vanpool Program Vanpool service offered to commuters traveling between or within the four-county Region 6 service area, providing an alternative to driving alone and complementing fixed-route and paratransit transit options.
• Region 6 Housing Trust Fund Region 6 Housing Trust Fund program that administers grants and loans for housing rehabilitation, weatherization, and related housing assistance to income-qualified households across Hardin, Marshall, Poweshiek, and Tama Counties. Applicants submit applications online or by mail, and funding is administered regionally rather than county-by-county.
• Regional Comprehensive Planning Services Regional comprehensive planning services provided to member county and municipal governments, including long-range land-use, infrastructure, and development planning across the four-county region. As Regional Planning Affiliate (RPA 6), the commission also prepares long-range transportation plans for the region.
• Transportation Funding Administration Administration of regional transportation funding programs, including Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG), Transportation Alternatives Set-aside, and related state/federal transportation funds, on behalf of member local governments. The commission programs projects through its TPMS (Transportation Performance Monitoring System) and supports member jurisdictions in accessing and administering these funds.
• Grant and Loan Packaging Services Grant writing and loan packaging services provided to member local governments and other eligible applicants in the region, leveraging the commission's expertise with federal and state program requirements (EDA, CDBG, housing, transportation, economic development).
• EDA Economic Development District Programming Regional economic development programming and support under the commission's designation as a U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Economic Development District, providing the region with access to EDA programs and supporting member jurisdictions on economic development initiatives.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 50,000 rides provided annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Commute with EnterprisecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 July 2024Vanpool partnership where Commute with Enterprise provides 7-15 passenger vehicles, insurance, maintenance, and ongoing support. Peoplerides partially subsidizes the program. Enterprise provides coordination services, technology, 24-hour roadside assistance. Vanpool riders pay set monthly fee. Minimum 4 riders required.
• Hardin, Marshall, Poweshiek, and Tama CountiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFour counties provide financial support for Region 6 Housing Trust Fund. County governments are also member organizations receiving planning, transportation, and housing services.
• MICA Weatherization ProgramminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMICA (Mid-Iowa Community Action) Weatherization Program referred to Housing Trust Fund applicants with weatherization needs. Program replaces inefficient appliances, insulates homes and pipes. Not a home repair program.
• CIRSIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a great Peoplerides partner organization, suggesting collaborative transit service provision in the region.
• Meskwaki SettlementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated in the Region 6 planning area along Highway 30 near Tama and Toledo in Tama County. Rita Schoenman serves as Meskwaki Tribe Grant Writer on Transportation Advisory Committee (non-voting).
• Marshalltown Municipal Transit (MMT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinates ADA paratransit eligibility for Marshalltown riders. Kevin Pigors serves as Municipal Transit Director on Transportation Advisory Committee. Peoplerides operates within city limits only for approved paratransit riders.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Iowa Finance Authority (IFA): State-level housing finance agency that funds the Region 6 Housing Trust Fund and other local housing trust funds statewide. Operates as a broader incumbent providing housing program administration and funding at a statewide scale that encompasses Region 6's territory.

Direct peers

• Northwest Iowa Planning and Development Commission: Regional planning commission serving eight counties in northwest Iowa. Directly comparable voluntary association structure providing planning, transportation, housing, and community development services to member governments.
• East Central Intergovernmental Association (ECIA): Council of governments serving seven counties in eastern Iowa. Direct peer providing regional planning, transit, housing, and economic development services to member local governments through a similar dues-funded model.
• Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission: Regional planning commission serving Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard, and Winneshiek counties in northeast Iowa. Directly comparable in mission, structure, and rural Iowa service area; provides planning, housing, and economic development services to member governments.
• MIDAS Council of Governments: Regional planning council serving north-central Iowa counties with transportation planning, housing programs, and economic development services. Directly comparable as a fellow Iowa Council of Governments structure - notably, Planning Director Julie Winter previously worked here.
• Southwest Iowa Planning Council: Regional planning agency serving six counties in southwest Iowa. Directly comparable structure providing comprehensive planning, transportation funding administration, and community development services.
• Iowa Lakes Regional Commission: Regional commission serving Dickinson, Emmet, Palo Alto, and other northwest Iowa counties. Directly comparable as a multi-county voluntary association providing planning, housing, and economic development programs.

Regional players

• Cherokee Regional Commission: Regional planning body serving northwest Iowa counties. Comparable in providing multi-county regional planning services though operates in a different sub-region of Iowa from Region 6.

Others

• National Association of Regional Councils (NARC): National membership organization supporting regional councils of governments across the United States. Region 6 would be a member beneficiary; represents the broader ecosystem and policy advocacy layer for the COG model.

Emerging players

• Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Agency (HIRTA): Regional public transit agency serving multiple central Iowa counties with comparable demand-response and deviated fixed-route services. Closest direct peer for the Peoplerides transit operation specifically, though smaller in geographic scope than Region 6's four-county footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/region6resources
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/region-6-resource-partners

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Region 6 Planning Commission