Element | Community
The City of Cedar Rapids prioritizes equity and services that help all residents lead lives of purpose, health, and community.
Opportunity
For a resident to achieve their potential, basic needs like transportation, healthy food, meaningful work, and community connectedness are critical components.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Resources & Tools for Residents
- Municipal Volunteer Program
Volunteering not only promotes community member involvement and strengthens community cohesion; it is a way to improve one's life, health, and happiness. Whether you want to cuddle furry friends or coach a youth sports team, the MVP program makes it easier than ever to get involved with your city! - City Careers in Sustainability
Learn how nine City employees facilitate sustainability within their unique work areas. Resource conservation is something we all do at the City. For students or others interested in making sustainability work a part of their careers, this resource is a great way to learn how City employees embrace sustainability as a fundamental component of their work.
Accomplishments
The City builds on the success of highly rated neighborhoods, a strong commitment to student success, and a lens for equity in decision-making that helps all Cedar Rapids residents succeed.
Goals & Objectives
- Goal 1: Grow community health and neighborhood connectedness
- A. Objective | Increase the number of those positively rating their "Neighborhood as a place to live" on the National Community Survey to 80% by FY22.
- Goal 2: Diversify representation in City staff and equity in program delivery
- A. Objective | Continue to increase diversity in staff and leadership positions to better reflect community.
- B. Objective | Identify at least five new opportunities per year to advance equity, inclusion, and equal access to programs, services, and facilities.
- C. Objective | Increase participation of low-income, youth, and elderly populations in recreation programming 5% from FY20 baseline by FY22.
- Goal 3: Champion and celebrate literacy, art, and youth
- A. Objective | Increase the percentage of Cedar Rapids residents rating "cultural/arts/music activities" as excellent or good on the National Community Survey to 75% by FY22.
- B. Objective | Implement literacy-focused art or messaging on 10 City-owned facilities and sites by FY22.
- Goal 4: Increase food health and availability
- A. Objective | Increase organizations participating in food growing and recovery 10% by FY22.
- B. Objective | Achieve 30% nutritious food availability at City-owned sites and facilities by FY22.
- C. Objective | Achieve 50% healthy food served at City events.
- Goal 5: Foster a transportation network which cultivates an inclusive and healthy community
- A. Objective | Achieve American Community Survey bike/walk/transit commute rate of 6% for residents by FY22.
- Goal 6: Empower student education and City-connectedness
- A. Objective | Coordinate professional speaker opportunities, field trips, and class research projects with 500+ college students per year by FY22.
- B. Objective | Coordinate staff presentations to 500+ K–12 students in FY22.
Other Sources
1 "Four Ways Social Support Makes You More Resilient." Greater Good Magazine, 2017. http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/four_ways_social_support_makes_you_more_resilient
2 "Traffic Calming to Slow Vehicle Speeds." US Department of Transportation, 24 Aug. 2015, http://www.transportation.gov/mission/health/Traffic-Calming-to-Slow-Vehicle-Speeds
3 Welch, Tom. 4-Lane to 3-Lane Conversions. Iowa Department of Transportation https://iowadot.gov/iowabikes/pdf/Road%20Diet.pdf
4 National Climate Assessment. U.S. Global Change Research Program, 2014. http://nca2014.globalchange.gov/highlights/overview/overview/graphics/separating-human-and-natural-influencesclimate
5 Linn County Food System Assessment Snapshot. Iowa Community Transformation. https://www.linncounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/1671/Linn-County-Food-System-Assessment-Snapshot
6 "2018 Annual Report." Fliphtml5.Com, Cedar Rapids Public Library, 2018. http://online.fliphtml5.com/rofy/jqxs/
7 "Purpose as Well as Paycheck." Insidehighered.Com, Inside Higher Ed, 2019. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/04/11/gallup-bates-report-shows-graduates-want-sense-purpose-careers
