Energize Clinton

Success Story

Energize Clinton is a two-phase initiative that empowers the community to achieve two goals: Identify what matters most to residents and build an endowment fund that will help enhance those positive qualities for generations to come. It’s a hybrid Community Heart & Soul and the Small-town Dreams Initiative.
Through the Heart & Soul process, the Energize Clinton team connected with over 1,200 residents through surveys and meetings to understand what they care about. The Heart & Soul process helped people connect over their shared passion for Clinton while also identifying concrete areas for investment. What emerged was a new narrative for Clinton.
The six “values statements” that emerged from the Heart & Soul process will become the guiding principles for the payouts from this endowment. The six Heart & Soul statements are:
1. We appreciate our diversity which is welcoming, inclusive, and supportive, creating a high quality of life, a feeling of belonging, and a strong sense of community service.
2. We develop our identity through a sense of place between the rural landscape of Iowa and the Mississippi River. A small-town feel comes from the safety, convenience, and connections between residents while offering access to a variety of amenities.
3. We are energized by our access to the Mississippi River. We enjoy the diverse spaces, parks, and outdoor attractions along the river that support social, cultural, and recreational events.
4. We value local employers and non-profits of all sizes that create opportunities for our residents to thrive, shop locally, and give our town a unique character.
5. We celebrate investment in historic revitalization, beautification, and development that enhance our downtowns and neighborhoods as places where we can flourish and prosper.
6. We value private and public schools, the community college, museums, the library, and other organizations that provide strong social and workforce skills for the entire community. These resources connect us to our culture and offer year-round activities for people of all ages.
Clinton is one of 10 towns across Eastern Iowa taking part in an initiative that empowers people to build strong futures for their communities. The goal is to leverage a $100,000 challenge grant and raise matching funds to eventually build a $450,000 endowment. This permanent funding source will grant out about $25,000 annually to support local organizations and projects that respond to the needs and opportunities of the day.
Equipped with homegrown ideas for strengthening the community and the funds to do so, leaders in Clinton will be prepared to ensure their city can remain a vital place to live, work, and play forever.