Welcome to Heartland!

Heartland promo pic

April 14 - 17, 2026

Heartland 2026 will be held at the Stoney Creek Conference Center in Independence, MO.

The course includes 10 basic sections:

  • EDO Management
  • Ethics
  • Strategic Planning
  • Neighborhood/Community Development
  • Business Retention & Expansion
  • Economic Development Finance
  • Entrepreneurship & Small Business
  • Site Selection & Business Attraction
  • Workforce/Talent
  • Real Estate Development 
Register Now!

Take it from our 2025 grads

  • "I think Heartland is a great pace to start in the world of Economic Development."
  • "Wonderful sessions. Great speakers. Engaging content.”
  • “The Heartland Economic Development course set a high standard from the start--of not only expectations of it's attendees, but also the EDC introductory overview education attendees can gain--and it absolutely delivered.”
  • “It's a great overview course that I would recommend to every Economic Development Professional starting out.”
  • "Heartland was extremely helpful, informative and put us on the fast track for success. Most importantly it helped us accelerate relationships with our peers to expand our contacts for advice and guidance."
  • "This was honestly the most impactful course/conference I've ever attended in my life." 

Heartland is...

cedc

Presented by Heartland Economic Development Course, Inc., with the Institute for Decision Making at the University of Northern Iowa, in partnership with the Kansas Economic Development Alliance, Professional Developers of Iowa, Missouri Economic Development Council, Nebraska Economic Developers Association, Select Oklahoma and South Dakota Governor's Office of Economic Development.

It is accredited by the International Economic Development Council, which accredits a number of Basic Economic Development Courses (BEDC) that provide the foundation for entry-level economic development practitioners, allied professionals, community leaders and volunteers. The HEDC and other basic courses serve as the equivalent to IEDC’s Introduction to Economic Development Course for those interested in the Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) Certification through IEDC.

Contact

Heartland Economic Development Course

University of Northern Iowa
Institute for Decision Making
Business and Community Services Bldg.
8120 Jennings Drive, Suite 113
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0186

Office:  319-273-6944
             800-782-9520
Email: heartland-edc@uni.edu

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