Connecting Iowa’s Cities Through a Centralized Digital Hub.
The Iowa League of Cities represents hundreds of municipalities across the state, providing resources, training, and advocacy. To serve members more effectively, the League envisioned a digital hub where cities could access information, collaborate, and strengthen connections with one another.
The Challenge
Cities across Iowa rely on the League for training materials, policy updates, and networking opportunities. However, resources were previously distributed through disparate systems, making access cumbersome and inefficient. The Iowa League of Cities needed a centralized platform where members could easily find resources, connect with peers, and stay engaged with the League’s initiatives.
The challenge was to design a portal flexible enough to serve municipalities of all sizes, while remaining easy to use for staff with varying levels of technical expertise. The product also needed to manage a wide variety of content types, from documents to event listings.
Our Approach
We collaborated with the League to design a portal that served as both a resource center and community hub. Our design emphasized clarity and navigation, ensuring that busy city officials could quickly find what they needed.
Through Custom Web App Development, we built scalable infrastructure capable of managing large amounts of content while maintaining speed and reliability. We also included collaboration features that allowed municipalities to connect and share knowledge directly through the platform.
In response to this pressing need, Goji Labs collaborated with the Iowa League of Cities and IMWCA to develop the “Iowa League HUB,” a bespoke CRM platform designed to revolutionize how the League operates and interacts with its members. This comprehensive web application encompasses advanced features for member management, data tracking, event planning, financial oversight, and subscription services. Beyond merely replacing the legacy system, the Iowa League HUB introduces a suite of tools tailored to the unique demands of municipal management and collaboration. Additionally, Goji Labs revitalized the online presence of both the Iowa League of Cities and IMWCA by redesigning their extensive content websites, making vital information about bids, regulations, and guidelines more accessible and user-friendly for members.
- Conducted user research with city staff to identify content needs
- Designed navigation flows tailored to busy municipal officials
- Built scalable infrastructure for content and event management
- Added collaboration tools to foster peer-to-peer knowledge sharing
The Impact
The Iowa League Hub became a cornerstone for municipal collaboration in the state. Members reported easier access to critical resources and stronger connections with peer cities, driving greater value from their League membership.
The impact extended beyond efficiency—by centralizing access and communication, the platform helped municipalities save time, improve decision-making, and strengthen statewide collaboration.
The deployment of the Iowa League HUB has had a transformative effect on the operations of the Iowa League of Cities and its interaction with member municipalities. The custom CRM platform has streamlined administrative tasks, improved data management accuracy, and significantly boosted the efficiency of managing memberships, events, and financial transactions. It has also enabled a more effective connection between businesses and municipalities, fostering collaborations that drive mutual goals and community development. The revitalized content websites have become essential resources for members, enhancing access to critical information and supporting informed decision-making. This digital transformation has strengthened the Iowa League of Cities’ role as a leader in municipal support, paving the way for a more connected, informed, and engaged network of cities across Iowa.
- Increased engagement with League resources across municipalities
- Improved efficiency in distributing training and policy updates
- Strengthened collaboration and peer connections statewide
- Positioned the League as a leader in digital transformation for civic organizations
Project Review
Iowa League of Cities Team
“Goji Labs delivered a platform that feels like it was built for us. Our members now have a hub that makes resources easy to access and collaboration effortless.”
