Business & Community Services
Building a Better Iowa
Business & Community Services (BCS) at the University of Northern Iowa is a collection of 12 unique outreach programs. Our mission is to build a better Iowa through entrepreneurship, education, business, innovation and sustainability.
Building a Better Iowa
It's what we do. This mission drives us forward to deliver assistance to the door of clients in all 99 Iowa counties. The dedicated staff in our programs work with businesses, entrepreneurs, communities and governments, providing a wide array of services from marketing research and business incubation, to environmental compliance assistance and economic development. The BCS brand continues to grow to cater to the needs of Iowa businesses providing unsurpassed expertise and knowledge.
Randy Pilkington to retire after nearly 40 years
After 38 years of leading economic development outreach efforts at the University of Northern Iowa, Randy Pilkington will retire from the role of executive director of Business & Community Services (BCS) within the Wilson College of Business. Pilkington will continue working part-time to support the leadership transition and focus on special projects, including federal relations, intellectual property and planning. He will also continue to serve as co-chair of the UNI Sesquicentennial Celebration.
We have the right support for you
From an entrepreneur needing help to turn their dream into reality, to a manufacturer needing environmental assistance or 3D mold printing, and even a business needing in-depth market research to gain a competitive advantage, we have a program that can help. Let us help your company grow in Iowa.
BCS programs impacted more than 305,000
Iowans in Fiscal Year 2023
Served 3,756 unique businesses, communities and local governments in all 99 counties last year
Leveraged each $1 invested by the state with $5 in external funds
Turn up the volume for BCS
The Building a Better Iowa Podcast spotlights the 12 unique outreach programs housed in BCS. Tune in to discover our shared mission and impact across the state.