What makes a community vibrant? It depends on whom you ask.

Iowa’s Great Places team, a group representing 18 state agencies, asked people across Iowa to tell the state how they would improve the area where they live, and 145 responses were collected, several of which came from Central Iowa. The authors of three responses will be selected this fall to work closely with leaders of state agencies to further develop that area’s strengths.

Created this spring, the Iowa Great Places program was designed to streamline access to state assistance programs, according to Jeff Morgan, a spokesman for the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, which is leading state agencies participating the new program.

“It’s really a unique approach to doing a new kind of partnership with the state of by creating a one-stop shop,” Morgan said. “This program will bring the state into partnership with towns, individuals and organizations to help them navigate through the various state agencies to assistance, instead of leaving it up to them to go it alone.”

Iowa Great Places launched with a series of regional forums around the state in May and June. Representatives from places interested in participating in the initiative had until July 1 to express their intent. Throughout July and continuing this month, coaches from state agencies are meeting with each of the 145 interested parties around the state to develop final presentations. A 12-member advisory board composed of representatives of regions across Iowa will determine in early October which three receive the “great places” designation.

“We left the call out for invitations very wide open because the people in their own communities know what it is that makes their communities genuine and what it would take to make them into great places,” Morgan said.

The Iowa Legislature appropriated $300,000 for Iowa Great Places during its most recent session. Additional state resources and economic development programs will also be accessible for the winners.

Here’s a few examples of what several local applicants are hoping to accomplish if they are selected as an Iowa Great Place.

• The city of West Des Moines and the Historic Valley Junction Foundation want to turn the business district into a “21st-century village,” complete with way-finding signs, free Wi-Fi wireless Internet access for businesses and shoppers, streetscape improvements, building renovations and more.

  • Adel wants a more vibrant downtown to preserve the community’s sense of identity as its population grows.

  • Des Moines’ East Village wants to become the city’s No. 1 destination for fun shopping, the arts and exciting eateries.

  • Simpson College in Indianola wants to build an addition to its Blank Performing Arts Center, which the Des Moines Metro Opera uses for its summer performances.

  • A group called Friends of the Ankeny-Woodward Destination Trail wants to turn a proposed trail project through parts of Boone, Dallas, Polk and Story counties into a reality.

  • The Johnston Historical Society wants to build a sense of community among that town’s residents by making the restored Simpson House and Barn a gathering place for concerts, dances and other cultural events.      Many of these visions were already conceived before the Great Places program was unveiled, but the opportunity to get more financial and technical assistance from the state for their projects prompted groups to apply.

“Quite of few of the initiatives we’re looking at going forward with regardless of what happens with our Great Places proposal for Valley Junction,” said Clyde Evans, West Des Moines’ director of community development. “They may not happen as quickly as we would like if we’re not selected, but we’ll still push ahead.”