Disaster recovery experts warned the Cedar Rapids community in 2008 that 55% of flood affected businesses might never return, and some of those that did would later fail. Although we still have a ways to go, we're well ahead of those dire predictions in 2011 with the return of 82% of our flooded businesses. So far, businesses received more than $68 million in assistance from Jumpstart1, Jumpstart2 and Steam Funding recovery programs. As businesses continue to move back downtown and into surrounding neighborhoods, new establishments and businesses are popping up too.

The Business Success Initiative, was a case management led team, that worked with 565 businesses. This group offered educational workshops, resources for funding assistance, business efficiency services and more. This program has been critical to the success of flooded businesses, who have surpassed the national survival average.