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Community Development

Image of building with text Choose Kindness

August 1, 2022 | Community Development

MedQuarter’s First Commissioned Mural Completed

​An array of artistic beauty lines the west- and north-facing walls of the Citywide Cleaners building along A Avenue NE between 8th and 10th Street. The “Choose Kindnessâ€...

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Image with text Nearly one in five farmers market vendors started after the pandemic

July 27, 2022 | Community Development

Nearly One in Five Farmers Market Vendors Started After the Pandemic

​The Cedar Rapids Downtown Farmers Market can be the door for entrepreneurs to kickstart their passions and new business ideas. Economic downturns such as the 2020 COVID-19 ...

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How We Are Supporting Local This Weekend

July 21, 2022 | Business Support

How We Are Supporting Local This Weekend Ft. Michelle Owens

Weekend itineraries featuring great Cedar Rapids area restaurants, shopping, recreation, arts and culture and more! Thanks to GreenState Credit Union, Buy Local Presenting Spo...

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How we are supporting Local this weekend

July 15, 2022 | Business Support

How We Are Supporting Local This Weekend Ft. Tasha Stone

Weekend itineraries featuring great Cedar Rapids area restaurants, shopping, recreation, arts and culture and more! Thanks to GreenState Credit Union, Buy Local Presenting Spo...

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A guy and a girl in a flower shop

July 12, 2022 | Community Development

The Downtown Farmers Market Tradition Spans 17 Years for 7 Vendors

​With a legacy spanning nearly two decades, the Cedar Rapids Downtown Farmers Market has been etched into hearts and souls of the local community. While there are new faces ...

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How we are supporting local this weekend

July 6, 2022 | Business Support

How We Are Supporting Local This Weekend Ft. Eric Van Kerckhove

Weekend itineraries featuring great Cedar Rapids area restaurants, shopping, recreation, arts and culture and more! Thanks to GreenState Credit Union, Buy Local Presenting Spo...

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Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust Logo

June 23, 2022 | Community Development

Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust Celebrates 20 Years as Community Champions

The city’s beloved Cedar Rapids Downtown Farmers Market would not have life without the support of like-minded, community-driven businesses to help make it so. While having ...

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Volunteers for Farmers Market standing in a stall

May 12, 2022 | Community Development

Volunteer for the Cedar Rapids Downtown Farmers Market

Have you ever wanted the opportunity to help bring one of Cedar Rapids’ most anticipated annual events to life? Early Saturday mornings, before the sun rises and the city is...

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Image for Painting

March 9, 2022 | Economic Development & Workforce

Collaboration Creates New Color in NewBo City Market

Vibrancy. Equity. Inclusion. Powerful words that represent the overarching theme of the new mural to be unveiled in Newbo City Market in March. The unique piece was brought...

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Image with text MedQuarter Regional Medical District

February 24, 2022 | Community Development

Ten Things to Watch For in the MedQuarter Regional Medical District

​As the Cedar Rapids Medical SSMID, better known as the MedQuarter, heads into its eleventh year of operation, the steadfast focus on district improvement continues. Here ar...

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Image of 2022 Public Policy Priorities

January 28, 2022 | Public Policy

Public Policy Priorities Revealed

​In December, the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance and Iowa City Area Business Partnership announced our 2022 public policy priorities for the ICR region. After months o...

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Left to Right: Nicole Hubbell, Courtney Hubbell and Allison Hubbell

January 28, 2022 | Business Support

LFS: All in the Family

​The Economic Alliance’s Leadership for Five Seasons (LFS) program runs in the family for some. Over the years, different generations of families have enrolled in various ...

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A group people

December 16, 2021 | Leadership for Five Seasons

LFS Class of 2021 Presents Check to Advocates for Social Justice

The Leadership for Five Seasons (LFS) Class of 2021 capped off their successful year of leadership education and community betterment projects with a check presentation to Adv...

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Image of a bridge

November 23, 2021 | Economic Development & Workforce

$20M Community Betterment Project Breaks Ground in Cedar Rapids

Work has officially begun on a community project that many believe will spur economic development in downtown Cedar Rapids. The project called ConnectCR broke ground at Cedar ...

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Leadership for five season

October 18, 2021 | Business Support

LFS Classes of 2022 Off to a Busy Start

​All three of the Leadership for Five Seasons (LFS) Classes of 2022 are off to a sprinting start! Each group is eager and excited to learn more about the community they live...

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