In 1953, Congress formed the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) to help Americans start, build, and grow businesses. The SBA realized they needed help in counseling businesses who wanted to apply for loans, so in 1964 they launched SCORE in Boston. Two years later, in 1966, the Cedar Rapids Chapter of SCORE came into existence. The letters S-C-O-R-E originally stood for Service Corps of Retired Executives, but today the name is literally SCORE, with the tagline of Counselors to America’s Small Business.

SCORE is a not-for-profit organization. There are no membership dues and no paid employees. Our member volunteers contribute their time to the counseling, planning, marketing, and administrative duties. Our mission is to maximize the success of existing and emerging small business in the counties of Linn, Benton, Cedar, and Jones. Our funding is limited: We apply for grants for specific purposes, ask for tax-deductible contributions from businesses and individuals, and make a small profit from the workshops we sponsor.

If you have an idea, invention, or skill that you want to transform into a thriving business, you can visit the SCORE office to get free, confidential counseling to determine the first steps you must take to achieve that dream. The SCORE office is open on weekdays from 10 am to 3 pm. The office is located at 2750 First Avenue NE, Suite 350, in the SBA office. You can just drop in or call for an appointment—319-362-6405, extension 2005. The volunteer counselor working the desk on the day of your visit will help you get started. She or he may have you assigned to another counselor who is more familiar with your particular type of business. Frequently, multiple counselors are assigned to one business when needs require a variety of skills, such as marketing, finance, or human resources.