Cedar Rapids

What Cedar Rapids does

Cedar Rapids is a municipal government entity (City of Cedar Rapids, Iowa) providing comprehensive civic services to approximately 130,000 residents within its city limits. Founded in 1849 and operating under a Council-Manager form of government since January 1, 2006, the city is led by a Mayor and eight City Council members with day-to-day operations managed by an appointed City Manager. The city employs 1,100+ staff across departments including Fire, Police, Public Works, Parks & Recreation, Utilities, Building Services, Finance, and Transit.

The city's service portfolio spans water/wastewater treatment, garbage and recycling collection (serving 41,400 homes weekly), public transit with real-time bus tracking, public safety, building permits and inspections, parks and recreation across 4,171+ acres, housing services, and emergency preparedness through the Neighborhood P.A.C.T. program. Digital infrastructure includes the My CR citizen issue reporting tool, 24/7 City Hall online portal, Mobile CR app, and dedicated newsletters (CR News Now, CR City Source, Golf News, Play Times). The city operates with CAPRA accreditation (2022) for Parks & Recreation and participates in technology evaluation partnerships, including 374Water's AirSCWO PFAS destruction technology.

Revenue is generated through five primary streams: property taxes (primary funding source), utility fees (water, sewer, garbage, recycling, stormwater — billed monthly), transit fares (transaction-based), permits and licenses (one-time fees scaled to construction cost), and recreation services (usage-based including golf fees, pool passes, facility rentals). The city is executing a $550+ million flood control system project (with $117M federal, $267M state, $110M city funding) and has launched a remote worker relocation incentive program via MakeMyMove. Strategic partners include Ingredion ($50M manufacturing expansion, January 2026), 374Water Inc., Brown and Caldwell, Trees Forever, Alliant Energy, and the Federal Transit Authority ($1.9M hybrid bus grant).

Name

Cedar Rapids

Legal name

City of Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Website

https://cedar-rapids.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1849

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Cedar Rapids is a municipal government entity providing utilities, public transit, parks/recreation, public safety, housing, and emergency services to 130,000+ residents of Cedar Rapids, Iowa through property taxes, utility fees, and permits/licenses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction (23711), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950), Refuse Systems (4953), Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623)

akta.pro primary industry

Mayor/City Manager & General Administration (BPAIACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF), Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG), Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services (BPAIACAI), Flood Control & Protection Infrastructure (Levees, Floodwalls, Gates, Pump Stations) (EUANAEAI), Stormwater & Drainage Infrastructure Construction (Sewer, Detention, Outfalls) (IMAFAGAF)

Keywords

• Municipal services
• Public utilities
• Wastewater treatment
• Public transit
• Parks and recreation

Headquarters

HQ city

Cedar Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Property Taxes: Primary municipal revenue source from residential and commercial property taxes funding city operations, infrastructure, and services.
2. Utility Fees: Charges for water, sewer, garbage collection, recycling, and stormwater services provided to residents and businesses.
3. Transit Fares: Bus fare revenue from Cedar Rapids Transit system including cash fares, passes, and special transit services.
4. Permits and Licenses: Building permits, business licenses, landlord permits, special event permits, and other regulatory fees.
5. Recreation Services: Golf course fees, pool passes, facility rentals, program registrations, and park pavilion rentals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Cedar Rapids is a municipal government that delivers essential city services to over 130,000 residents and local businesses, including drinking water and wastewater treatment, garbage and recycling collection, public bus transit, parks and recreation facilities and programs, housing services, building permits and licensing, public safety, and sustainability initiatives. The city operates a $550+ million flood control infrastructure, maintains 4,171+ acres of parks, and supports a regional economy through economic development programs.

Product overview

Cedar Rapids (City of Five Seasons) is a municipal government providing comprehensive civic services to residents. The city's digital offerings consist of multiple service portals and tools including My CR for issue reporting, Cedar Rapids Transit for public transportation, Utilities services for water/wastewater/garbage, Parks and Recreation facilities and programs, GreenCR sustainability initiatives, Housing Services, Neighborhood P.A.C.T. emergency preparedness, and 24/7 City Hall online access. These are standalone civic service applications rather than an integrated platform architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GreenCR: City of Cedar Rapids' sustainability initiative that brings together all sustainability efforts under one roof, guided by the Community Climate Action Plan
• My CR
• CR Transit
• CR News Now
• Neighborhood P.A.C.T.
• ReLeaf Cedar Rapids

Products and services

• My CR Reporting Tool

Quantifiable outcome

• Zero traffic fatalities in 2025 (down from 17 in 2023)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered major, regional, strategic, supporting and core.

• MakeMyMovemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2026Partnership offering $5,000 cash relocation bonus plus perks (baseball tickets, coworking access, wellness experiences valued at $9,050 total) to remote workers earning $55,000+ annually who relocate to Cedar Rapids, Marion, or Hiawatha within six months.
• Linn County, Marion, and Cedar Rapids Linn County Solid Waste AgencyregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 February 2026Regional collaboration considering landfill expansion to extend capacity from 2036 to 2044, aiming to prevent increased waste disposal costs and ensure long-term waste management services amid regulatory and land constraints.
• IngredionmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 January 2026$50 million manufacturing facility expansion including new starch flash dryer and three new buildings, increasing production capacity by up to 50 percent. Expansion created four new jobs and received financial incentives through the Iowa Economic Development Authority's High-Quality Jobs Program.
• 374Water Inc.strategicTechnology or Integration · 26 December 2025Partnership to evaluate AirSCWO technology for destroying PFAS-contaminated biosolids at the Cedar Rapids Water Pollution Control Facility, with third-party laboratory validation of results expected to support long-term regulatory compliance.
• Brown and CaldwellsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 26 December 2025Consultancy partner working with Cedar Rapids and 374Water Inc. to evaluate PFAS destruction technology at the Water Pollution Control Facility.
• Trees ForevercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Nonprofit partner in ReLeaf Cedar Rapids reforestation effort following the 2020 Derecho, working with the city on comprehensive guide for implementing tree canopy rebuilding over multiple years with $1-million-per-year city investment.
• Alliant EnergycoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Utility partner in Community Solar Program where City purchased 900 blocks of 250-watt solar panels. Alliant owns and maintains the solar site, with City signing 20-year subscription term and receiving bill credit based on solar production.
• Children & Nature Network, National League of Cities, KABOOM!strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership for Nature Everywhere Communities national initiative providing strategic planning, technical support, and start-up funding for community-driven greening of schoolyards and climate-resiliency efforts.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• City of Madison: Wisconsin municipal government operating similar full-stack services (water utility, transit, parks, sustainability programs) at a comparable scale. Strong reference point for digitally-enabled municipal service delivery.
• City of Lincoln: Comparable Midwest state-capital municipal government serving a similar population range with utilities, transit, parks/recreation (CAPRA-accredited), and economic development programs of comparable scope.
• City of Des Moines: Iowa's largest city government providing the same core municipal services (utilities, transit, parks, public works) to a comparable urban population. Same governance structure and regulatory environment makes it the closest functional peer.
• City of Iowa City: Nearby Iowa municipal government with similar utility, transit, parks/recreation, and public works functions. Comparable population size and Midwest university-town operating profile.
• City of Davenport: Mid-sized Iowa municipal government on the Mississippi with similar full-service municipal operations including utilities, transit, parks, and flood-mitigation infrastructure needs.
• City of Springfield, Illinois: Mid-sized Midwest municipal government providing similar utility, parks, and public safety services with comparable budget profile and infrastructure investment programs.

Broad incumbents

• Republic Services: Major U.S. solid waste and recycling hauler that provides refuse, recycling, and yard waste collection services comparable to Cedar Rapids Solid Waste & Recycling's 41,400-home weekly collection operation.
• American Water Works Company: Largest investor-owned water and wastewater utility in the U.S. Operates regulated water systems analogous to the Cedar Rapids Utilities Water Division, providing a public-company benchmark for water service scale, capital intensity, and regulatory exposure.
• Waste Management Inc. Largest U.S. waste management company operating landfills and collection services comparable to the Cedar Rapids Linn County Solid Waste Agency regional landfill operations.
• Veolia North America: Global environmental services operator with municipal water, wastewater, and solid waste contracts in the U.S. Provides a private-sector analog to Cedar Rapids' Water Pollution Control Facility and waste operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CityofCRiowa
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CityofCedarRapidsIA
• Facebookfacebook.com/CityofCRiowa
• Instagraminstagram.com/cityofcr

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cedar Rapids