As natural disasters increase in frequency and intensity, taking proactive measures to develop preparedness and recovery solutions can determine whether a small business stays open or closes forever after a disaster strikes.
The U.S. Chamber Foundation and FedEx created the Small Business Readiness for Resiliency (R4R) Program, which empowers small business owners to invest in readiness and resilience as essential business practices. With additional funding from Allstate, American Express, and Fiserv, this program guides interested small businesses in how to prepare for a disaster through a simple checklist and then offers immediate relief funding of $5,000 for those prepared businesses after a federal disaster declaration is made in their region.
Since the program began in June 2022, more than 3,600 small business owners have completed the preparedness checklist to register with R4R, and 102 grants have been distributed for 32 natural disasters. We’re getting grants into the hands of small business owners more quickly after a disaster happens—reducing the average distribution time by 46% (50 days in 2022 vs. 27 days in 2024). While federal resources can take weeks to months to arrive, shortening our R4R grant distribution timeframe allows us to meet the needs of small businesses more quickly, allowing communities to recover faster.
2024 Registered Businesses
In 2024, 902 new businesses across 22 states took steps to prepare for disasters by completing our checklist, with most registrants coming from Florida, California, and North Carolina.
- 902businesses completed the preparedness checklist in 2024
- 22states
Use of Grant Funds
Grantees used the funds to cover critical expenses, from repairing or rebuilding damaged structures, equipment, or data, to moving locations. Nearly half of businesses said the funds helped them build their customer base through marketing and advertising or pay employee salaries.
Grantee Testimonials
Additional Key Moments
Building Resilience Conference
During the 2024 Building Resilience Conference, FedEx leadership and three R4R grantees engaged in a mainstage panel moderated by April Britt, managing director of global citizenship at FedEx. Both small business owners discussed their experience with recent disasters, how they used the R4R funding to help recover, and the benefits of investing in preparedness.
NASCAR Activation
FedEx and the U.S. Chamber Foundation partnered to highlight the R4R program through FedEx’s partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing. Racing star Denny Hamlin’s #11 racecar, wrapped with R4R branding, competed in the NASCAR Coke Zero Sugar 400 at the Daytona Beach Raceway. Ahead of the race, Hamlin starred in a promotional video highlighting the benefits of R4R. In this article, Hamlin talks about the importance of small business resilience and resources like R4R in strengthening our communities.
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Learn more about how our Readiness for Resiliency program is helping small businesses prepare for disasters and build more resilient communities.
