DES MOINES, Iowa — Businesses in Iowa that have received acredit union, bank or Small Business Administration loan, may beeligible for a forgivable loan up to $50,000.

In an effort to assist businesses still recovering from thisyear's floods, Iowa Gov. Chet Culver has provided $40 millionthrough the Jumpstart Small Business Assistance program. The loanprovided will be forgiven if the business reopens within six monthsof receiving funds and if applicable, upon receipt of documentationthat the business has purchased and installed energy-efficientequipment, according to the governor's office.

The amount of the loan is 25% of the business' SBA loan amountup to $50,000 including $5,000 to reimburse businesses for the fullcost of purchasing energy-efficient furnaces, boilers, appliances,air conditioners, hot water heaters, windows and insulation.

Culver also announced a sister program, the Jumpstart IowaHousing program, which aids homeowners with a down payment on a newhouse, repair their current home or maintain their mortgage whilewaiting for a potential buyout from FEMA. The maximum award is a$50,000 loan, plus an additional $10,000 for energy efficientappliances, all of which will be forgiven if the homeowner stays inthe house for ten years.

The Jumpstart programs, which made their debut this week, willbe administered through the Iowa Department of EconomicDevelopment.