There is an urgent need for increasing the capacity for business recovery in communities throughout the world. This goal is a major challenge for the 21st century and requires that we find innovative ways for creating disaster mitigation plans for businesses and communities. The Disaster Recovery Business Alliance (DRBA) concept provides a model for developing such capabilities. The communities currently developing DRBA infrastructures are setting the foundation for local and regional economic recovery models that can be used in any locale. In addition, these communities are establishing standard terminology and guidelines that will facilitate the sharing of information in the future.