Weekly Roundup - April 9, 2021

#ChamberStrong Initiatives 

• The Flint & Genesee Chamber unveiled its new identity this week, the Flint & Genesee Group. The organization will market its network of services through four divisions dedicated collectively to advancing the region’s attractiveness as a great place to live, work, play and invest.
• The Greater Boston Chamber partnered with chambers and businesses across Massachusetts to launch the Massachusetts Business Coalition on Skills, which will focus on closing the skills gap by ensuring that every business can find the talent they need to succeed and every resident to acquire the skills needed to thrive.
• The Gwinnett Chamber and the Georgia Vietnamese American Chamber recently formalized an alliance to collaborate on projects and advance business and economic development outcomes that promote a vibrant and inclusive economy.
• The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance launched five new “Collaboratives,” opportunities for investors to engage in the organization’s mission driven work.
• The West Des Moines Chamber hosted its inaugural Black and Brown Business Summit to elevate the profile of minority-owned businesses and support diverse entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs.
• The Sonoma County Housing Fund, a collaboration of the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber and a local community development financial institution announces its first three loans, which will support three developments that will bring 200 affordable homes to the region.
• The Eugene Area Chamber’s foundation, Onward Eugene, won a major grant to improve access to reliable internet service in an underserved community that was devastated by a wildfire late last year.
• The Loudoun Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!), presented by the Loudoun Chamber Foundation and Loudon Economic Development Authority, held its fifth annual investor panel where 21 local student entrepreneurs pitched their business plans to a panel of investors.
• The Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce continues to pivot by expanding support to small business and bolster services for minority-owned businesses. 
• The Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce presented a community scorecard to the city commission this week to help policymakers make data-driven decisions that support community priorities. 

What We're Reading

• Biden Infrastructure Plan: NY Times | U.S. Chamber | Transportation for America
• Tracking Voting Law Changes: FiveThirtyEight.com | Brennan Center for Justice 
• Annie E. Casey Foundation: Race Equity and Inclusion Action Guide - Embracing Racial Equity: 7 Steps to Advance and Embed Race Equity and Inclusion Within Your Organization
• CBS News: Biden signs PPP extension into law, moving application deadline to May 31
• AP: ‘Lighting a fuse’: Amazon vote may spark more union pushes
• Washington Post: The hybrid office is here to stay. The shift could be more disruptive than the move to all-remote work
• Slack: Reimagine Work - It’s time for a leadership revolution, not evolution
• Texas Tribune: Analysis - The fight over local control turns to representation — and lobbyists
• NYT: Local Alliances Put Some Cities on the Fast Track to Recovery