Chambers as Unifiers

Mobilizing business communities and forging strategic partnerships are crucial for driving community and economic growth. In our current politically charged climate, many chambers are being asked to act as, and successfully serving as, unifiers.

Chambers bring experience and success in advocating for members and community impact efforts. Through this work, chamber leaders have developed the skills needed to foster dialogue across divides and build consensus. Going beyond simply serving as conveners, they have become trusted sources of leadership on challenging issues. Unsurprisingly, chambers are expected to lead efforts to bridge political fragmentation, promote policies that benefit the broader community and reinforce trust in business leadership.

However, community leadership can sometimes be more art than science. Chamber leaders frequently play different roles depending on the issue and its priority to its member organizations. Leadership is a spectrum. When advocating on certain priority issues, chamber executives may need to take a more uncompromising stand. This does not, however, mean they cannot serve as a unifying force for the community at large.

  • Where do chambers need to unify, and where do they need to catalyze?

  

By the Numbers

ACCE Insights 

Chamber Examples

  • The population growth in Colorado’s Eagle County has created strains on the region’s housing and transportation systems. The Vail Valley Partnership convened local transit providers and municipalities to discuss solutions for improving transit and transportation infrastructure in Eagle County. This resulted in the “Yes for Eagle Valley Transit” issue campaign to support the creation of a regional transit authority. The community agreed by vote and the work began. These necessary improvements will provide residents with more viable access to employment, community resources, medical care and recreational opportunities throughout the valley, all while positively impacting the environment. (2024 Chamber of the Year Feature)
  • In the aftermath of the 2024 election, the Columbus Chamber shared tips for promoting civility in the workplace. 
  • The Greater Des Moines Partnership partnered with Drake University to host a series of webinars focused on civility, including one on creating a civility action plan. Since pulling stakeholders together in 1990 to create a regional vision for the future, the partnership has made civility a core part of that work. 

 

Smaller Chamber Examples

  • The Gary Chamber hosts an annual event on World Civility Day (April 11) that features civility-themed events, workshops, a vendor fair and an awards dinner.
  • The Statesboro Bulloch Chamber has stepped into the ongoing dispute between Bulloch County and the City of Statesboro regarding the fire service contract for the Five Mile Fire District. The chamber announced its intention to facilitate a resolution that ensures continued fire protection for residents and businesses within the district.

  

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