WHAT WE DO
Erie Forward
Launched in 2019, Erie Forward is the five-year economic development initiative of the Erie Regional Chamber designed to recruit, attract, expand, and retain businesses in a manner that ensures economic development throughout the region meets the interest and needs of a diverse population and creates opportunities that lay a foundation for sustainable economic success for generations to come. Our team at the Chamber wholeheartedly believes our work contributes to our collective responsibility to assure our economy can provide for the wealth and well-being of all our citizens. Erie Forward provides us with a thoughtful and thorough blueprint to guide that process.
CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP
Your investment in chamber membership is both an investment in your business and the business community. Take advantage of programs, events, and services designed to spotlight trending best practices, provide insight to key business issues, and accelerate your growth
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Business attraction
The Erie Regional Chamber serves as a central entry point for prospects looking to grow their business. Prospects looking at Erie as a possible location come from a variety of sources: existing companies in Erie, Governor’s Action Team, site selection consultants, national real estate brokers, and directly from companies. All prospects are reviewed
through the lens of the stated requirements of the prospect – acres needed, new or existing facility size, utility requirements, specialized assets needed (air service, rail line, port access), labor force needs, and more. Some prospects requirements cannot be met by Erie. For those where we can meet their needs, the Chamber works with land and building owners, real estate brokers, public officials, and local developers to share available assets with the prospect for consideration.
STARTUPS & ENTREPRENEURSHIP
The Erie Regional Chamber provides three avenues for entrepreneurship to thrive in Erie: the FIRE Accelerator, ICE Angel Education program, and the ICE Angel Fund. Each component strengthens the entrepreneurial ecosystem by attracting businesses, educating potential angel investors, and providing a mechanism to deploy investments to local entrepreneurs.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
The Erie Regional Chamber works with regional employers to successfully identify and manage talent pipelines by bridging gaps between community, industry, and service providers. By doing so, the chamber works to create viable and sustainable talent pipelines into our six target industries. One way we do this is by navigating the workforce development delivery system on behalf of the business and making the right connections to the best partners who can provide on-the-job training or similar services.
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
The Erie Regional Chamber and GrowthPartnership advocates for common sense business advancements within local, state, and federal government. We serve as a conduit and a tool to bridge the gap between the business community, elected officials, and government entities regarding daily business operations issues like zoning and regulations to advocating for policy changes on Capitol Hill.
BUSINESS RETENTION & EXPANSION
At its core, the Erie Regional Chamber facilitates connections between businesses to foster economic growth. The chamber’s business outreach program is designed to plug businesses directly into resources that can meet their needs regardless of business size. After a business outreach visit, our team makes referrals to business, strategic partners, and federal, state, and local businesses that can assist with: capital and business financing; workforce development; growth and support services; entrepreneurship and innovation; and land and building needs. Think of the chamber as an extension of your team – a business concierge to find solutions to obstacles or opportunities.
BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT
membership engagement
Chamber membership is an investment in Erie’s prosperity. Becoming a member indicates a company’s commitment to creating a vibrant and sustainable regional economy by providing direct referrals and connections to business leaders, continuing education with regional subject matter experts, business promotion to drive sales and new customers, and much more!
events
Register today and access unparalleled networking opportunities and enriching business experiences within the chamber community including signature events, networking events, and professional development opportunities in and around Erie.
programs
Continuous education is a crucially important part of owning and operating a business. Finding new information that helps businesses address challenges and enhance skills is a great way to ensure longevity and sustainability. Our programs focus on developing our strongest asset – our workforce – as well as overcoming stumbling blocks and breaking through barriers to growth to ensure a vibrant economy for years to come.
marketing & promotion
The Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership provides many opportunities and options to promote your business to nearly 600 member companies and more than 9,000 member contacts, subscribers, social media followers, and event attendees on a regular basis. We are able to customize marketing efforts to fit your goals and budget. Our events and the sponsorship options are geared toward providing advocacy, awareness, and access to people, information, and education. With over 150 annual events and programs, our team works diligently to connect your business with its ideal audience to increase brand awareness, demonstrate community commitment, and much more.
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