Collaborating with Community Partners is the third and final part of our three-part series on collaborations with local stakeholders. Take time to review Collaborating with City Government here and Collaborating with Economic Development Organizations here.
Collaborating with community partners strengthens the chamber’s role as a central hub. There are many stakeholders that have similar causes and interests. Working with them can also help you develop better relationships with the city.
Think of the chamber and its reach like a wagon wheel. The center of the wheel is the common goal the chamber shares with the community organizations and stakeholders. The chamber is the spokes that reach out from the goal and bring the others in, uniting them in a common center. The chamber (and the spokes) are at their most effective when they are even. A shorter spoke in one area, could mean lost opportunities and an operational failure.
Here’s how you can ensure all organizations are part of the solution and that the relationships enjoy equal footing in the solution.
Identify Key Community Stakeholders
Unlike the city or the economic development organizations in your area, local stakeholders may be harder to locate. They come in many forms. That’s why the first step in involving them is identifying who they are.
Identify and reach out to organizations and individuals that have a vested interest in community development. This can include educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, cultural groups, and civic associations. Brainstorm what groups are affiliated with interests in business growth.
We’ve compiled a starter list for you below but your area may have others:
Business Improvement District (BID)
A BID is a self-funded organization formed by businesses within a specific geographic area to promote economic development and enhance the local business environment. BIDs often undertake marketing campaigns, beautification projects, and advocacy efforts, making them potential competitors for a chamber of commerce. However, they can also be valuable allies, especially when it comes to securing funding for improvements.
Along those same lines, and dependent on your community, you may have a partner in the local Small Business Administration (SBA). If you are in what has been labeled an “underserved community,” you may be able to leverage additional tools and resources from the SBA. Underserved communities as described by the SBA “traditionally have faced barriers in accessing credit, capital and the other tools they need to start and grow businesses. These communities include inner cities and rural areas and may include populations such as women, minorities, veterans, tribal groups and others.”
Trade Association:
A trade association is an organization that represents the interests of a particular industry or trade. These associations work toward advancing common goals and addressing the specific needs of their members. Depending on their scope, trade associations usually offer industry-specific resources, networking opportunities, and advocacy initiatives. They can be a good partner if you’re focusing on potential growth in individual industries or if you have industry-specific committees.
Economic Development Corporation (EDC):
EDCs are typically established by local governments or private entities to attract investment, stimulate economic growth, and enhance the business climate within a specific region. They often provide services such as business retention and expansion, workforce development, and infrastructure development. EDCs can be seen as competitors to chambers of commerce, particularly in their efforts to attract businesses to a region.
Because of the vast opportunities with this type of group, we covered EDCs specifically in the second part of our collaboration series.
U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Collaborators:
The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is a federal agency that offers financial assistance, technical expertise, and planning resources to communities across the United States. Working closely with local governments, businesses, and community organizations, the EDA promotes economic growth by supporting initiatives such as infrastructure improvements, workforce development, entrepreneurship, and innovation. You can search their list of partner organization by state here.
Professional Networking Organizations:
Professional networking organizations, such as industry-specific networking groups or business referral networks, focus primarily on facilitating connections and fostering business relationships among their members. Some of these specialized networking organizations offer more targeted networking events and tailored services for specific industries or professional groups.
Business Incubator/Accelerators:
Incubators and accelerators support the growth of startups and early-stage companies by providing resources, mentorship, and access to networks. These organizations often offer specialized programs, workspace, and funding opportunities to help startups succeed. Collaborating with community partners such as a business incubator or accelerator can help your chamber grow its involvement with early-stage companies and align their needs with community offerings. It can also give you good insights into the future of (or potential future of) business in the community.
Community Development Corporation (CDC):
CDCs are nonprofit organizations focused on revitalizing and developing specific neighborhoods or communities. They often work on affordable housing, community engagement, small business support, and other initiatives to improve the quality of life in the area. For that matter, nonprofits involved in common chamber initiatives like affordable housing or workforce development can be valuable partners in advancing the chamber’s mission on specific areas of interest.
Now that you have identified some potential partners, how can you build and strengthen those relationships?
Collaborating with Community Partners
Reduce Concerns Over Competition
Many of the community partners mentioned in this article may be seen as competitors of the chamber. You may occasionally be competing for resources and members. You may even be competing for attention from local leaders and community VIPs. For this reason, your first challenge in working with them and building a strong relationship is reducing their perception of you as a competitor. You can do that in several ways:
- Whenever possible meet face-to-face. Talk about common goals and objectives and how you might work together and pool resources for a bigger impact. Emphasize that by collaborating, you can achieve these shared objectives more effectively.
- Share examples of successful partnerships and collaborations between your chamber and other organizations. Demonstrate the positive outcomes and benefits that have been realized through joint initiatives. These success stories can help illustrate the value of collaboration and dispel any perceived competition.
- Show the organization that the chamber can provide resources, expertise, and support that can benefit them such as access to networking opportunities, business development assistance, workforce development programs, or advocacy support. Highlight specific ways the chamber can contribute to the organization’s success and growth.
- Explore areas of common interest or shared challenges between the organization and the chamber. By identifying mutual concerns or opportunities, you can demonstrate how collaboration can lead to more effective solutions or shared benefits.
- Propose joint projects or initiatives that align with the chamber’s and the organization’s objectives such as conducting joint research or developing shared programs. By actively collaborating and working together on initiatives, you can demonstrate the value of partnership and build a stronger relationship.
- Clearly articulate the benefits the organization can gain from collaborating with the chamber such as enhanced visibility, access to a broader network, business opportunities, or the ability to influence local policies. Help them understand that by working together, they can leverage the chamber’s resources and expertise to their advantage.
- Show support for the organization by attending their events, participating in their programs, or engaging with their initiatives. By actively demonstrating your interest and involvement, you can strengthen the perception that the chamber is an ally rather than a competitor.
For example, the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Orange County is successfully collaborating with community partners and shows their support by listing and linking to them from their website.
Additionally, you can:
Plan Joint Programs and Events
Plan joint programs, workshops, and events with community partners. These initiatives can foster networking, knowledge sharing, and collaboration among various sectors. It also may help you better serve members’ needs.
Formalize Partnerships
Consider formalizing partnerships through memorandums of understanding or collaborative agreements. This clarifies roles, responsibilities, and shared objectives.
Chamber pros work hard to make their areas a great place to live and do business. By collaborating with community partners, local organizations and stakeholders, you cannot only amplify your message but leverage the power of shared resources as well. Your members and the entire community will benefit.
