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Chamber Updates – Your Chamber In Action!

MEMBER TO MEMBER OFFERS: Based on your valuable feedback, we have rebranded our Member to Member discount program as Member to Member Offers. This change reflects our commitment to providing greater flexibility for our diverse membership. We ask that offers posted on the Member to Member Offers page be exclusive or near-exclusive to our members. To post your offer, please contact Maureen Babcock at .

This program is intended to encourage member to member commerce, helping you save money while increasing your business visibility and promoting new opportunities within our network. By participating, you’ll not only benefit from cost savings but also contribute to the growth of our business community.


chamber-grantsFAÇADE GRANTS BOOST DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION: In June, the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC), the Chamber’s economic development arm, awarded $36,000 in grant funding to Fitchburg, Gardner, and Leominster. This investment supports local façade improvement programs, enabling businesses in targeted areas to enhance their exteriors.

Since 2022, the NCMDC has contributed a total of $146,000 towards façade improvements, playing a crucial role in revitalizing downtown business districts across the region’s three largest cities. This initiative aligns with the One North Central Economic Development Plan, which prioritizes downtown revitalization.

This successful public-private partnership demonstrates our commitment to fostering vibrant, attractive urban centers in North Central Massachusetts.


STAFF DEVELOPMENT: In August, Travis Condon, our Public Affairs Manager, completed his third year at the US Chamber’s Northeast Institute for Organization Management (IOM). This prestigious four-year program offers intensive training for chamber and association professionals, covering crucial topics such as advocacy, media relations, membership strategies, finance, legal issues, and human resources. IOM’s curriculum, delivered by university professors, industry experts, and leading practitioners, provides invaluable insights and networking opportunities with peers nationwide. Travis’s ongoing participation reflects our commitment to staying at the forefront of chamber industry best practices.

Further demonstrating our dedication to excellence, Chamber President & CEO Roy Nascimento and Tracy Gagnon, Manager of Membership Recruitment & Engagement, attended the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives National Convention in Dallas this July. This event allowed them to connect with other chamber leaders and stay informed on industry best practices.

As a testament to our Chamber’s outstanding performance, Roy Nascimento, representing last year’s Chamber of the Year, also participated as a judge while at the convention in the esteemed 2024 national Chamber of the Year Award competition.

These professional development initiatives ensure that our team remains well-equipped to serve our members and community with cutting-edge knowledge and skills.


BUSINESS ASSISTANCE: Our team has provided 2,413 hours of direct technical assistance to existing and start-up businesses in the region. We’re also participating in a 9-month Northeast Transition Initiative (NETI) fellowship to support businesses in exit planning and exploring employee ownership options. This program aims to retain jobs through successful exit strategies. In July, we surveyed businesses to identify suitable candidates for this initiative.


WORKNORTHCENTRAL.COM: Our online jobs board, WorkNorthCentral.com, continues to be a vital tool for Chamber members. From January 1 to July 31, 2024, we’ve seen impressive engagement with over 1,100 job opportunities posted and more than 14,500 page views. To extend our reach, we also share these listings on our dedicated Work North Central Facebook page.

As a reminder, postings are complimentary for members. You can easily post your employment opportunities directly at WorkNorthCentral.com. Alternatively, email your listings to Sabbra Reyes at , and she’ll be happy to post them for you.

Take advantage of this powerful platform to connect with top talent in our region. Post your job openings today and tap into our growing network of job seekers!


LATINX OUTREACH: The Chamber is actively expanding its outreach to the Latinx community through several key initiatives. As part of our community engagement efforts, we participated in the local Uruguayan Festival in August and plan to have a presence at the inaugural Fitchburg Latino Festival in late September.

To further strengthen our connection with Latinx businesses, we have established a new Latino Leadership Committee. This advisory group comprises 12 committed Latino business leaders from North Central Massachusetts. Their insights will be invaluable in guiding our efforts to develop programs that effectively engage and support the Latinx business community.

With input from the Latino Leadership Committee, we aim to create and implement initiatives that address the specific needs and opportunities within the Latinx business sector. These efforts underscore our commitment to fostering a diverse, inclusive business environment that reflects and serves all communities in North Central Massachusetts.


SOLAR INITIATIVE: Our Pleasant Street solar field, launched in August 2014, continues to deliver significant benefits to participating manufacturers. As of July, 2024 the initiative has produced 14,230,226 kWh of Net Metering Credits to the manufacturers participating in the program and a collective savings of $3,271,920 to participants.

This innovative program not only promotes sustainable energy practices but also contributes substantially to cost reduction for local businesses. As we celebrate a decade of operation, these figures underscore the long-term economic and environmental impact of our solar initiative.


GIFT CARD PROGRAM: We currently have 33 members merchants that are participating in the Gift Local eGift Card program. Since January 1, we have sold 56 gift cards valued at $2,400. During the same timeframe, 46 cards valued at $1,486.61 were redeemed at participating small businesses.

We’re gearing up for the holiday season, our peak sales period, and actively recruiting additional merchants. Participation is free. Interested members should contact Maureen Babcock at 978.353.7600 ext. 222 or .


Chamber-loanSMALL BUSINESS LENDING: Through August, the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC) has approved and closed 15 loans for a total of $906,500 for the year, through August. These loans leveraged $50,095 of private borrower funds and from our banking partners.

The majority of the loans were micro-loans made through our traditional lending programs and focused on supporting start-up and existing small businesses in need of capital. The NCMDC has another two loans valued at $90,000 that have been approved, but not yet closed, and a total of $1,198,500 in leads/deals in its pipeline. We currently have a total of 97 loans in our loan portfolio with a total principal balance of $3,090,679.28.