Chambers of Commerce offer more than mixers

Did you know there are (at least) 12 Chambers of Commerce in Humboldt County? Some serve larger populations, while others focus on much smaller communities. (We see you, Orick, Trinidad, and Blue Lake!) Each local Chamber is unique and tailors their offerings to meet the needs of their community. IMHO, it's a beautiful thing.

The Greater Eureka Chamber, where I serve, offers a lot of the traditional trappings — mixers, ribbon cuttings, annual awards galas, and the like. However, in the past 18 months, we have listened to our members, our community, and our fellow chambers to identify new ways to support members' success and the overall economic health of our region.

In January 2023, we launched the Redwood Coast Chamber Foundation (RCCF) as an affiliate of the Greater Eureka Chamber. It's not a grant-making foundation (ala Humboldt Area Foundation) but rather a home for expanded programs we are offering. Not only that, at the urging of other chambers, RCCF is set up to collaborate with and support the work of Chambers around the North Coast.

At this time, RCCF has launched or is developing multiple new programs. Take a look at what we've got up and running right now:

Next Level: Investment in professional development builds employee retention, engagement, and productivity. We provide ongoing professional development opportunities to strengthen skills in management, leadership, marketing, public speaking, and much more. Check out our events calendar to find out what classes are coming up.

Leadership Redwood Coast (LRC): This fivemonth intensive leadership development fellowship is for up-and-coming business and community leaders across Humboldt, Del Norte, and adjacent tribal lands. We are currently facilitating the second cohort of 28 LRC fellows. It's an impactful way to expand networks, gain a greater understanding of our region, and hone leadership skills.

Work-Based Learning Initiative: RCCF was recently awarded a contract with the Blue Lake Rancheria to recruit and educate businesses from Fortuna to Del Norte to serve as host sites and significantly expand work-based learning opportunities for high school students, helping build our workforce of tomorrow. We will be partnering with four other Chambers to make this initiative happen. Programming is under development and will launch in August 2024.

In the coming 6-12 months, we will announce new programs to offer greater access to economic opportunity for marginalized communities and local businesses. (And we have a few other things brewing as well!)

Wherever you live in Humboldt County, I encourage you to get involved in one or more Chambers of Commerce. Not sure which one(s) to join? Think about where your customer/client base is, and select from there. You're not limited by geographic boundaries.

Keep in mind that being a member of a Chamber of Commerce is a bit like being a member of a gym — you've got to be active to see the results! We've got lots of ways for you to be involved — including mixers.