In challenging economic times, Chambers play a very special role –

 

 

It is what we do day in and day out, however in a crisis, the work we do is more in the spotlight. This is scary, but we are here for you.

 

Successful chambers step up to the challenges that face their communities. The Basalt Chamber’s efforts include three distinct, but connected, areas of focus:

As a chamber we provide networking, educational and collaboration opportunties to strengthen our local community. We see our role to support the businesses by providing the resources to keep you in business and grow your business over time.

 

We promote Basalt and the surrounding area to visitors and future residents of our community. The chamber markets the area through advertising, events and other means to help drive additional sales tax and lodging revenue. We are the central source for what is happening in Basalt and what there is to do when someone visits.

 

Membership isn’t transactional – it isn’t about you showing up for an event to get value. One of the most important things we do is show up FOR you – in local politics, at a state level and now in the midst of COVID-19, at a federal level. Our focus isn’t on recruiting businesses (that’s not what the community wants). Our focus is on creating an economy that supports our neighbors and is strong enough for your kids to graduate and return home with a steady career ahead of them.

 

What have we done lately?

• Providing information relevant to the public health crisis, the latest on new public health orders and what it means to your business.
• Coordinating with local, regional, state and federal partners to bring resources back to our community, and explain HOW you can get the loans, funding, education and grants you need.
• Represent both the Roaring Fork Valley as a region as well as Chambers on the Colorado Resiliency Office’s statewide interagency COVID-19 Rural Economic Adaptation and Futures Committee. The committee is focused on long-term strategies to build business and workforce resilience in the face of COVID-19. Representatives from multiple state agencies as well as regional and local experts serve on the committee. The committee will explore creative and innovative rural business and workforce adaptations to elevate and share across the state; develop long-term economic resources and strategies to support rural local governments, businesses, and workforce; and consider what will be needed to help “reactivate” rural economies when things have stabilized.
• Advocating for our businesses who are experiencing challenges or unintended consequences, particularly tied to business interruption insurance. Learn more about our participation in the Save Small Business Coalition.
• Producing content – blogs, email newsletters, webinars, etc. – like crazy to keep you all informed.
• Looking to solutions then asking big – we recognized the challenge that would be faced by those already uninsured during this crisis. We saw another state with a solution, asked our state elected officials if this would be possible, and in 48 hours, a special open enrollment period started on the state connector (now running through end of April).
• Our executive director attends all the meetings with the acronyms across the state so you don’t have to. You focus on your business, we focus on how to help keep you in business, and give you the cliff notes.
• Drinking all the coffee possible and attending all the Zoom meetings and webinars that are out there.

 

The Chamber has the pleasure of serving our members because your investment pays for us to be in operation and makes this whole thing possible. Without member investment we don’t exist, and we can’t advocate for you. The Chamber is more than Business After Hours and ribbon cuttings. We are the David going after Goliath, fighting for our small businesses every day. Please keep this in mind as time passes and your business’s anniversary date with the Chamber comes up. We hope to celebrate helping you for another year.