About the Grantee
Since 1988, the Genesee Regional Chamber of Commerce has done more than just work to further the interests of local businesses — it has become a key steward of the area’s economic and workforce development efforts.
The chamber began to expand on its usual advocacy role in promoting area business after local government — constrained by a declining property tax base and rapidly shrinking resources — could no longer deliver vigorous economic development services to a flagging Genesee County.
The Mott Foundation supports the chamber’s workforce-related economic and education initiatives through grants made to the Genesee Area Focus Fund. The Focus Fund, the chamber’s nonprofit fundraising arm, has received more than $22 million in Mott grants through its Flint Area program to boost the area’s economic profile.
Purpose of the Grant
Acting as an economic development agency, the chamber helps to retain and recruit local businesses; woo and support entrepreneurs; and shape training, education and workforce development programs for the Genesee County area.
With an eye toward stimulating local economic growth and diversification in the business community, the chamber visits, assesses and assists local businesses to support company growth and workforce development. It also leverages federal and state grants for workforce development and education initiatives to help disconnected youth, the structurally unemployed, and low-skilled, low-income workers get work experience and find jobs.
During the first 11 months of 2012 the chamber made outreach visits to 208 area businesses that employ more than 17,700 workers; supported new ventures that created 438 new jobs; assisted local businesses in securing 1,801 government contracts valued at $64.3 million; and aided more than 59 entrepreneurs in new business start-ups.
In 2013, the chamber will continue to deliver economic and education development services targeted to business retention and expansion, and job creation. Its core areas of focus will include:
- Expanding the Genesee County export trade through the use of multi-county partnerships.
- Increasing support and services to entrepreneurial activity as a strategy for boosting commercialization and economic growth.
- Expanding the work of the shared-services initiative, which allows municipalities to work together to reduce costs and increase efficiency in delivering public services, and use local businesses and services.
- Attracting new investment for jobs in targeted industries, including green technology and advanced manufacturing, as well as life sciences and medical technology.
Such strategies, notes Tim Herman, the Chamber’s CEO, will support ongoing revitalization in the greater Flint economy.
“This grant allows the Chamber to develop local skills and resources that help our community respond to its challenges and opportunities,” he said. “We are deeply appreciative of the Mott Foundation’s support.”
Learn More
The Mott Foundation recently announced a $3.1 million grant to support YouthQuest, which provides quality out-of-school programs to children at more than a dozen schools across six Genesee County districts. YouthQuest is coordinated by the Regional Chamber.
Components of the Regional Chamber’s economic activities were profiled in this Mott.org news article.