Honoring the legacy of our founders from 1920, by connecting our business community based on trust, action & care. The Caldwell Chamber is a proud partner of the Caldwell Chamber Foundation 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Initiatives. We fully support the Good Work Planned for our Community.
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OUR INITIATIVES
- Engaging & Sharing future Opportunities with our Youth
- Supporting Small Businesses in times of Economic Need
- Driving Economic Prosperity for Local Small Business Owners
- Connecting, Serving and Supporting Minority Owned Businesses
- Improving the appeal of our 3 Downtown Business Districts
- Strengthening the Leadership of Local Non-Profit Agencies
- Incubating and Fueling Entrepreneurs to Change the Future
- Delivering Leadership Platforms that Empower Opportunity
- The Advancement of Tourism as an Economic Engine
- Keeping a Pulse on Next Level Issues for Proactive Collaboration
Driving Economic Prosperity & Success
Our Future Workforce
Business Resiliency Fund
Engaging & Sharing future Opportunities with our Youth & Driving Workforce Awareness:
Our foundation efforts will create a valuable impact on our future workforce by building awareness of career opportunities available in our backyard. We target our approach to serve 6th, 7th and 8th grade students in their most formidable years. We will showcase the diversified job opportunities available in our community, and plant seeds of hope centered on a love for home. We will promote positive career attributes coupled with the soft skills today's employers demand. We will strengthen a pathway that connects business & education, and we will provide a gateway for students to discover next level programs available from our alignment partners.
In Alignment with:
- Caldwell County Schools - Middle School Leadership, CASA, Early College & Traditional High Schools
- Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute, R.I.S.E. Caldwell/Watauga, C.T.E. & Apprenticeship
- Caldwell County Economic Development
- Communities in Schools of Caldwell County
Supporting Small Businesses in times of Economic Need:
Our small business community deserves better. We have endured multiple economic setbacks over the past 2 decades, including but not limited to off shoring of thousands of manufacturing jobs, which impacted hundreds of small business enterprises, to COVID implications, and then Hurricane Helene. We can no longer sit back and wait for the next crisis to attack our business community, but we will step forward and prepare for what may be lurking around the corner.
The work of our foundation will establish a financial trust and future need fund that will be ready and waiting upon the call of business. Our efforts will be provide financial grants and flexible capital coupled with technical assistance to small businesses. We will support the critical infrastructure of small businesses and assist them with their efforts to remain resiliency and to continue employing local citizens during economic shocks. Grant Funds will be provided based on care, not to make a business whole, but to show the support when needed the most.
Our Future Workforce
Business Resiliency Fund
Engaging & Sharing future Opportunities with our Youth & Driving Workforce Awareness:
Our foundation efforts will create a valuable impact on our future workforce by building awareness of career opportunities available in our backyard. We target our approach to serve 6th, 7th and 8th grade students in their most formidable years. We will showcase the diversified job opportunities available in our community, and plant seeds of hope centered on a love for home. We will promote positive career attributes coupled with the soft skills today's employers demand. We will strengthen a pathway that connects business & education, and we will provide a gateway for students to discover next level programs available from our alignment partners.
In Alignment with:
- Caldwell County Schools - Middle School Leadership, CASA, Early College & Traditional High Schools
- Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute, R.I.S.E. Caldwell/Watauga, C.T.E. & Apprenticeship
- Caldwell County Economic Development
- Communities in Schools of Caldwell County
Supporting Small Businesses in times of Economic Need:
Our small business community deserves better. We have endured multiple economic setbacks over the past 2 decades, including but not limited to off shoring of thousands of manufacturing jobs, which impacted hundreds of small business enterprises, to COVID implications, and then Hurricane Helene. We can no longer sit back and wait for the next crisis to attack our business community, but we will step forward and prepare for what may be lurking around the corner.
The work of our foundation will establish a financial trust and future need fund that will be ready and waiting upon the call of business. Our efforts will be provide financial grants and flexible capital coupled with technical assistance to small businesses. We will support the critical infrastructure of small businesses and assist them with their efforts to remain resiliency and to continue employing local citizens during economic shocks. Grant Funds will be provided based on care, not to make a business whole, but to show the support when needed the most.
Driving Economic Prosperity & Success
Establishing Common Grounds
Supporting Our Downtown Core
Connecting, Serving & Supporting Minority Owned Businesses:
We are taking action, and we will be Intentional about delivering new outreach programs designed at supporting our rapidly growing minority owned business owners and underserved sectors of our community. Our community has strong, well established business operations owned by African American, Latino and Hmong entrepreneurs.
By launching Common Grounds we will deliver a listening & learning platform that can help develop programs that broaden the available talent pool and foster an inclusive environment necessary to attract a diverse modern workforce. We strive to host events that directly meet these businesses where they are. Common Grounds will serve our entire County in bold new ways, and will launch a new horizon for business connectivity, breaking down barriers and escorting in a change of who is included in the room.
Providing Resources for our Downtown Business Districts & Improve Customer Appeal
Focused investment revitalizes commercial cores like Lenoir, Granite Falls, and Hudson, creating vibrant destinations that attract talent and small businesses. The goal of our foundation would be to launch the following supporting Initiatives:
- Empty Storefront Window Beautification Improving the appearance of empty businesses, and promoting positive messaging for future businesses, and for existing clients of other businesses .
- NEW Awning Project - Working in partnership with a major textile manufacturer, we will provide small business grants for Fabric, Hardware & Labor to improve the look of an existing business store front, or for a future business location to move downtown.
- Painted Mural Projects - We have seen that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and national TV Shows have shown that vibrant art projects can make a difference. We will work in tandem with Caldwell County Arts Council to make a positive visual impact.
In Alignment with:
-
- The City of Lenoir - Downtown Economic Development
- The Town of Hudson - Downtown Business District
- The Town of Granite Falls - Merchants Association
- NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center
- Caldwell County Arts Council
Encouraging Entrepreneurial Spirit
Driving Community Leadership
Connecting, Serving & Supporting Minority Owned Businesses:
We are taking action, and we will be Intentional about delivering new outreach programs designed at supporting our rapidly growing minority owned business owners and underserved sectors of our community. Our community has strong, well established business operations owned by African American, Latino and Hmong entrepreneurs.
By launching Common Grounds we will deliver a listening & learning platform that can help develop programs that broaden the available talent pool and foster an inclusive environment necessary to attract a diverse modern workforce. We strive to host events that directly meet these businesses where they are. Common Grounds will serve our entire County in bold new ways, and will launch a new horizon for business connectivity, breaking down barriers and escorting in a change of who is included in the room.
Providing Resources for our Downtown Business Districts & Improve Customer Appeal
Focused investment revitalizes commercial cores like Lenoir, Granite Falls, and Hudson, creating vibrant destinations that attract talent and small businesses. The goal of our foundation would be to launch the following supporting Initiatives:
- Empty Storefront Window Beautification Improving the appearance of empty businesses, and promoting positive messaging for future businesses, and for existing clients of other businesses .
- NEW Awning Project - Working in partnership with a major textile manufacturer, we will provide small business grants for Fabric, Hardware & Labor to improve the look of an existing business store front, or for a future business location to move downtown.
- Painted Mural Projects - We have seen that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and national TV Shows have shown that vibrant art projects can make a difference. We will work in tandem with Caldwell County Arts Council to make a positive visual impact.
In Alignment with:
-
- The City of Lenoir - Downtown Economic Development
- The Town of Hudson - Downtown Business District
- The Town of Granite Falls - Merchants Association
- NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center
- Caldwell County Arts Council
Driving Economic Prosperity & Success
Engaging our Tourism Economy
Driving Community Leadership
Strengthening the Leadership of Local Nonprofit Agencies
The Foundation will serve as the primary organization that will bring together the Nonprofit Leaders located in our community. The gathering named The Nonprofit Leaders Coalition. The Coalition will host quarterly business meetings for Executive Directors providing them with the following:
- Access to Subject Matter Experts & Speakers to Strengthen their knowledge base on finances, operations, board development, governance, policy, events, grant writing & fundraising.
- Shared Resources Including, but not limited to Creating a Community wide Volunteer pool, Event Calendar, Technology and
- Best Practices and information flow for Non-Profit Leaders
The Foundation will provide financial support via mini grants supporting the work of Caldwell County Non-Profit Agencies and providing them with access to professional development training for Executive Directors & Staff. Opening the door to attend classes designed to strengthen non-profit leaders, similar to those offered from the Duke University Nonprofit Management Program
Keeping a Pulse on Next Level Issues for Proactive Collaboration
Someone Should Do Something!
That someone will be The Caldwell Chamber, our members our leadership, our ambassadors and our board of directors. We are action minded individuals.
It will be up to us to take action and to maintain a proactive awareness of critical issues, relevant to trends, economic challenges, and pain points that affect our local businesses. As we step forward with The Caldwell Chamber Foundation, we will work to quickly adapt to new state and federal regulations, minimizing disruption and maximizing competitiveness.
Issues that are in our focus area at this time include:
- Tackling the lack of workforce housing
- Evaluating Water & Sewer Infrastructure
- Proactively Evaluating Child Care & Its Impact on employment
- Operating Costs and Inflation Challenges
- Business Retention & Expansion (Non-Industrial)
- Interruptions in our Supply Chain
- Public Safety & Community Image
- Small Business Digital Transformation
- Connecting Business & Education for Positive Impact
- Our Agricultural Economy
TRUSTED LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE
Our Board of Directors, collectively guiding the strategic direction, and providing fiduciary oversight.
Brandy Eby
Emergency
Restoration
Experts
Board Chair
Michele Woods
UNC Health
Immediate Past Chair
Felicia Stewart
Skyline National Bank
Vice Chair
Bill Fields
Rocket Mortgage
Board Secretary
Jason Lingle
Blue Ridge Energy
Treasurer
Bryan Moore
Caldwell Chamber
Executive Director
Amber Clement
Caldwell Chamber
Grant Administrator
Kathy Carroll
Community Liaison