Poll affirms pivotal role of Chambers
A recent national public opinion poll indicates Chambers of Commerce are vital to the prosperity of their communities and affirms the work of local organizations such as the Fox Cities Chamber.
The Harris Poll survey, conducted on behalf of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE), finds 81% of U.S. adults agree that their local chamber of commerce is a trusted resource and partner for businesses. Around nine in 10 feel that their local chamber has an impact on growing the local economy (90%) and addressing challenges within their community (88%).
Key findings of the poll include:
- Chambers are Trusted: 81% of U.S. adults agree that their local chamber is a trusted resource and partner for businesses. 90% feel that their local chamber has an impact on growing the local economy.
- Chamber Membership Strengthens a Business’s Reputation: 64% of adults who are familiar with their local chamber are more likely to purchase goods and services from a business that they know is a member of their local chamber. 63% of these adults are more likely to recommend that business to someone else.
- Chambers Serve Businesses and Communities: 76% of U.S. adults agree that local chambers are stewards of a strong local economy. 74% believe local chambers create jobs and promote local community development. 72% believe local chambers play a key role in addressing community challenges.
- Business Owners See the Value: 65% of business owners see their local chamber as an advocate for initiatives and policies that are in the best interest of their business. 62% believe the chamber supports the growth and prosperity of their business.
- People Want to Learn More About Their Local Chamber: 70% of U.S. adults wished they knew more about the work their local chamber does in the community. Specifically, they are interested in learning more about the type of impact local chambers have in their community (49%), more general information about chambers of commerce (43%), and which local businesses are members (42%).
According to Becky Bartoszek, President & CEO of the Fox Cities Chamber, these results also affirm the work of the organization she leads. “Our mission is to promote employers and economic development, while serving as a catalyst to further improve the qualify of life of our community. This aligns perfectly with what respondents indicate their perceptions of a Chamber of Commerce are and reinforces what we do every day.”
She cited some examples: “Our Employee Friendly Workplace certification and Champion of Young Professionals designation help companies recruit and retain top talent. Appleton’s Octoberfest, a Chamber event, has a $42.3 million economic impact on the area. We also help bridge the gap between employers and local school districts to help prepare a strong future workforce through programs such as Smart Girls Rock!, Future Fox Cities Career Expo, and Excellence in Education Awards.”
Additionally, the Fox Cities Chamber offers Connect Free membership for small businesses who qualify, giving them no-cost access to tools and resources to help them succeed. “Connect Free supports our local small businesses, who are the backbone of our community and responsible for nearly half of our economic activity,” said Bartoszek.
The Chamber’s efforts in all these areas were recognized nationally in 2024, which was also their 150th anniversary. The Fox Cities Chamber was named National Chamber of the Year, received a National Communications Award of Excellence, and was the recipient of the Wisconsin Innovation Award in the nonprofit category.
The ACCE/Harris poll was broken down by region. The Fox Cities fell into the East North Central region, and when looking at data from that area, the results indicated it mirrors the national total with few significant differences. In addition to affirming the Fox Cities Chamber work, Bartoszek added they saw several opportunities as well, including increasing awareness of the role of the Fox Cities Chamber, sharing its mission-based focus, and promoting membership.
View the full survey results at acce.org/poll.
About Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce
The Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce captures the energy of one of Wisconsin’s most dynamic regions and transforms it into innovative programs and services for its business members. The Fox Cities Chamber serves all of the Fox Cities communities within the counties of Outagamie, Calumet and the northern portion of Winnebago. The Fox Cities Chamber plays a leadership role in regional economic development efforts in Northeastern Wisconsin. For more information, visit www.foxcitieschamber.com.
ABOUT ACCE
ACCE is the professional society supporting the individuals who lead local, regional, statewide and international chambers of commerce and related business and economic development organizations. Its membership includes more than 1,600 business/civic organizations worldwide, representing more than 9,000 professionals. The association provides members with information resources, thought leadership, education programs, original research, benchmarking and access to a network of peers.
METHODOLOGY
This survey was conducted online within the United States between September 5-9, 2024 among 2,075 adults (aged 18 and over) including 141 respondents who are business owners (i.e., employed with a title of CEO, partner or owner) by The Harris Poll on behalf of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) via its Harris On Demand omnibus product.
Data were weighted where necessary by age, gender, race/ethnicity, region, education, marital status, household size, household income, [employment], and political party affiliation, to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population.
Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in our surveys. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within + 2.5 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. This credible interval will be wider among subsets of the surveyed population of interest.
All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to other multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including, but not limited to coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments.