Matthew Breman, 2016 Chairman of the Board
Every once in a while, the staff at your Grand Junction Chamber and I have a slight difference of opinion on what topic I should cover in the “Chairman’s Column.” This month was one of those times that we were not 100% in sync. I wanted to start talking about the Banquet (yes, it is coming up again) and the staff felt that it would be far more valuable for me to write about more immediate and timely events. Of course the staff is correct, but I will sneak a little Banquet information in at the end.
This year is a year of a few firsts and that includes our Total Resource Campaign (TRC). Technically a TRC is a type of fundraising campaign that, like any Chamber fundraising campaign, has a goal of increasing revenue through sponsorship and membership, however that is where the similarities start to end. Our TRC will not only make it easier for business to get involved, but plan their sponsorship dollars and have a more direct impact on the focus of the Chamber.
To make our TRC work we have Campaign Co-Chairs (Clay Tufly and Pat Tucker), Vice Chairs (Elizabeth Boyd and Kathy Hall) and 14 teams of two to six volunteers from various local companies that see the value of getting more involved with the Chamber. The volunteers will network with other business owners and professionals (both Chamber members and non-members) to discuss the opportunities to promote their business through more targeted sponsorships of Chamber events and programs.
Unlike in years past when we would approach business for sponsorships as events were coming up, a TRC volunteer will present a business with a list of opportunities for the entire year. This has two major benefits to companies:
1) By seeing a list of all the event sponsorships on an annual basis, a business can better choose what opportunities align with their values, focus and customer base and therefore, be more proactive and selective.
2) Since companies will be presented with a schedule of sponsorship opportunities that occur annually, it becomes much easier to budget for these targeted opportunities.
What is also different with a TRC, is sponsorship opportunities are not just around events. For the first time, sponsorship can be around both programs and key strategic initiatives. This helps make sure that your Chamber is focusing on what is important to you and, once again, helps businesses align sponsorship dollars with initiatives that are important to them. There are three strategic initiatives in this year’s campaign:
- Strong Economy & Business Climate
- Workforce Development & Talent Recruitment
- Standing Up for Business
I am happy to report that although the campaign is just getting underway, it is off to a very strong start.
Now a little teaser about this year’s Banquet. . . We just had our first meeting to talk about the theme. This is no easy task after last years’ Star Wars. There is not a lot I can share on this yet, however, I can mention some ideas that did not make the cut. These are in no particular order. . .
Deadpool
Titanic
Anything around this year’s Presidential race
Rap music
High School (the musical)
Clearly the team has a lot more work to do on this, so stay tuned!
Matthew Breman, Chairman
Click here to download full version of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce September 2016 Newsletter.