Congratulations to Friends of Badger Mountain on being named the Regional Chamber's Member of the Month for June 2021.

The Friends of Badger Mountain group is an all-volunteer organization that was founded in 2003 and has been an active member of the Regional Chamber for many years. The group has preserved over 900 acres and built and maintained 10 miles of trails.  

The trails that the group work to build and maintain were able to remain a bright spot during the pandemic where people could get out and be active. In fact, over 300,000 users were counted during that time!

The group is now under a current campaign to raise money to create the third reserve – little Badger Mountain Preserve. They are also working on an exciting new development – Red Mountain Vineyard Trail - as a partnership with the Red Mountain AVA – the first vineyard trail in the U.S.

Congratulations on being named our June Member of the Month!

Thank you to everyone who made it to our Reopening Washington luncheon on June 23, 2021! This was our first in-person luncheon in 15 months, and we were so happy to see so many friends. 

If you missed the luncheon, you can catch the replay on YouTube.

As the state inches closer to a full reopening and Tri-City businesses focus on recovery, the need for current, reliable, and relevant data has never been more important.  Access to key economic indicators will allow businesses to develop a focused strategy for the future.

The Vitals are a free, interactive tool from AWB Institute that brings together more than 30 key economic indicators. The Vitals are part of Washington in the Making, a framework for the state’s economic recovery that envisions lasting prosperity in every community. Designed for employers, business groups and other leaders, the Vitals makes it easy to find, compare and track data.

What does this mean for the Tri-Cities?
This tool helps identify trends that impact the Tri-Cities.  The insight gleaned will reveal opportunities for growth and use to inform collaborative projects of the myTRI 2030 Regional Vision initiative.  

In the coming months, the Regional Chamber will be watching indicators that correspond with the myTRI opportunity areas:  Agriculture, Education, Energy, Inclusion, Life and Prosperity.

• Broadband Access – The pandemic highlighted the need for fast, reliable, high-quality internet access for all Tri-Citians. How does equitable access affect local industry?
• Jobs Created – Our region has been in survival mode since the pandemic started. How will recovery affect job creation? 
• Prepared Workforce – Knowing accurate and current graduation rates will inform decisions about our region’s talent needs.  How does the community fill the gaps?
  
  

There is much to be excited about as our state and regional economies move into recovery mode.  The Vitals puts data at our fingertips that can help us plan strategically for lasting prosperity in the Tri-Cities. 

The Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce and Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) have once again partnered to offer $30,000 in grants to local small businesses through the Small Business Incentive Program (SBIP). 

The Small Business Incentive Program was launched in 2011. Since its inception, the program has presented 325 grants to small businesses, totaling $300,000. The program is designed to strengthen and support small businesses in the Tri-Cities. 

Applications for the 2021 program will open at 8 am on Monday, June 7 at tricityregionalchamber.com/small-business-incentive-program. Due to the ongoing health crisis and the current closure of the Chamber office, only online applications will be accepted. The application window closes at 5 pm on Friday, July 2.

Qualifying applications will be numbered and entered into a drawing. 30 winners will be selected at random during the drawing, which will be broadcast live over Zoom (date and time TBA). 

Details and application requirements for this year’s program can be found at tricityregionalchamber.com/small-business-incentive-program.

For questions about the program, please contact Logan LaPierre, Program Manager, at logan.lapierre@tricityregionalchamber.com.

Congratulations to HAPO Community Credit Union on being named the Regional Chamber’s Member of the Month for May 2021.

HAPO has been a staple in the Tri-Cities community since 1953. The Chamber is fortunate to work with HAPO staff, who have held leadership positions on our board of directors, volunteered for our Ambassador Club and other committees, and sponsored numerous Chamber events over the years.

Since the onset of the pandemic, HAPO has given back to the community more than ever - partnering with Gesa Credit Union and Numerica Credit Union on the “Whatever it Takes” campaign which raised over $70,000 for youth in our community, and donating $20,000 in gift cards to local heroes on the frontline of the pandemic.

HAPO also recently made a $10,000 donation to 2nd Harvest to help feed families in need. These are just a few examples of HAPO’s community giving over the last year or so.

Congratulations HAPO Community Credit Union, our May Member of the Month.