A brief introduction?to the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce

Your business has joined forces with over 800 Joplin area businesses and organizations to move Joplin forward and help each other thrive. Our four core functions are:

1. Serve Local Businesses - We offer programs, resources, and relationships that help your business compete in the 21st century.

• Chamber Benefits Plan - Health insurance program that enables smaller employers (2-50 full time employees) to join together to share in the overall claims risk.
• Chamber Academy - Free business education seminars to educate, engage, and inspire. Topics include entrepreneurship, management and leadership, marketing and sales, HR, diversity and inclusion, finance and accounting, project management, and e-commerce.
• Entrepreneurship Ecosystem - We offer co-working and dedicated spaces for start-ups, a mentorship program, 1 Million Cups and Ideas on Tap weekly socials, and so much more.
• Legislative Advocacy - we identify issues that matter and champion small businesses at the state and local levels.
• Joplin Business Outlook - Joplin's premier online business journal, with weekly email updates sent to thousands of business and community leaders.  
• Mentorships - Career and personal development opportunities for both professionals and entrepreneurs.
• Networking Events - Monthly Morning Brews and Business After Hour events, quarterly Good Morning Joplin breakfast events, three Leads Groups, Joplin Slow Roll bike rides, the Annual Banquet, and the Joplin Business Expo are just some of the networking events for you to participate in.
• COVID-19 Assistance and Financial Relief Coordination

2. Improve Livability - For our community to prosper and to better serve the needs of businesses in the region, the Chamber offers six work groups that address various needs to maintain and improve the quality of life. We invite you to join one or more workgroups:

• Chamber Gives Back - Monthly high-impact volunteer service initiatives.
• Community Health & Wellness - The purpose is to permanently improve health and wellness within our business community and the Joplin community at-large.
• Cultural Enterprise Recruitment - Recruitment or instigation of new businesses that specifically add a unique leisure or culinary amenity to our area that did not exist prior.
• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion - Businesses that prioritize equity, diversity, and inclusion improve their bottom line, attract and retain top talent, and generate more innovative ideas. This workgroup supports businesses and the community-at-large in their efforts to understand and implement practices and policies that center equity, diversity, and inclusion
• Professional Development - Recruit and train executive and entrepreneurial mentors, place those seeking mentorships, and identify Ed Talk speakers.
• Trails & Connectivity - Championing public and private investments in trails and connectivity initiatives, and organizing and deploying the business community to support the Joplin Trails Coalition.

3. Develop Community Leaders - Thriving communities are built through bringing together a diverse network of people who have a passion to better the community they live in. Through the Chamber Foundation three Leadership Programs exist to engage our youth, young business professionals and individuals who are looking to become more invested in their community.

• Leadership Joplin - This informative and thought-provoking program introduces participants to the community, exposes them to its challenges and requires them to fully participate in the 12-session curriculum.
• Tomorrow's Leaders Today - Participants are area high school seniors with a variety of interests, experiences and talents. Six sessions take place (November through March) out of school with full credit, concluding with an evening graduation. Students interact with business and community leaders to identify and discuss local issues, leadership and career opportunities.
• Young Professionals Network (YPN) - Led by 13 individuals who volunteer their time to create inclusive spaces for Chamber members under the age of 40 to build connections and bring together businesses to enhance the quality of life in the Joplin region.

4. Attract Talent & New Industry - Building the Joplin brand to attract knowledge-based workforce and innovative businesses of tomorrow.

• Talent Attraction and Retention / ChooseJoplin.com - Curate ChooseJoplin.com and partner with local HR directors and Realtors to sell and market our growing community.
• Business Attraction and Retention - Operate the Crossroads Business & Industrial Park, offer and prepare business attraction and expansion incentives, and collaborate with the MOKAN Partnership, our regional economic development partner.