Bronx Chamber of Commerce - Bronx Business News You Can Use

Upcoming Events, Legislative News, Grant Opportunities, & More

(Friday) Extra, Extra Click here for this week's video: Many thanks to all who participated in our May 16 Bronx Chamber Resource Fair at Yankee Stadium, creating a One-Stop Shop for Small Businesses* and Job Seekers! We also had a wonderful surprise from our member Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts in support of future workforce program development at the Bronx Chamber of Commerce Foundation!

Brought to you with support from Empire City & in partnership with the NY Yankees, NYC Small Business Services, MasterCard, Bronx EDC

*Attention Small Businesses: Need more resources? Scroll down and check out fresh new additions to our "Funding, Certification & Other Resources" section below*

NEW CITY PILOT PROGRAM TO COMBAT RETAIL THEFT

MAYOR ADAMS ANNOUNCES NEW PILOT PROGRAM TO COMBAT RETAIL THEFT, CREATE EFFICIENCIES, IMPROVE POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS   Program Facilitates Real-Time Information Sharing Between Businesses, Communities, and NYPD to Safeguard Against Theft and Strengthen Criminal Investigations  On May 16, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks III, and New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Edward A. Caban announced the launch of a pilot program utilizing technology to protect public safety — including by combatting retail theft, quality-of-life offenses, and crime overall — while simultaneously increasing efficiencies and improving community relations between local police precincts and the New Yorkers they serve. The community-based security camera integration platform — operated by public safety technology company Fusus by Axon — will enable businesses to voluntarily share information in real-time with the NYPD through existing closed-circuit television cameras as they seek to solve crimes. Click HERE for the Full Press Release

BRONX CHAMBER SIGNATURE EVENT: GOLF OUTING

Don't Miss Out On This Exclusive Event The Joseph P. Kelleher Memorial Golf Tournament June 18, 2024 Bally's Golf Links at Ferry Point 500 Hutchinson River Parkway Bronx, NY 10465 Join us for a day of networking & friendly competition as we honor the memory of Bronx Chamber chairman Joe Kelleher and celebrate this year's honoree Mark Stagg of Stagg Group Development ---> CLICK HERE for more information about the Tournament and to register Sponsorship Opportunities are in high demand and going quickly! Contact Dolores@bronxchamber.org to secure yours. Sincere thanks to our sponsors to date (list in formation): DJ Ambulette Services, Monroe College, BronxCare Health System, Lettire Construction, Manhattan Parking Group, Simone Development Companies, Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts, Orange Bank & Trust Company, The Stagg Group, and A&A Maintenance Enterprise.

BRONX CHAMBER IN THE NEWS

Powerful testament to the services of the Bronx Chamber in this week's Bronx Times from our longtime member Bronx Design Group: "I can say without a doubt that the resources and information I received during that difficult time from the Bronx Chamber and the NYC Small Business Resource Network were a lifeline and a large part of the reason that my company is thriving today, four years after our initial closure. This level of support is not common." Read the full Op-Ed by Geri Sciortino HERE

LISA SORIN HONORED BY MONROE FOUNDATION

On May 16, Bronx Chamber President Lisa Sorin was honored as a champion of continuing education in our community by Chamber member The Monroe Foundation. Several staff and Board members were in attendance to proudly celebrate Lisa, fellow honoree John DiMiceli of DP Wolff, and a number of deserving scholarship recipients on the path to successful careers in the Bronx and beyond.

MORE BRONX CHAMBER EVENTS

May 30: Small Businesses, Big Connections Pasquale's Rigoletto 2311 Arthur Ave. 6:00 - 8:00pm $25 Members / $30 Non-Members Learn best practices from our Member guest speaker Martha Lynn Laskie how to Become Impressive and effectively brand your small business, while enjoying delicious Italian light bites, drink specials, & more! Don't miss out - join us May 30 in the REAL Little Italy of NYC, Arthur Avenue, to close out Small Business Month!

Get Your Tickets

June 6: An Evening of Scotch & Cigars The Bronx Havana Room 3604A East Tremont Ave. 6:00 - 8:00pm $25 Members / $30 Non-Members Join us at the sophisticated Bronx Havana Room on June 6th for an evening of scotch tasting, fine cigars, networking and industry updates. Act fast - space is limited and this event has sold out 2 years in a row!

Get Your Tickets

June 13: Karaoke Night! Sponsored by The University of Mount Saint Vincent The Bronx Beer Hall 2344 Arthur Avenue 6:00 - 8:00pm $25 Members / $30 Non-Members Join the Bronx Chamber's Young Professionals Committee for an evening of great food, questionable singing, & drink specials, brought to you with generous support from Bronx Chamber Member The University of Mount Saint Vincent, who will be sharing information about continuing education opportunities at UMSV, tailored for busy professionals.

Get Your Tickets

June 27: The Art of Networking Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education 928 Simpson Street 6:00 - 8:00pm $25 Members / $30 Non-Members Join The Bronx Chamber of Commerce for an evening of networking in Casita Maria's beautiful community Art Gallery, surrounded by the inspiring work of local artists. Don't miss this opportunity to cultivate your network and ignite your creative spirit!

GET YOUR TICKETS

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT - VISIONS

Support Bronx Chamber member VISIONS/Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired at their June 11 event, where our President Lisa Sorin will proudly serve as event auctioneer 📣 Honorees: Swannie Batista & Rachel Batista-McChain, President/CEO, Paralegals FTC, Inc. Jan Fisher, Executive Director, Nonprofit Westchester Mary McDonnell, President, New Rochelle Lions Club; District 20-R2 Zone Chair, Lions Clubs International Brenda Prohaska, Licensed Realtor, Bee Home Realty; Cosmetology Teacher, Kenneth Clark Academy; Founder, NYC Fish Rescue Get your tickets HERE and help raise vital unrestricted funding for VISIONS' programs for the Blind and visually impaired in our borough!

DIGITAL TOOLS FOR GROWTH

With support from the Verizon Digital Inclusion program, The Bronx Chamber of Commerce is offering a series of webinars aimed at helping small businesses maximize the potential of digital tools and literacy for business growth. All sessions are virtual Upcoming Dates and Times are as follows: Cybersecurity - How to Protect Your Business  Session 1: Wednesday, June 5, 2024 11:00 am to 12:00 pm Session 2: Wednesday, June 12, 2024 11:00 am to 12:00 pm To register for the next event on June 5, Click Here

OPEN + ONLINE Applications are still open for Bronx businesses to sign up for the popular Open + Online program through the NYC Small Business Resource Network! It's crucial that your small business has a strong online presence to compete in today's marketplace. The Open + Online program offers FREE website building, logo & branding design, or expert SEO (search engine optimization) consulting.  APPLY HERE

WEBSITE UPDATES: CITY & STATE LEGISLATION

If you haven't already: Check out the latest Bronx Chamber website updates for city and state legislation policy news impacting your business, plus events, resources and much more. To visit our website, Click Here

FUNDING, CERTIFICATION & OTHER RESOURCES

NYC Small Business Month Expo May 29 9:00am - 3:00pm Pier 36 NYC 299 South Street New York, NY 10002 Free resources and direct services that address the needs of small business owners of all stages, industries, and boroughs, all under one roof: Faster city permits and licenses Financing and legal assistance Contract with NYC through the M/WBE Borough Forum Free consultations, workshops, and networking  Click Here to Register

MWBE | SDVOB Procurement Conference June 5 8:30am - 3:00pm John Jay College of Criminal Justice 524 West 59th Street New York, NY 10019 Learn how to navigate procurement opportunities throughout CUNY and CUCF at this one-day event designed to help MWBEs & SDVOBs learn, grow, and network. Co-hosted by The City University of New York, City University Construction Fund, Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, Bronx Chamber of Commerce, Queens Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Women in Construction. Click Here To Register

Grant Readiness 101: Get Ready, Get Set June 18 (2 sessions) CUNY on the Concourse Unlike many private or local grant processes, applying for NY State grant funding can require several steps. This training is designed to help you understand the process, the statewide financial system (SFS), and the opportunities that come with State grant funding.   This presentation will cover:  Overall NYS Grant Process Different Types of Funding Opportunities (Three Rs: RFA/RFA/RFI) Steps to Prequalification (A MUST TO APPLY FOR ANY GRANT) Working with the NY State Financial System (SFS) How to Position Your Organization to Be Ready Register HERE

NYC Funds Finder NYC's Department of Small Business Services (SBS) and Next Street are offering a user-friendly platform, NYC Funds Finder, where small businesses can review funding options, including loans and grants, and request free 1-on-1 financing assistance from the SBS team.  NYC Funds Finder is a partnership between SBS and Next Street and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. Next Street Scale, the platform that powers NYC Funds Finder, was created to address the hurdles that small businesses, especially those run by women and minorities, face in accessing the resources required to grow their business and build wealth.

M/WBE Certification Unlocking Opportunities The Bronx Chamber of Commerce is proud to partner with NYC SBS to help guide you through the application process of getting certified as a Minority/Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE). This certification program, offered by NYC Small Business Services, is a critical initiative aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion in government contracting and procurement processes. The program seeks to create opportunities for businesses owned and operated by minority individuals and women, ensuring they have fair access to government contracts and economic opportunities, opens your business up to increased opportunities from New York City agencies, free advertising in the NYC Online Directory of Certified Businesses, mentorship programs and workshops, networking events, and more. The City has committed to awarding $16 billion in contracts to M/WBE certified organizations over the next decade--don’t miss out! Are you eligible? (Qualification checklist below) Business is legally authorized to transact business in New York City Business has been in operation for at least one year Business is more than 51% minority and/or woman owned If you are interested in applying, or for more information on M/WBE certification, contact Chanel Perez at Programs@bronxchamber.org

For the complete Bronx Chamber Events Calendar, featuring educational workshops, networking events and other opportunities hosted by the Chamber, its members, & partners, please visit and bookmark our website events calendar link in your browser - new events are added weekly!