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: This week, the Bronx Chamber held a lively gathering of current & future members at the beautiful Bronx Havana Room, enjoying an evening of Scotch, Cigars, and new business connections! President Lisa Sorin gave a rousing welcome, facilitated round-robin networking, and shared important Bronx business advocacy updates from our Legislative Committee -- encouraging attendees to mobilize around key Calls to Action and make their voices heard with local elected officials.

UPDATES: CONGESTION PRICING AND CITY OF YES

Governor Kathy Hochul has directed the MTA to indefinitely pause the implementation of congestion pricing (due to take effect at the end of June) "to avoid added burdens to working- and middle-class families." We will share more updates as they become available - stay tuned.

On June 6, The NYC Council approved “City of Yes for Economic Opportunity,” a set of citywide zoning changes the Adams administration introduced that will further fuel New York City’s economic recovery and pave the way for a more inclusive and prosperous future for New York businesses. Together, the proposed set of changes will help businesses find space and grow, support entrepreneurs and freelancers, boost growing industries, and enable more vibrant streetscapes and commercial corridors. Read the full press release HERE.

TIME IS RUNNING OUT! REGISTER FOR OUR GOLF OUTING

Less Than 2 Weeks Away! The Joseph P. Kelleher Memorial Golf Tournament June 18, 2024 Bally's Golf Links at Ferry Point 500 Hutchinson River Parkway Bronx, NY 10465 It's not too late to join us for a day of friendly competition on the links with over 200 executives and community leaders from the Bronx & beyond as we honor the memory of the Bronx Chamber's longtime prior Chairman Joe Kelleher and celebrate this year's honoree Mark Stagg of Stagg Group Development. Want to strut your stuff on the links? CLICK HERE to Register (NOTE: Only the Morning Tee Time is still available) Don't golf? No problem! Purchase a Dinner-only ticket and join us for networking. Select Sponsorship Opportunities are still available until JUNE 12 - contact Dolores@bronxchamber.org

Special thanks to our Golf Outing sponsors to date (list in formation): Monroe College, BronxCare Health System, Lettire Construction Corp., Simone Development Companies, Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts, Orange Bank & Trust Company, A&A Maintenance Enterprise, Altice USA, The Stagg Group, Stagg Wabnik Law Group LLP, KZA Realty Group, Inc., Berkadia Commercial Mortgage Holding LLC, Thermal Systems Associates Inc., Hisense USA, Manhattan Parking Group, Newman Design, LEAD Security Group, Chatam Management, Bacardi USA, Bill Mooney, and Kevin Plunkett.

IN THE COMMUNITY & MEMBER NEWS

This week, President Lisa Sorin, Certification Specialist & Membership Associate Chanel Perez, and Board Treasurer Jessica Gonzalez attended the CUNY MWBE/SDVOB Procurement Conference, which the Bronx Chamber was proud to co-host alongside several esteemed partners. Our Membership Manager Alexis Martinez enjoyed a morning of new community connections at our Member Essen Health Care's Networking Breakfast. The Chamber also hosted another successful Scotch & Cigar networking event, providing important advocacy and industry updates and creating opportunities for new B2B relationship building in the lush backyard of Bronx Havana Room!

Happy Pride! The Bronx Borough President's Office has commissioned Bronx artist Lovie Pignata to brighten the main crosswalk at the starting location of the borough Pride March, 161st and Grand Concourse (rendering pictured at right) Looking to celebrate with your fellow Bronxites? The 4Bronx Project, led by Chamber Small Business Outreach Specialist Laura Levine-Pinedo, will be co-hosting Riverdale Pride on Sunday, 6/9 Beatstro Restaurant will be hosting a Pride Celebration on Friday 6/14 The above-mentioned Pride March will begin adjacent to Bronx Borough Hall on Sat. 6/22

Coming up June 10, Bronx Chamber President Lisa Sorin will moderate a panel discussion of Bronx changemakers at theFREE Connected by Culture Series: Technology Across Communities event, hosted by Verizon. Complimentary headshots, food, resource stations, and live entertainment will all be available on-site. REGISTER for this free event at 257 E. Fordham Road Bronx, NY 10458.

IN THE NEWS: Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts Continues To Be 'All In' On Its Philanthropic Support Of The Bronx “More than one-third of Empire City’s workforce calls the Bronx home, and supporting our neighbors is part of our company culture,” said Bronx Chamber Board member Taryn Duffy, vice president of public affairs at Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts. “We are so proud to support the Bronx Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s workforce development efforts that will help prepare Bronxites for career opportunities.”  Read the Full Article in the Westfair Business Journal

MORE UPCOMING BRONX CHAMBER EVENTS

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 You don't have to sing, but you don't want to miss the fun! Join the Bronx Chamber's Young Professionals Committee for an evening of great food, new connections, & 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 TICKETS ARE COMPLIMENTARY FOR THIS EVENT! 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 EVENTS

Bronx Chamber member VISIONS/Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired is hosting their annual fundraiser next week on June 11, where our President Lisa Sorin will proudly serve as event auctioneer! 📣 Items up for grabs include luxury hotel stays, Broadway shows, top local restaurant experiences, family memberships at Bronx cultural institutions, Yankees and Mets tickets, and much more! Show your support and help raise vital unrestricted funding for VISIONS' programs for the Blind and visually impaired in our borough!

Bronx Day: Celebration of Juneteenth at NYBG June 15 10:00 am – 6:00 pm Visit the NY Botanical Garden for a Juneteenth celebration featuring music, dance performances, arts and crafts, food trucks, and more! Bronx Residents can Register HERE for complimentary tickets!

Bronx Chamber President's Circle member New York Power Authority & New York Transco invite you to learn about Propel NY Energy, an underground electric transmission solution proposed in the Bronx to bolster the system’s reliability and resiliency, and create pathways to deliver clean energy. Bronx Community Open Houses: June 8, 12, and 13 (in person and virtual options) Click HERE for full details on each Open House, and to register

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 The Final Session is coming up June 12! Cybersecurity-How to Protect Your Business Part 2 Presented by Leslie Chiorazzi, CMIT Solutions of Murray Hill Wednesday, June 12, 2024 11:00 am to 12:00 pm To register for the final event on June 12 , 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

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 Services Emergency Preparedness Assessments and Grants Your small business or commercial property may be eligible for a free on-site, one-on-one risk assessment. A team of experts will come to your business to: Review your physical space, operations, and insurance coverage Provide a custom report to prepare your business for future disruptions After the assessment, you may receive a grant of up to $5,000 to buy recommended resiliency equipment, such as flood barriers, generators, and fireproof storage containers. Program participants can receive a grant of up to $5,000 to cover the costs of recommended measures or certain types of resiliency equipment such as portable flood barriers, generators, and fire-proof storage containers. Application Priority Deadline: Business PREP Risk Assessment and Grant Program will be prioritizing applicants whose annual revenue does not exceed $17 million until July 26, 2024. Awardees will be determined on a first-come, first-served basis, based on the order in which applicants have submitted a complete application. APPLY HERE

NYC Summer Restaurant Week July 22 - August 18 Attention Bronx Eateries: Don't Miss Out! If you participated in NYC Restaurant Week Winter 2024, you will have received registration details via email. Registration for past participants is available via the members-only section. If you are new to the program, please click here to fill out the interest form and you will be contacted regarding next steps. Questions: Email nycrestweek@nyctourism.com

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!