Do nonprofits benefit from Chamber membership?

The answer is a resounding yes. And the business community definitely benefits from interacting with and supporting nonprofits who are providing needed services for the region. Your Chamber currently consists of 179 nonprofit members and seven of our board members represent nonprofit organizations. Nonprofits use Chamber membership to increase community awareness, develop professional staff and improve operations. One of our new nonprofit members recently asked for some tips for maximizing her organization’s Chamber membership so that she could connect with other Chamber members who “are looking to do some community givebacks through sponsorships or donate their time.” Here are the tips we shared with her:

• List your upcoming events on our Community Calendar. Do you have an upcoming fundraiser or community event? Log in to the Members Only page of the website to list your upcoming events on the Chamber’s Community Calendar, and receive FREE promotion in our weekly digital newsletter. You’ll find the Community Calendar on our website. For instructions on how to post events, and your login credentials, contact nrobinson@wichitachamber.org. Envision participated in the Social Services Nonprofit Showcase at the December Sunrise Scrambler in 2016.
• Plan a table display for our December 6 Sunrise Scrambler—Social Services Nonprofit Showcase. The holiday season is the perfect opportunity to devote to elevating the visibility of our social service nonprofit members and the way they improve our community. Follow this link for more information about how to get your organization’s mission in front of 160 breakfast attendees. There’s no charge for your organization’s table display and it comes with one complimentary attendee registration. The deadline for Social Services Scrambler participants is Wednesday, Nov. 22.
• Offer a discount. Are you selling tickets to an event or fundraiser? Chamber members can offer a discount and publicize products and services to other Chamber members on the Chamber website. Your online coupon includes a link to your website. For instructions on how to utilize this benefit, and your Members Only page login credentials, contact nrobinson@wichitachamber.org.
• Attend and participate in Chamber events. It’s all about relationships, so it’s definitely worth the time and effort you put into participating in events and committees. This is a great way to seek out new members for your Board, promote your events, find volunteers and sponsorships. Two of our nonprofit members received funding last month from one of our members as a direct result of discussions and business card exchanges at Chamber events. Our for-profit members often base their community givebacks on the relationships they’ve established. Some Chamber events do have an admission charge, but there are also free events like the Business Exchange, Small Business Owner Roundtable for your CEO or Board President to attend. You can also attend our B2B trade show called Exposure on September 28^th for Free. Better yet, purchase a low-cost tabletop to display at Exposure, and give out materials about your organization’s mission. Visit our website to subscribe to our newsletter to see all of our upcoming events. Chamber President and CEO Gary Plummer attended a Milestone event for Wichita's Littlest Heroes in July.
• Request assistance with a Milestone Event. If you have started a new non-profit, if you are moving to a new location, celebrating an expansion or re-brand, our staff will assist you with planning a promotion of a Member Milestone event such as a Ribbon Cutting or Open House.
• Connect with our Young Professionals group.  Young Professionals of Wichita (YPW) can be a resource for your organization in three major ways: 1) providing connection to ambitious young leaders through our Board Placement Program; 2) providing leadership and professional development opportunities for your young employees through membership at a discounted rate; and 3) promoting your events and volunteer needs through the community calendar. For more information, contact YPW Program Coordinator Alejo Cabral at 316-268-1171 or via email.
• Submit a Member Minute profile. Help our members to get to know you and understand your mission and services. There’s no cost to participate and your profile will be published on our Chamber blog. A link to that blog post will be published in our weekly digital newsletter which has 4,500 subscribers. Contact Courtney Sendall at the Chamber for the questionnaire you’ll need to complete so that we can feature your organization.
• Connect with us on Social Media. We utilize Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.  We utilize all three channels to keep you updated on relevant issues and events. Jennifer Keller of KPTS recently added the #ILoveWichita decal to the station's front door.
• Add the #ILOVEWICHITA decal to your organization’s front door. This is an easy way to familiarize the Chamber’s social media followers with where you’re located and how the community benefits from your services. Just let us know the date/time that works for you and we’ll bring out a decal and take a quick video of you applying it and giving us a sentence or two about why you love being part of the Wichita community. We’ll post it on our social media accounts. Some of our nonprofit members who have participated include KPTS, Alzheimer’s Association and ICTSOS. Contact Courtney Sendall at the Chamber to schedule a decal application.

We look forward to working with you!