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Business Assistance

The Chamber is a resource for your business and your employees. Our economic development efforts focus on fostering the strength, growth, sustainability, and competitiveness of businesses in the Springfield region to support our local economy.  

Our team’s primary goal is to understand and address the needs and challenges faced by businesses to help them thrive. At its core, our business assistance approach, referred to Business Retention & Expansion or BRE, is aimed at developing relationships with local employers and acting as the first line of defense to prevent business closure or relocation away from our community. 

By focusing on BRE, communities can capitalize on the strengths of their existing businesses, retain local jobs, stimulate economic growth, and foster a vibrant and diverse business environment. BRE efforts are often viewed as a complement to other economic development activities such as attracting new businesses, entrepreneurship support, and workforce development. 

How BRE Works
The Chamber’s BRE program consists of confidential meetings with business leaders revolving around current business operations, industry trends, workforce trends, government affairs, infrastructure, future planning, and more. During these meetings, staff gather information about your business to gain insight into your needs and how the Chamber can best support continued operations of your business. Based on identified needs, staff will provide guidance or connect you with resources that help you overcome challenges, improve productivity, enhance competitiveness, and expand operations.  

Benefits To Your Business  

  • The Chamber provides a single point of entry for business assistance  
  • Access the combined resources of collaborative organizations
  • Meetings and guidance are provided at no cost 

Common BRE topics  

  • Economic development incentives  
  • Research and data gathering related to industry, workforce, and wages 
  • Workforce training and financial assistance  
  • Utilities, energy audits, and infrastructure 
  • Navigating local, state, and federal government  
  • Import-export assistance and international business development  
  • Financing  
  • Expansion project assistance  
  • Business and management consulting  
  • Networking and business development  
  • Finding grant opportunities  
  • Chamber Health Benefit Plan for small businesses  
  • Intern programs 

Get Started with BRE
Click here to fill out a brief form and a Chamber staff member will connect with you to learn more.  

Entrepreneurship & Small Business  

While the Chamber’s BRE program is available to all businesses regardless of size or structure, the efactory at Missouri State University is Springfield’s one-stop-shop for resources to assist businesses from startup to stability. Visit our partners at the efactory to access programs from the Small Business Development Center, SCORE, U.S. Small Business Administration and more.  

For small businesses looking to grow their visibility and potential customer base in the Springfield area, the Chamber’s workshops and networking events are a great place to start.  

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