Quad Cities Chamber Blog

The U.S. Small Business Administration is extending the deferment period for principal and interest payments on the existing COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program for an additional six months.

My Place Hotel values the connections and the ongoing guidance and assistance the Quad Cities Chamber provides. “We joined the Chamber in July 2018 to build relationships. People like to do business with people they know, and the connections we make can lead to referrals. We attend the events and want to be present in the community,” said Sarah Litwiller, Area Director of Sales, Golder Hospitality.

During Chamber Day in Springfield, guest speakers hit on the hottest topics in Illinois. From unemployment insurance to workforce to tac credits, no topic was off-limits.

Six companies in the QC region were awarded Manufacturing 4.0 Workforce Innovation grants and Technology Investment grants by the Iowa Economic Development Authority, funds that will be used to address workforce issues exacerbated by COVID-19 and integrate smart technologies.

At the Chamber, all of our goals and the work we do with and for you each and every day is intentionally focused on propelling our region. The work we are doing is not going unnoticed, especially by the media.  

The QC Mayors' Young Adult Hiring Fair brought together than 250 job seekers and 42 employers from across the region. Business, organization, city government and military representatives spent five hours talking one-on-one with a stream of young adults to help them get their first job opportunity and build that essential foundation of workplace skills.

One of the most pressing items on our platform is addressing the Unemployment Trust Fund deficit in Illinois using ARPA funds. We need your help to lift this item to the level of urgency the matter deserves. We want to share business owners' and leaders' concerns about the impact of inaction by the Illinois General Assembly if it does not address the UI Trust deficit using the ARPA funds.

Legislative updates: Iowa passes tax reforms, Illinois Senate prepares for third readings of bills.

How communities within the region will spend American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to strengthen and support businesses, residents and quality of life is important. During the most recent Legislative Event Series, four speakers highlighted the ways in which their cities are using, or plan to use, ARPA funding to make transformational investments in the areas of talent attraction and development, placemaking, creating a business-friendly environment and economic recovery.

The Quad Cities region joins communities across the nation in a talent shortage which is impacting local businesses, and there are many ways we can address this challenge.

New funding and resources for entrepreneurs and startups are coming to the QC as The New Bohemian Innovation Collaborative, Inc. expands. In addition, ISA Ventures, the first multi-stage venture capital studio in Iowa, plans to expand by building a local syndicate network of investors to support regional entrepreneurs on both sides of the river.

The Chambers All In for Economic Recovery’s bill to restructure the Minimum Wage Tax Credit’s incremental phase-out, HB 5320, was just granted a subject matter hearing. We hope that our bill will be forwarded to a committee vote soon. We need to continue this momentum to convert this bill into law.

During the kickoff of the Chamber’s 2022 Legislative Event Series on Feb. 11, six state policymakers from Illinois and Iowa discussed the work they continue to do to support the challenges and opportunities important to businesses throughout the region.

During a stop in Rock Island on Thursday, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker outlined how his FY 2023 balanced budget proposal will provide the QC regional economy with more stability and predictability – two elements essential for the success of businesses and residents. 

You can’t create solutions until you have a firm understanding of challenges and opportunities. Last week, we convened the first meeting of the Black Business Council, a group of regional business owners and leaders who are generously volunteering their time, talent and insight to move our region forward.

After 4 years of leading the Quad Cities Chamber, Paul Rumler will become Chief Executive Officer/Executive Vice President of CCIM Institute.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker provided his annual Condition of the State and Proposed Budget on Wednesday, Feb. 2, highlighting the state’s successes in the past year and a balanced budget going forward.

Our work is wide, yet always focused on building our region, increasing population and GDP, enhancing quality of life and making the QC the place people want to live, expand their careers and grow their families. Our slate of 2022 Regional Advocacy Priorities advance every one of those goals. While we advocate on your behalf, we need you at the table, too.

It is time to envision the future of the QC region, and it is time to act, collectively. The Quad Cities Chamber is launching the first cohort of Leadership QC. These 23 members each hold deep expertise in different sectors of the community and most importantly, they want to do more to ensure the success of our region.

The Quad Cities Chamber joins nearly fifty chambers across the state in urging the Illinois Legislature to provide additional economic and regulatory relief for businesses through a coalition called Chambers All In for Economic Recovery.