Business Resources
QC Chamber earns U.S. Chamber of Commerce Accreditation ranking
March 10, 2026
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has awarded the QC Chamber the prestigious Accreditation designation in recognition of its sound policies, effective organizational procedures and significant positive…
Grow QC and the QC Chamber missions remain strong heading into 2026
December 17, 2025
Grow QC and QC Chamber missions remain strong heading into 2026
“With economic development now housed under Grow Quad Cities, we’re able to focus on helping companies grow, invest and succeed in…
2026 Economic Forecast: Cautiously Optimistic
December 5, 2025
“Overall, the U.S. economy is expected to hold steady going into 2026,” said Kevin Depew, RSM Deputy Chief Economist, who along with Bill Polley, Grow Quad Cities’ Senior Director of Business…
Minority Business Summit brings together small businesses for inspiration, information and community
October 30, 2025
“It is belief -- not only funding, not only followers – but belief that is the real currency of entrepreneurship,” said Abena Sankofa Imhotep, one of the keynote speakers at the QC Chamber’s Minority…
Annual Meeting keynote address: SBA tools businesses can leverage right now
August 6, 2025
At the Quad Cities Chamber’s 2025 Annual Meeting, we had the distinct honor of hearing from Lisa Shimkat, Associate Administrator for the Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Field…
We think you’re a big deal
July 30, 2025
At the Quad Cities Chamber, every ribbon cutting and business celebration we host is more than just the big scissors and a photo op—it’s a symbol of growth, momentum and pride in our region. Maybe…
The Chamber welcomes 14 new members in April
May 15, 2025
The Chamber extends a warm welcome to the 14 businesses that became members in April. Thank you for your unique contributions and investment in our region's success - you are making an impact. We…
Chamber celebrates Small Business Week by supporting the entrepreneurs who power the QC economy
May 7, 2025
Over 34 million small businesses across the U.S. employ almost half of all American workers. Here in the Quad Cities, small businesses are just as vital, and the Chamber is proud to celebrate these…
Public Opinion Poll: 81% say Chamber is a trusted resource for business
January 15, 2025
Results from a nationwide public opinion poll indicate chambers of commerce are vital to the prosperity of their communities. The Harris Poll survey, conducted on behalf of the Association of Chamber…
Professional growth can happen as a result of disruption
December 11, 2024
New year, new you can mean a lot of things personally and professionally. Having experienced dramatic market changes in the agricultural industry this year, many local manufacturers in OEM supply…
Annual Meeting celebrates successes of FY24
August 7, 2024
The Quad Cities Chamber celebrated major accomplishments over the last year including business expansion projects totaling $122.7 million in economic impact, launching the Generation Next program to…
Resources to assist businesses facing potential layoff decisions
June 20, 2024
The economic challenges that dominate our headlines and make for provocative water cooler conversation are nothing new, but the resources available through the staff expertise at the Quad Cities…
Embrace the buzzword: Storytelling as promotion
May 21, 2024
Crafting a compelling brand story is no longer just an option—it's a necessity in today's digital marketing landscape. Your audience is bombarded with advertisements and promotions on a level never…
Proven steps to pitch your company’s story to the media
May 21, 2024
At the Chamber, we're gearing up for our busiest time of the year - summer events season. And if you're reading this, then you know we use various media sources to let you know what's happening in…
Celebrate and support National Small Business Week, April 28 - May 4
May 1, 2024
Small businesses are the heartbeat of our community and shape the character and vitality of our hometowns. From the corner stores that define our neighborhoods to the cutting-edge startups driving…
First Student Success Symposium connects students with local employers
April 24, 2024
The RiverCenter was buzzing with activity on Tuesday, April 23 when 160+ local high school students and nearly 30 Quad Cities employers connected at the first Success Symposium, hosted by the Quad…
Made in Illinois grant program announced, Chamber integral in creation
February 7, 2024
Last week, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced with the Governor’s Office the Made in Illinois Grant Program. The creation of this funding tool was a direct…
Chamber names participants for 3rd Leadership QC cohort
January 19, 2024
The Chamber is pleased to announce the participants for its third Leadership QC cohort. Beginning this week, this group of 12 community-minded leaders and change-makers from the area's business and…
Return to lower inflation and more normal financial market conditions predicted for 2024
December 1, 2023
Price stability equals corporate and investment visibility, said Kevin Depew, RSM Deputy Chief Economist.
Depew was the keynote speaker at the Quad Cities Chamber’s Economic Forecast and provided an…
Generation Next creating agents of change in QC
November 29, 2023
If comments from the first cohort of the Generation Next program are any indication, it won’t be long to see new names stepping forward to embrace wider roles in the civic life of the Quad…
Chamber Insights: How to turn social media into business media
November 8, 2023
Wondering how to transform social media sites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter into powerful marketing tools for your business?
If you're like most small-to-medium business owners, you know that…
Weekly Economic Trends and Indicators
October 2, 2023
The Headline:
According to the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the U.S. trade deficit increased from $63.7 billion in June (revised) to $65.0 billion in July. This represents an…
New Operations Manager ready to make an impact in Downtown Rock Island
September 27, 2023
The Rock Island Downtown Alliance has an expanded arsenal of resources with recent additions to personnel, equipment and technology – all designed to boost the new organization’s impact on the…
Weekly Economic Trends and Indicators
September 26, 2023
The financial markets stumbled last week as participants tried to digest the stream of economic data as well as the words of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell at his press conference following the…
QC, That’s Where Downtown Leaders are Making a Place that Residents Love
September 14, 2023
QC, That’s Where there’s a passionate team of downtown organizations committed to making their downtowns places where Quad Citizens want to live, work and play.
There’s an ever-evolving atmosphere…
Weekly Economic Trends and Indicators
September 13, 2023
This week, we examine recent trends in economic activity in some key sectors of the Quad Cities economy. Specifically, we are looking at 2021 regional gross domestic product (GDP) disaggregated at…
Glad you could join us. Welcome new August members!
September 6, 2023
Glad you could join us. Welcome new August members! The Quad Cities Chamber welcomed six new members in August. Thank you to each of these organizations for their unique contributions and investment…
Weekly Economic Trends and Indicators
September 5, 2023
Last week was a busy week for national economic data with updated numbers for inflation, job openings, and employment. In addition, Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell delivered a much awaited…
Weekly Economic Trends and Indicators
August 29, 2023
This week we examine recent wage data for the Quad Cities area. In July, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, (BLS) released the annual report on occupational employment and wages for May 2022. (This…
Weekly Economic Trends and Indicators
August 22, 2023
The Headline:
Job growth cooled slightly in the Quad Cities in July, according to the latest from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Preliminary data shows 184,700 total nonfarm jobs last month.…
Weekly Economic Trends and Indicators
August 15, 2023
The Headline:
According to the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the U.S. trade deficit decreased from $68.3 billion in May to $65.5 billion in June. This represents a decrease of…
Weekly Economic Trends and Indicators
August 8, 2023
The Headline:
On August 4, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that nonfarm payrolls increased by 187,000 in July. This was somewhat lower than expected. In addition, June nonfarm payroll…
New Chamber website provides the resources you need, whenever you need them
August 2, 2023
We’re excited to share that the new Chamber website is now live! You might have noticed the polished new look and feel of the site over the past few days, and we want to explain all the features that…
Glad you could join us. Welcome June & July new members!
August 1, 2023
Glad you could join us. Welcome June & July new members! The Quad Cities Chamber welcomed eight new members in June and July. Thank you to each of these organizations for their unique contributions…
Weekly Economic Trends and Indicators
August 1, 2023
The Headline:
On July 26, the Federal Open Market Committee (policy making arm of the Federal Reserve) raised the target range for the federal funds rate by 25 basis points. The target range now…
Interns working hard, playing hard during InternQC
July 26, 2023
The Quad Cities is a place where residents work hard so that they can play hard, and the 2023 InternQC program is giving summer interns a taste of the vibrant lifestyle offered in the region.…
Weekly Economic Trends and Indicators
July 25, 2023
The Headline:
On July 12, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.2% in June (seasonally adjusted). In May, the CPI increased by 0.4%. The last two months…
Weekly Economic Trends and Indicators
July 21, 2023
The Headline:
On July 7, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that payrolls increased by 209,000 nationwide during the month of June, and the unemployment rate decreased slightly to 3.6%.…