Frequently Asked Questions#CHAMBER_MASTER_HEADING#

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Alliance?

The Aurora Regional Economic Alliance (Alliance) is a new organization championing the missions of four key civic organizations: the Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce, Invest Aurora, Aurora Downtown, and the Quad County African American Chamber of Commerce. This consolidation represents a strategic move to create a more powerful and unified approach to economic development in the Aurora region.

What prompted the creation of the Alliance?

Initial discussions about combining efforts started in the fall of 2023, and a committee of organization leaders started meeting in January 2024. A study recommending consolidation was published in June 2024. By fall 2024, the consolidation was approved, and the Alliance officially became operational in January 2025. The formation of the Alliance allows for enhanced regional impact because it promotes a collaborative approach to economic development. By combining efforts, the region will have a stronger, more coordinated voice in advocating for growth and attracting investment. 

This new entity ultimately eliminates duplicative functions. Shared resources will allow the Alliance to enhance service delivery for members and target efforts into impactful programs that benefit Aurora businesses and the broader community. An Alliance Board of Directors comprises Board members from the Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce, Aurora Downtown, Invest Aurora, and the Quad County African American Chamber of Commerce plus representatives from businesses annually pledging $10,000 or more to the Alliance. The Board meets quarterly. An Alliance Executive Committee of 13 members meets monthly. A strategic planning process currently is under way to address both the economic development needs of the region and the organizational requirements for the new Alliance.

What are the key differences between Chamber membership and Alliance membership?

The Alliance will serve as a full-service economic development and business advocacy organization. It will have an expanded portfolio of roles, responsibilities, and programs. The chambers were primarily focused on events, networking, and business education. The Alliance will incorporate those activities into its member services portfolio and also will be responsible for business attraction, retention, and expansion (BRE), investment attraction, talent attraction, business advocacy, data and research, downtown promotion, and the support and education of minority- and women-owned business (MWBEs).

What are the incentives for current Chamber members to transition to the new Alliance model?

Members will benefit from the Alliance’s efforts to diversify and broaden the local commercial tax base through its economic development activities. Combining Chamber efforts will result in a larger, more unified voice for the business community, leading to improved advocacy efforts. The Alliance will add a full-time position responsible for small business advocacy and government outreach. Members also will have expanded opportunities for networking and collaboration.

Shared resources, including staff, will allow for enhanced member services. The Alliance will begin implementing a business attraction, retention, and expansion (BRE) program to support existing employers. The BRE program will include 50–75 personal visits to targeted employers to identify their needs, offer support, and gather market intelligence. The Alliance regularly will track and report on local economic indicators and conditions as well as trends in important local industries. A new emphasis will be placed on marketing for talent attraction and retention to support the growth of the local labor force.

What will the membership tiers and fee structure look like under the Alliance model?

Membership dues will be increased in a phased approach.

  • Existing members will see a small increase in 2025 renewals. Dues will range from a minimum of $500 to $25,000 or more.
  • In 2026, a uniform dues and benefits structure will be in place for all members.

The rise in dues will support the Alliance’s initiatives and increase in staffing needs to support the expanded suite of member services.

How will my member benefits change?

The region’s mission and vision, as well as the Alliance’s value proposition, will be determined during the strategic planning process. This ultimately will provide the framework for the organization’s programs, services, and events.

The following programs, services, and legacy events will not change:

  • Leadership Academy
  • LeadHER
  • SSA-1 programing, including First Fridays
  • Golf outing
  • Local business grants and loans
  • Monthly networking

We are in the process of merging and updating the membership database. All members will have access to the expanded database later in 2025.

How can I get more involved with Alliance?

There will be numerous opportunities for involvement through:

  • Committee participation
  • Leadership roles
  • Special initiatives
  • Community projects
  • Networking events
  • Professional development programs
How will I be informed of any changes related to my member benefits?

Members will be kept informed throughout this transitional period. A new website will be created and launched in Q4 2025, and a landing page was published in January 2025 detailing important information about Alliance events, news, staff, and Board leaders. In addition, the Alliance will keep you updated by email, social, newsletters, and meetings.

If you have any questions regarding your member benefits, please contact Claire Wozniewski This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

How will Alliance support the broader Aurora community?

Alliance is committed to building a prosperous, resilient community through:

  • Economic development initiatives
  • Workforce development programs
  • Support for diverse businesses
  • Innovation and entrepreneurship promotion
  • Strategic partnerships
  • Community engagement projects
Where can I get more information?

A new website is being designed and will be completed later in 2025.  In the meantime, please email and questions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and a member of the team will respond.

Members

600+

Members
Year History

119

Year History
Counties

5-Star

Accredited

History

2025
The Aurora Regional Economic Alliance (Alliance) officially launched on January 31, 2025, unveiling an ambitious vision to transform the region into a premier hub for innovation and technological advancement. The organization was established to form an umbrella organization that provides the collaborative structure necessary for greater impact. It became officially operational in January 2025.
2022
The Aurora Regional Chamber was re-accredited as a 5-star chamber by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in December of 2022. 5-Star Accreditation is a distinction earned by only 1% of the nearly 7,000 chambers in the United States. The Aurora Regional Chamber achieved the highest level of accreditation for four consecutive cycles dating back to 2007.
2020
With an amazing 100 years of history, the Aurora Regional Chamber has its sights set on the next 100 years of prosperity. In June 2020, the Aurora Regional Chamber rebranded its logo and colors to reflect a more modern design that better reflects today’s technological and digital world. The circular brand mark takes inspiration from the definition of the word aurora, simply put, small lights in the sky, along with the idea of connection and working together.
2017
The Aurora Regional Chamber was re-accredited as a 5-star chamber by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in June of 2017. 5-Star Accreditation is a distinction earned by only 1% of the nearly 7,000 chambers in the United States.
2015
The Aurora Regional Chamber was recognized as the 2015 Illinois Outstanding Chamber of the Year by the Illinois Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.
2014
The board of directors approved changing the name to the Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce, to emphasize the regional impact of both Aurora and the Chamber.
2012
The Aurora Regional Chamber became 5-star accredited by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in June of 2012. 5-Star Accreditation is a distinction earned by only 1% of the nearly 7,000 chambers in the United States.
1980s
In the early 1980s, the Greater Aurora Chamber established a committee of chamber members to focus on increasing tourism within the area. This committee was the forerunner of today’s Aurora Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. Also during the 1980s, in partnership with the City of Aurora, the Greater Aurora Chamber established the Aurora Economic Development Commission. Its goal was to bring industrial and commercial development to the economy of our community.
1956
The Board of Directors approved changing name to the Greater Aurora Chamber of Commerce in November 1956. Even 53 years ago, the foresight of the Chamber Board of Directors and staff realized the growth potential of this community and the impact the Chamber of Commerce could—and would—have on that growth.
1920
The Aurora Chamber of Commerce was organized in January 1920. Since then, the Chamber has been working effectively for the civic, commercial and industrial welfare of the entire community.
1913
The Aurora Commercial Club was established. Its primary focus was purely set on the commerce of the community. According to all reports, the Commercial Club had done great work, but it was not fully equipped to meet the City’s civic and commercial problems created by new conditions.
1906
Aurora’s first Chamber of Commerce was organized in 1906.

Strategic Plan Goals

What Informs the Strategic Plan?

The strategic plan is grounded in direct engagement with stakeholders—businesses, community leaders, educators, and Alliance staff—through focus groups, interviews, workshops, and surveys. TIP Strategies is combining this input with market research to conduct an economic assessment, benchmarking Aurora against peer regions and analyzing key industries. These insights will shape tailored strategies and best practices to move the Alliance forward and elevate the region’s economy.

Project Goals

  • The strategic plan will prepare both an economic development roadmap and an organizational framework for the Alliance. It will:

    • Define clear goals and objectives for the new organization.
    • Recommend strategies and a business plan for launch.
    • Outline approaches for recruiting, retaining, and expanding high impact industries.

Objectives

The objectives of the strategic plan include the following:

1 3Community Engagement: Engaging with community, business, and academic leaders to identify key priorities for the new organization

2 3Action Planning: Designing initiatives, action steps, and metrics to advance the priorities identified by the stakeholder engagement

3 3Economic Research: Researching and analyzing industries that currently influence Aurora’s economy, identifying assets and challenges, and drafting an economic development strategic plan with specific outcomes

4 2Future Industry Readiness: Creating strategies to position Aurora for success with the industries building the economy of tomorrow that include quantum computing and artificial intelligence

5Talent Alignment: Preparing recommendations for the Alliance as it relates to the talent needed to accomplish the goals and objectives set forth in the strategic plan

Key Outcomes

The strategic plan will deliver a clear, actionable framework to guide the Alliance’s work and strengthen the Aurora region’s economy—these are the key outcomes you can expect from this effort.

  • Clear Vision & Strategic Direction: A roadmap defining the Alliance’s mission, goals, and economic leadership role in the region
  • Stronger Support for All Businesses: Expanded services for local businesses with a focus on training, advocacy, and MWBE support
  • Data-Driven Priorities for Growth: Strategic focus areas informed by regional data and community engagement
  • Alignment of Workforce & Industry Needs: Talent strategies that connect employers with a future-ready, inclusive workforce
  • Framework for Impact & Accountability: Measurable goals, timelines, and tools to ensure follow-through and progress