The Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber is launching two new nonprofit entities to help attract more people and business development to the region.
Discover Southwest Michigan and the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber Foundation have officially formed under the leadership of the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber and received the blessing of the Internal Revenue Service to operate as tax exempt entities.
Chamber President and CEO Arthur Havlicek said the move is part of building a new legacy at the organization, one that looks forward to the growth that these organizations can drive.
“The 501(c)3 Regional Chamber Foundation will focus on leadership development, business development, and community development. The other (entity), Discover Southwest Michigan, is the region’s first and only non-profit dedicated solely to talent and business attraction.”
Havlicek said the aim is to use the organizations to focus resources that bring talent, community involvement, and development to the region. He said the objective is to actively market Van Buren, Cass, and Berrien counties as great places to live, work, and raise a family.
“We’ll be doing everything from community tours to working with trailing partners and spouses because once you move here, it doesn’t mean you necessarily know people. It doesn’t mean you necessarily feel like you belong. We’ll be doing very intentional work to help connect new residents with other new and existing residents to make them feel part of this community.”
Havlicek said the structure opens a larger door to draw in resources and marks a significant milestone in ongoing efforts to strengthen, empower, and grow the region’s business community.
According to the organization, the Regional Chamber cannot receive tax-deductible donations due to its 501(c)6 status and lobbying activities, and is often ineligible for state, federal, and charitable grants. As a result, the Chamber’s programs have historically been funded solely by membership dues and revenue from events and services. The establishment of Discover Southwest Michigan and the Regional Chamber Foundation, however, allows the Chamber to access new funding opportunities while maintaining its 501(c)6 membership-based governance model.
“It allows us to pursue new revenue streams that were previously unavailable to us to fund the program of work we’ve been engaged in and deploying in this community, and have a greater impact as a result.”
Havlicek said several new programs and initiatives for both the Foundation and Discover Southwest Michigan have already been designed in collaboration with various community partners. These include additional leadership development offerings, an upcoming pitch competition for young entrepreneurs, community development initiatives related to childcare and housing, and a talent attraction campaign aimed at showcasing the region’s economic vitality and quality of life.
The Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber will oversee both entities and join organizations already under the chamber’s umbrella — the Greater Bridgman Area Chamber and the Growth Alliance.
