Our Story
Who We Are
We connect, help, and fight for the 125,000+ businesses in Manhattan.
The Manhattan Chamber of Commerce is the convener, voice and advocate of the 125,000+ businesses across the borough of Manhattan, which is the heart of New York City's economy. Collectively, these businesses employ more than 2.4 million people and generate $939 billion in annual GDP.
Founded in 1920, the Chamber’s mission is to bolster our local businesses and hometown industries by fostering, and improving, trade and commerce in the city.
The Chamber is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit membership association that brings the business community together and is politically influential. Together, we’re building a stronger climate for all businesses to operate in New York City, including solo-entrepreneurs, small businesses, startups and larger companies.
The Chamber also has two 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable arms: our foundation provides education, outreach and technical assistance, and other programming to help businesses "make it in Manhattan." Our community benefit fund distributes grants to small businesses.
What We Do
We bring the business community together through events, Industry Councils, and political advocacy. We work with community partners to advance broad economic development goals. And we help members of our organization to:
- Strengthen their business and grow. We provide networking and promotional opportunities, educational webinars, 1:1 business consulting, and intel on new laws, events, and business resources.
- Influence public policy. We represent the business community in Albany and at City Hall. We provide opportunities for businesses to get politically engaged.
- Raise their local profile and support the local community. We help businesses to showcase their commitment to New York City and to further their social impact goals. Businesses can attend and sponsor our signature events. Businesses can also partner with us on charitable efforts to help small businesses or to respond to emerging needs in the local economy, such as our Storefront Resurgence Project.
Learn how to become a member of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce here.
Our History
The Chamber was incorporated in 1920 as the Yorkville Chamber of Commerce.
It was founded by 11 prominent merchants in the Yorkville neighborhood on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, which at that time was predominantly comprised of German-born immigrants.
Their mission was “to foster and improve the trade and commerce of Yorkville…and to promote the prosperity and general welfare thereof.”
This was particularly important in the wake of World War I when a wave of anti-German sentiment had spread throughout the United States.
Over the decades the Chamber expanded to encompass Mid-East Manhattan, then Mid-Manhattan and finally, in 1997, the entire borough of Manhattan.
