Chamber

Welcome To The Cook County Chamber Of Commerce - A Voice For Business In Cook County Mn

As the representative organization for the business community, the Cook County Chamber of Commerce creates, supports, and enhances a healthy business environment. Established In 2013, the Chamber has grown to over 100 members. In addition to our extensive work and connections with the State legislature, we continue to build programming that will enhance the value of membership.  We focus our work on the core principles. An investment in membership brings business connections, community impact, and economic prosperity.

The 2023 Chamber Connects:

A social networking event that occurs 10 times per year. The location of these events rotates amongst Chamber member businesses throughout Cook County. This event allows chamber members to connect, network and promote with other chamber businesses and members. There are 10 hosting sponsorships available per year. Please contact admin@cookcountychamber.org if you are interested in hosting this wonderful networking event. 

An advocacy and policy-based gathering for Chamber members that occurs six times per year. A place where members can exchange information and be heard on issues that affect businesses in Cook County. Topics may include childcare, housing, recycling, and tax issues just to name a few. Six sponsorships available, contact admin@cookcountychamber.org for details. 

The Great Place Project 

The Great Place Project is a program which financially assists Chamber Member businesses in making  aesthetic improvements to their businesses. These projects are outside of the normal operational budget. Think of a wish list. Awards range from $250 - $1000. The Chamber Board of Directors has approved allocating $5000 in 2023.

Applications are open from April 1st - May 15th. Awards will be announced June 9th.  Examples of past projects include: benches in front of businesses, support of mural projects, lawn chairs, flower pots, bike racks, the ping pong table in the library lawn, and much, much more.  The Chamber looks forward to receiving applications and supporting our Chamber members.

Click Here to apply online. 

Ribbon Cuttings

Let us help you celebrate and promote. We organize and promote ribbon cuttings to help you celebrate new business and infrastructure improvements. 

Advocacy

The Chamber engages with Conservation Strategies, Inc. to represent the Chamber in St. Paul for each legislative session. It is by far our largest programmatic effort. A conservative estimate would be that our efforts have played a large and frequently critical role in securing over $7 million dollars in projects and programming funding for Cook County.

Grand Marais Business Coalition

The Grand Marais Business Coalition meets 10 times per year to discuss the business climate in the City of Grand Marais and highway improvements. These members engage in topics including festival execution, snow removal, downtown street lighting, highway improvements just to name a few.

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Cook County:

The county is the level of government that most directly affects the majority of Cook County residents, outside of Grand Marais, the county's only incorporated town, and the self-governing reservation of the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The county's comprehensive website can be found here: co.cook.mn.us

Cook County/Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA):

The mission of the CC/GM EDA is to diversify the economy, create employment through retention and expansion of existing businesses and development of new businesses, support the development of housing and increase the tax base. The EDA website address is: prosperitynorth.com

Visit Cook County   www.visitcookcounty.com 

Visit Cook County promotes Cook County as a tourism destination. Visit Cook County is a joint venture of the Gunflint Trail Association, the Grand Marais Area Tourism Association, Grand Portage and the Lutsen-Tofte Tourism Association. 

Cook County Higher Education (CCHE)  https://mycche.org/

The mission: CCHE provides education, training, access and support based in Cook County, MN. The mission also supports local access to college education and training on the North Shore of Lake Superior. The education you need where you live. CCHE offers extensive access to post-secondary course work via distance learning and at its North Shore Campus in Grand Marais. 

Cook County Go Team: 

The Cook County Go Team was a group of 22 county residents representing all sectors of the county economy and all geographic areas. It was formed at the same time and by the same people as the Cook County Chamber. The goal defined for the Go Team was to consider ways the county economy might be encouraged to grow at a more sustained rate and in keeping with county values. With funding from Cook County, the City of Grand Marais, the EDA and Arrowhead Cooperative, the group hired The Northspan Group of Duluth, a non-profit economic development consulting group. Over a period of about two years, the Go Team did research into the county economy, surveyed county businesses and residents, and developed a set of priorities for future action. The documents listed below reflect the outcomes of the Go Team work.

An Economic Analysis of Cook County

Cook County's Prosperity Agenda

Go Team Business Survey

Go Team Community Survey

Small Business Development Center (SBDC)  https://mn.gov/deed/business/help/sbdc/find-sbdcs/sbdc-northeast.jsp

Cook County celebrates and supports business. The Small Business Development Center sponsored by the Center for Economic Development at the University of MN Duluth and the Cook County Grand Marais EDA, provides confidential, professional consulting to new and established businesses.

Consultants have real-world experience having worked as bankers, corporate finance specialists, national sales team leaders, manufacturing engineers, IT specialists, accountants, business owners, strategic planners, non-profit managers, and more.  Register as a new client to get help with:

•       Starting a Business

•       Feasibility Analysis and Studies

•       Market Research

•       Advertising/Sales

•       Financial Analysis

•       Loan Packaging

•       Record Keeping Systems

•       Business Expansion

•       Exit Planning

•       E-commerce

•       Website Development and Analysis

•       Social Media Marketing

•       Software Search and Recommendations

•       Export Assistance

Financial support from committed funding partners allows the SBDC to provide their services at no cost to their clients.  Training seminars are also offered for free or for a nominal fee.

Pat Campanaro

pcampanaro@gmail.com

651-336-2964