Investment
Chamber membership is different than a gym membership. If you skip the gym, you do not get any health benefits from your membership.

When you invest in a chamber membership you are investing in the support of an organization that is working on your behalf, even when you are not able to attend networking events, participate in committees, or attend luncheons.

Your membership support is the backbone, brain, and heart of the chamber, and the voice of local businesses. We are incredibly grateful for your annual investment.

Business Structure
Apopka Chamber is a 501 (c)6 nonprofit membership organization and is formed to serve chamber members. (A 501 (c)3 nonprofit serves the public)

Not a Government Department
Apopka Chamber is not a department of a government agency. Chamber staff are not city/county employees, and do not receive government benefits. The Apopka Chamber advocates for business-friendly regulations. Inviting business members to share their perspective and concerns of regulatory changes that may impact the industry they work in.

Business Membership Funding
The Apopka Chamber is funded through annual memberships paid by the business members, sponsorships of events, and sponsored committees. Ticket sales for events are often necessary in order to pay for the costs associated with the event, such as the food/beverages, audio/photography, graphics, venue rental, accounting, marketing costs, utilities, business/property insurance, and staff costs.

The Apopka Chamber is funded by ongoing, collective, financial, support of the Apopka Area Chamber members. We appreciate and thank you.

Business Relevance
As the voice of business for over 110 years in Northwest Orange and Seminole counties, the Apopka Chamber is here to help YOU. As the political landscape changes, the concerns of Florida businesses join hundreds of others in the Apopka area, and thousands across the state and nation. Adding to Apopka's business influence across the state of Florida.

Advocacy & Engagement
Apopka Chamber staff stay informed and hold board and committee positions to stay abreast of economic impacts of; property and business insurance, policy and regulatory reform, local business sector/industry needs, workforce/advocacy, trades/importing, growth, economy, conflicts and wars, immigration and lawsuit reform, crime, homelessness, local, state, and national infrastructure, workforce development, literacy rates, education, vouchers, grad rates, school violence, second chance workforce, veteran resources, funding, transportation, poverty levels, opportunity zones, natural disasters, health barriers, cyber security, internet access and information deserts, politics, environment, safety, workplace practices, artificial intelligence, business incentives, grant opportunities, new business developments, investments, business resources, inflation, workforce/affordable and luxury housing, mature businesses closing, aging and senior services, mentorship for youth, accessible childcare solutions, health impacts of ACEs scores on mental health, and more. The Chamber continues working hard today, while driving education readiness for the workforce of 2030.

Examples of Impact

• The Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce presented a resolution to the city to approve city parks, properties, and amphitheater to become dog friendly, and the allowance of sales of adult-beverages at events (when appropriate permitting is applied). Apopka events became more competitive with other local communities, such as Winter Park, Winter Garden, Sanford, and Mount Dora, as all partners frequently allow pups and wine socials in their parks and public spaces (2021). 
• Apopka Chamber presented a resolution to support expansion of the West Orange Trail/Seminole Trail connectivity and to support plans and funding requests for Apopka to be a major part (40 miles) of the coast-to-coast trail system. This has meant years of planning calls, surveys, letters of support, and a commitment to continued collaboration for creating city and county improvements, while increasing exposure to entrepreneurship, art, and history opportunities.
• These initiatives support businesses, fitness, environmental sustainability, and safe path crossings along the trail system, thus creating new business opportunities in the area (2022-2023).
• Support letter for the City of Apopka to gain funding for $1 million in funding requests to Governor DeSantis to build Fire Station 6, Apopka.
• Support letter to US Congress for $1.5 million Infrastructure for a million-gallon tank for drinking water.
• Ocoee-Apopka Road Corridor Improvement Project, support of a critical infrastructure investment, impacting all who drive on the Apopka roadways.
• The Apopka Chamber hosts career fairs for area businesses. Career and education fairs for local high school students, and by taking part in the Apopka Youthworks’ initiative with CareerSource Central Florida, placing as many as 125 youth into paid summer internships in one summer.
• The Chamber also drives impactful volunteer events in the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) area with a focus on business revitalization and home revitalization support. as well as fundraising for murals, communitywide clean ups, planting projects, and more.

Events
Yes! We do create events for you to network, connect, and promote your businesses. We know that people do more business with people they trust, so there is value in building B2B and B2C relationships. Many of our chamber members share friendships as well as business wins.

Influence
The Apopka Chamber is a 110-year-old business member organization, participates as members of multiple boards and committees, and has a strong, relevant voice at the national, regional, state and local levels. Workforce boards, policy makers, elected officials, appointees, education boards, economic developers, commercial and residential developers, faith-based organizations, transportation, social and political committees, and business industries seek information, advisement, and support from the Apopka chamber.

Invest - Engage - Reinvest
We invite you to reinvest in the chamber for another year. The 111th Year will be our Best Year Yet!

Engage and participate as you can. Come to a Business After Hours, Gather & Grow Luncheon, Meet & Mingle networking event, Biz Meets Bagels Coffee meetings, exhibit, present or attend the Young Entrepreneur Committee "Taco Tuesday" Cottage/Remote and Mobile Business Symposium, the Hispanic Leadership luncheon, or a signature event. Serve with us as we volunteer on the Apopka Serves committee. If you forgot to renew and you are ready to come back, contact us now. jeans@apopkachamber.org
We want to continue to serve your business and the Apopka business community.

We navigate business obstacles, anticipate challenges, and articulate calls to action. For this reason, we invite you to stay connected, come to network with us and the members, share your story, and alert us to changes in your industries. We WANT your business to THRIVE now and for generations!