Advancing Economic Mobility Through Chamber Leadership

Economic mobility has become a defining issue for regions focused on long-term competitiveness and quality of life. In Tulsa, Oklahoma; Little Rock, Arkansas and Richmond, Virginia, chambers are addressing this challenge through approaches shaped by their communities, missions and existing strengths. Each example shows how convening power and data partnerships can lead to inclusive growth.

Tulsa Regional Chamber: Inclusion as a Core Value

For the Tulsa Regional Chamber, economic mobility is rooted in a commitment to inclusion as a driver of economic vitality. Jonathon Long, senior vice president of community development, said the chamber recognized that opportunity must be accessible for growth to be sustainable.

The chamber’s role across economic development, tourism and community development positioned it to convene partners around this work. That role led to the creation of Mosaic, a coalition of companies and nonprofit partners focused on celebrating diversity, championing equity and cultivating inclusion within the regional business community. Mosaic provides a place for employers and community partners to better understand how to make progress on complex inclusion issues.

Long said inclusion is embedded across all chamber initiatives as a core value rather than being treated as a standalone program. The chamber communicates its work through traditional channels, along with a public newsletter focused on inclusion. Messages are tied to the chamber’s broader mission, which helps members see the work as long-term and integrated.

Tulsa describes its work as holistic. Programmatic efforts give members opportunities to participate directly, while policy-oriented work supports long-term durability. Long said this balance helps ensure the work is not performative and creates pathways for sustained progress.

Little Rock Regional Chamber: Intentional Outreach and Hands-On Support

The Little Rock Regional Chamber approaches economic mobility through direct engagement and practical support for minority-, women- and veteran-owned businesses. Teuana Smith, director of diversity initiatives and member outreach, leads this work, which she said aligns closely with the chamber’s mission.

Smith integrates inclusion into membership strategy, resource sharing and intentional outreach. The chamber’s efforts are primarily programmatic. This structure allows the chamber to translate values into visible, repeatable action for business owners. Minority Enterprise Development Week, a long-standing initiative, is filled with events and networking opportunities designed to celebrate the outstanding achievements of minority entrepreneurs.

Partnerships with local nonprofits and entrepreneurial support organizations extend the chamber’s reach. One example involves Bear Fruit Direct Primary Care, which needed mentorship, equipment funding and strategic support. The chamber connected the business to the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas WemHUB Program and assisted with the application. The business was selected into the cohort and received technical assistance, peer mentorship and a five-thousand-dollar grant.

The chamber communicates this work through newsletters, social media, direct outreach, community events and partner networks. Smith said transparency, dialogue and consistency are essential for maintaining trust. Progress is tracked through business visits, referrals and event attendance, which helps the chamber evaluate impact and refine programming.

Smith said intentional listening, meaningful outreach and active community engagement are central to the chamber’s approach. She attends community events either as a chamber representative or personally, reinforcing authenticity and trust. Looking ahead, the chamber plans to expand economic mobility efforts throughout the year with ongoing workshops, events and educational sessions.

“When integrated across departments and programming, these efforts are viewed as authentic, not performative,” Smith said.

ChamberRVA: Data-Driven Systems Leadership

ChamberRVA’s work on economic mobility is grounded in data and systems coordination. Brittany Seward, director of industry engagement and economic mobility, said national and regional data from Opportunity Insights revealed deeply entrenched intergenerational poverty trends that prompted the chamber to act.

Participation in the Brookings Metro Regional Inclusive Growth Network helped clarify the chamber’s role as a trusted, regionally networked systems hub rather than a direct service provider. ChamberRVA joined the Community Foundation for a Greater Richmond, United Way of Richmond and Petersburg, PlanRVA and the Richmond Memorial Health Foundation to align key initiatives under a shared framework known as RVA Rising.

Within that framework, ChamberRVA leads the Rewarding Work driver, aligning employer voice, workforce systems and policy to expand access to family-sustaining jobs.

The chamber framed RVA Rising as a regional movement focused on potential rather than poverty. Language emphasizing rewarding work, upward mobility and workforce pipelines resonated with members. Data from United Way helped humanize the issue and shift the conversation from charity to economic strategy.

Initial implementation included forming a regional coalition and developing a shared theory of change grounded in the Urban Institute’s upward mobility framework. ChamberRVA now serves as the backbone organization for sector partnerships in construction, health sciences, IT and advanced manufacturing.

Funding was catalyzed by philanthropic partners and is expanding through a capacity-building campaign. Progress is tracked through process metrics, such as employer participation, and systems indicators tied to job quality, retention and wage equity.

ChamberRVA’s work is hybrid. Programmatic implementation through sector partnerships informs advocacy around credentialing and career-connected learning. Communication emphasizes transparency and alignment, supported by InterCity Visits, a Regional Action Summit and a public-facing RVA Rising website.