Chamber College 101

Chamber College is an interactive webinar series. It includes 5 1-hour webinars and an open book examination. Achieve a score of 80% or more to receive a certificate of completion. 

This introductory program is recommended for Chamber executives and staff who have been with their Chamber for less than 3 years, but everyone is welcome to participate! 

The $100 + HST registration fee includes access to all 5 webinars and the final examination for one person.

The webinars will take place:

Module 1: Tuesday, May 6th from 2:00pm - 3:00pm Atlantic
Module 2: Wednesday, May 7th from 2:00pm - 3:00pm Atlantic
Module 3: Thursday, May 8th from 2:00pm - 3:00pm Atlantic
Module 4: Tuesday, May 13th from 2:00pm - 3:00pm Atlantic
Module 5: Wednesday, May 14th from 2:00pm - 3:00pm Atlantic

You do not have to attend all of the sessions in-person. The sessions will be recorded and available in the Member Resource Center - you can review the recordings and powerpoint slides at your own convenience. You may also choose to immediately challenge the final exam. 

Everyone who registers for Chamber College will receive a link to the final examination following the May 14th session. The exam link will be available until end of day on May 30th. 

Module 1: Introduction to the Chamber Network: What is a Chamber of Commerce? Who are the key organizations in the Chamber Network? In this module, we’ll cover the core definition of a Chamber, common events and programs, and the shared values of the Chamber Network. We’ll cover the key membership benefits available through CCEC, provide an overview of the Chamber Federation, and dive into Chamber Accreditation through the Chamber Accreditation Council of Canada.

Module 2: Operations & Governance: In this module, we’ll provide an introduction to operations and governance. We’ll cover the key roles and responsibilities of the CEO, record keeping, incorporation and corporate maintenance, hosting a successful Annual General Meeting, creating an HR manual, key roles and responsibilities of the Board of Directors, fiduciary duties and best practices for Board Committees.

Module 3: Membership: In this module, we’ll explore your Chamber’s value proposition and the membership sales cycle - from essential sales tools, to market segmentation, to developing a sales pitch, and best practices for membership retention. We’ll also walk you through the formula for calculating your membership retention rate, share best practices on membership dues, and highlight provincial and territorial membership growth trends.

Module 4: Generating Non-Dues Revenue with Chambers Plan: In this module, representatives from the Chamber Relations team will provide an overview of the Chambers Plan affinity program and share best practices and tips to tricks to maximize your non-dues revenue earning potential with Chambers Plan.  

Module 5: Policy & Advocacy Development: In this module, we’ll provide an introduction to policy and advocacy development. We’ll share best practices for identifying policy issues, developing policy positions, and monitoring progress on advocacy work. We’ll also cover best practices for developing a rapid policy response protocol.