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Helping Businesses Prosper and our Community Thrive!
Your investment in the Oceanside Chamber is making a difference in our community! The Chamber's mission is to "stimulate economic prosperity and foster a vibrant community." Here's a quick overview if what your investment in the Chamber allowed us to accomplish in the recent weeks...
Workforce Development
Chamber Launches Rising Star Student of the Month Program
This month, the Oceanside Chamber will launch its Rising Star Student of the Month program. The program aims to champion students that have overcome significant challenges in their life, but have managed to keep, or get back on track, with their education. The Chamber will honor one high school senior each month from each of our area high schools at a breakfast event.
At the end of the school year, our goal is to give scholarships to several students from each of our participating high schools. Our scholarships range from $1,000 - $5,000 per student to assist in funding a 2-4 year post-secondary education. Scholarships will be awarded based on demonstrated commitment to pursue higher education. Applicants will be asked to write an essay, outlining their higher education goals. Members of the Chamber’s Workforce Development Task Force will review scholarship applications and determine how the funds are awarded.
The program is presented by Genentech and Tri-City Medical Center and is sponsored by San Diego Gas and Electric. To sponsor the program, please reach out to Scott Ashton at scott@oceansidechamber.com.
Economic Recovery
Chamber and MainStreet Oceanside Partner on Shop Local Initiatives
The Oceanside Chamber and MainStreet Oceanside are partnering with Humble Pie Communications to develop a Digital Treasure Hunt during 'Tis the Season to Shop Local sponsored by City of Oceanside Economic Development Division. The mobile app is scheduled to launch on Saturday, November 27th during Shop Small Business Saturday.
The treasure hunt is a citywide event as we are committed to support your business during the holiday season. For more info on how to participate, please email Hana@oceansidechamber.com.
We are looking for businesses all over Oceanside to participate in this year's hunt. To register and select the events you're interested in, please click here.
New Round of Small Business Grants Kicks Off
Deadline to apply is Friday, November 19th
The Oceanside Chamber, in partnership with MainStreet Oceanside and the City of Oceanside kicked off the City’s 3rd Small business grant program last month. Through its 2021 allotment of American Rescue Plan funds, the City has dedicated $300,000 to a small business grant program targeted toward businesses that were disproportionately impacted by mandated closures. In the first two rounds of funds, the Chamber distributed over $560,000 in grants to small businesses in Oceanside. For this round, grant awards will range from $1,000 to $7,500. Click here for more information. Deadline to apply is Friday, November 19th.
Public Policy/Business Advocacy
The Oceanside Chamber of Commerce strives to provide a strong voice for our local business community. As an advocate for business, we remain engaged in many important issues…
Chamber Joins Cal Chamber Coalition to Urge Unemployment Insurance Relief
Last month, the Oceanside Chamber joined in a letter to Governor Newsom seeking the state’s participation in resolving the looming insolvency in California’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund (UI Fund). The specific request of the coalition is that the following be included in the 2022-23 Governor’s Budget:
- State Must Pay Off All of State-Enabled UI Fraud - Which We Estimate at a One-Time Payment of $1 Billion. California employers had no role in creating this fraud. We did not have control of the EDD’s oversight of benefits or approve of the streamlining certification requirements that led to fraud. That was a matter of mismanagement by the state – and the state should take responsibility for its mistake. To that end, we were supportive of the Governor’s May 2021 Budget Revision proposal to include $1.1 billion for the UI Fund and believe that it should be included again in this year’s budget as an appropriate recognition of the state’s role in adding to the UI Fund’s insolvency.
- State Should Provide Long-Term Assistance with Insolvency. In addition to paying the amount due to fraud, the state should also continue to contribute to the reduction of debt in regular payments on an ongoing basis. We believe these funds are important to front-load in the early years of the projected deficit in order to provide relief to businesses, but also to help minimize the state’s future interest payments.
Oceanside Chamber Joins Coalition to Oppose the Vehicle Mileage Tax
This summer, 18 Chambers of Commerce came together to form the San Diego Business Coalition. Our goal is to educate the community and businesses about proposed policies that will negatively impact San Diegans.
San Diego Elected Officials are looking to impose a new VEHICLE MILEAGE TAX to charge drivers PER MILE that we drive. This pilot program will then be implemented for all California drivers.
For more information about how you can get involved, visit www.SDBusinessCoalition.com
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