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Take Advantage of a Great Membership Perk by Accepting Greater Cape Ann Gift Checks at Your Business
With $60K worth of Gift Checks purchased throughout 2023, this FREE program for Chamber Members is a great way to boost your business exposure. What do you need to do to join in? Simply call or email Julie Carver and let her know your business would like to accept Greater Cape Ann Gift Checks and your business will be added to the list. Each Gift Check sold includes a list of member businesses accepting Gift Checks (currently over 250). These checks are used just like cash - no card reader or technology is needed! With Valentine's Day approaching, it is a great time to get started. Help keep shopping local and accept the Greater Cape Ann Gift Check at your business! Learn More Today
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Are You Offering a Special Valentine's Day Deal to Your Customers?
Promote your Valentine's Day special deals by posting to the Shop Our Members section of the Chamber website. Posting to Shop Our Members is a Free Membership Perk available to all active members. To add a Special Deal, log into the Member Portal, select Shop Our Members, and then Add Shop Our Members. Once your deal is submitted and approved, it will automatically be posted to the Chamber's Facebook Page. You may also choose to offer Member to Member Deals which are only displayed in the Member Information Portal.
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Coffee & Connections
Thursday, February 1 | 9 AM
Grab your favorite morning beverage and join us for Coffee & Conncections. Join us via Zoom to learn about other member businesses and let them know about your business and any plans for the new year. This is a great way for new members to get acquainted with the Chamber family. Register Now
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Join the 2024 Ambassadors Committee
The mission of the Ambassadors Committee is to cultivate members, especially new and prospective members, and provide responses to the Chamber staff regarding the needs and issues of concerned members. In addition, committee members help to increase the retention rate of existing members by being responsive to members’ needs and reinforcing the benefits of Chamber membership.
To learn more about the Ambassadors Committee, please visit our website. If you would like more information on joining the committee, please call Julie at 978-283-1601 or email her at julie@capeannchamber.com.
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Upcoming Division Meetings
Essex Division Meeting: Thursday, February 15 | 8 - 9 AM @ Essex Public Safety Building
Ipswich Division Meeting: Friday, March 1 | 8 - 9 AM @ Ipswich Town Hall Meeting Room A
Manchester Division Meeting: Thursday, March 14 | 8:30 - 9:30 AM Location TBD
Rockport Division Meeting: Monday, March 25 | 5:30 - 6:30 PM @ Rockport Townhall Basement Conference Room
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Do you have a news story or helpful resource to share? If so, send it to us by Monday of each week and we will try to include it in our Tuesday Business Soundings!
Please email news stories and press releases to cindy@capeannchamber.com
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The Rocky Neck Art Colony is excited to sponsor Rocky Neck Winter Fest 2024, a multi-dimensional happening on Saturday and Sunday, February 10 and 11, 11 AM - 5 PM.
Saturday & Sunday, make time to visit The Love Show - an RNAC member Pop-up at The Cove Gallery.
Saturday Only
A Live Portrait Drawing at The Cultural Center:
A Maker Event at The Salted Cod
A Polar Dip at the Breezeway
Area artist studios and galleries will also be open.
Read Press Release for Full Details including Featured RNAC Member Artists
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Essex Heritage is Offering up to $10,000 in Grant Funding to Allow Local Organizations to Hire Youth Interns
In 2024, Essex Heritage is excited to be able to offer "Future Leaders" Youth Internship funding to qualifying organizations throughout the Essex National Heritage Area.
- Funds are available from February 20 - September 1, 2024 in amounts ranging from $2,000 - $10,000 and are reimbursed monthly or bi-monthly.
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501(c)3 organizations throughout the county are eligible.
- Projects can include archiving, visitor services, Hidden Histories, education, preservation, trail maintenance and more. They want the internships to stimulate, educate, and engage youth in the history and heritage (including the natural and cultural places) of the Essex National Heritage Area.
Learn More
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Free CPR & First Aid Class for Fishermen
The Massachusetts Fishing Partnership Support Services is putting out the call to fishermen to sign up for a free, all-day CPR and first aid training class. The class will take place on Feb. 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the DES Club, 133 Prospect St. in Gloucester.
The hands-on course will teach life-saving skills to assess and treat injured or ill crew onboard fishing vessels before emergency personnel arrive on the scene, according to the partnership.
Learn More and Sign Up
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House in Gloucester carries key history to the region, past and present
WCVB Channel 5 Chronicle recently featured Wellspring and the stories of the Freeman family who for over 100 years owned and lived in the house where they are headquartered today. The Wellspring House team partnered with Dartmouth professor Roopika Risam. They discovered that Robert Freeman Sr., who was Black, bought the home in 1826. He eventually bought more than 100 acres of land and was one of the largest landowners in the region for that time. The team was able to trace the Freeman family to the present day. View Video
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New Reporting Requirement for Small Businesses
Courtesy Meredith A. FIne, Esq, Cape Ann Business Law P.C.
More than 30 million American small businesses must start disclosing to the federal government who owns their companies. Is yours one of them?
Starting Jan. 1, 2024, certain corporations and limited liability companies must file a Beneficial Ownership Information form with the U.S. Department of Treasury. The penalties for purposely failing to comply are severe: $500 a day, a $10,000 fine and/or two years in prison.
The federal Corporate Transparency Act was passed to fight terrorism and money laundering. It does not apply to sole proprietors, industries that are already well-regulated, such as banking and insurance, or to charitable organizations.
For more information, please read the full article or contact your attorney or accountant.
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Resource Guide for Businesses: Connecting Your Businesses to the Services You Need
This guide serves as an overview of resources such as organizations and programs, which offer benefits and services to address the workforce development and expansion needs of businesses and employers in Massachusetts.
The guide is organized into five main categories:
1. Recruiting and hiring
2. Training, consultation, and workplace safety
3. Layoff aversion and management
4. Business development and partnerships
5. Business compliance
Download PDF Copy of Guide
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We extend a big thank you to our supporting sponsors.
If you are interested in promoting with the Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce and sponsoring this newsletter, please contact Steve Buckley at steve@capeannchamber.com
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