Sacramento Rainbow Chamber of Commerce Newsletter
September is (already!) upon us, and it’s hard to believe we’ll soon be heading into the final months of 2021.

If there’s one thing that’s weighing most heavily on our minds at this time, it’s certainly the challenge of COVID-19 that continues to impact our community both personally and professionally. Despite these difficulties, we hope you’ll find comfort in the reminder that we are in it together. Our Chamber team is continuing to work with fellow business organizations to advocate for your business and bring you the latest business resources and updates.
In the meantime, we are staying positive with plenty to look forward to this month. We hope to see you soon – either virtually or in-person – and encourage you to contact us with anything you may need in the meantime.

Sincerely,

Alexandra Michel, Chair
Fred Palmer, Executive Director 
Join us for our 2021 Foundation Awards Night
We’re looking forward to celebrating our deserving Rainbow Chamber Foundation and Palmer Family Scholarship awardees at our Foundation Awards Night on September 9! We’ll be holding the ceremony virtually via Zoom from 6 PM to 7 PM. It’s free to attend, so we hope you’ll join us in celebration! A few sponsorship opportunities are still available for this year’s event; if interested, send us a message at info@rainbowchamber.com. Register for the event here. 

 
Apply for 2022 Foundation Scholarships Beginning Oct. 1
And speaking of scholarship awards, the application period for our 2022 Foundation Scholarships will open October 1! We welcome and encourage both LGBTQ+ and LGBTQ-supportive students who are pursuing an educational degree or vocational certificate to apply. Interested in learning more about the Foundation's scholarship program? Visit rainbowchamber.com/scholarship-program/.
Our Farm 2 Scholar Dinner is SOLD OUT!
We’re so looking forward to seeing the attendees of the sold out Farm 2 Scholar dinner, happening on September 25th at Benson Ferry Farms. We would like to thank Lenise’s Cafe for catering and give special thanks to our sponsors: Wells Fargo, Lasher Auto Group, SMUD, Outword Magazine, Perfect Union, Williamette Wineworks, Sacramento State University, Pucci’s Pharmacy, Braun Property Services, and Sestak Lighting Design. 
Partner updates & events:
Meet the Buyers & Business Resource Expo is Happening this Month
SMUD’s Meet the Buyers & Business Resource Expo will be taking place later this month, from September 20-23. This free virtual event will include networking opportunities, business education workshops, and helpful tools for ensuring your business stands out when applying for upcoming SMUD contracts.
Tickets for the online event are still available here.

An Update from Our Chamber Sponsor, SMUD
As we mentioned last month, SMUD is taking the time to ensure our Chamber members are made aware of the proposed 2022 and 2023 rate changes. As a reminder, these include a new solar and storage rate and supporting programs, small rate increases in 2022 and 2023, a rate option for customers to help save energy when it’s needed most through Critical Peak Pricing, and some minimal tariff changes. If you haven’t already, we encourage you to visit smud.org/RateInfo for complete details. 

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Alexandra Michel, Chair
Alexandra.Michel@Rainbowchamber.com
Fred Palmer, Executive Director
Fred.Palmer@Rainbowchamber.com
Sacramento Rainbow Chamber of Commerce
916-266-2630
rainbowchamber.com