Are you considering launching a business idea, expanding an enterprise, or relocating to the City of Chandler? Well, the City comprises professionals and programs that will help you navigate through the available options to make your business thrive. This article discusses the available business opportunities and resources provided to women to enable them to thrive. Keep reading….
The City of Chandler’s Economic Development Division – Business Site Selection and Redevelopment
The Economic Development Division helps women entrepreneurs to chose the best site for their businesses by offering the City’s site and building information and giving them a clear picture of the business environment of the region. The division also runs programs and services that help women business founders redevelop and make use of underutilized properties to conduct business activities. The City’s economic development division maintains a database that shows the available sites and buildings that can be used for commercial purposes, they also work closely with the real estate brokers and partners with local developers and property owners to offer space for women-owned small businesses to thrive. The economic development division comprises of Busines Location Team (BLT) that supports women entrepreneurs in navigating through the processes of obtaining zoning and land permits and helps with property redevelopment. The tea will be there to address and respond to queries concerning property development and the site selection process. For more details, please visit https://www.chandleraz.gov/business/economic-development/business-services/site-selection-and-redevelopment.
Adaptive Reuse Program
Through the Adaptive Reuse program, the City of Chandler’s Economic Development Division promotes and encourages the reuse of the abandoned commercial properties. The goal is to make use of the underutilized real estate properties and improve their performance by turning them into well-functioning commercial sites. The program also ensures that the women entrepreneurs observe the city standards when it comes to property development and site selection. For more information about the program, please visit https://www.chandleraz.gov/sites/default/files/ED_AdaptiveReuseBrochure_2018.pdf.
City of Chandler Incentives
The City supports the growth of women-owned businesses by offering incentives to facilitate their success in the market:
Infill Incentive Plan
The purpose of the Infill Incentive Plan program is to support projects that focus on redevelopment of that existing commercial buildings to help female entrepreneurs use them for business purposes. The program funds the projects to facilitate the demolition of structures or to provide the infrastructure needed to create new uses for the existing sites. View more about the program at https://www.chandleraz.gov/sites/default/files/ED_Chandler’sInfillIncentiveGuide.pdf.
Strategic Economic Development Fund
The fund program is designed to finance the projects that impact the economic development of the City of Chandler. The fund is provided to qualified projects to support women-owned businesses that are planning to start new operations within the city of Chandler. The funds can be used to facilitate the hiring of employees, for relocating to the City of Chandler, and for training the employees for more efficiency and effectiveness in the daily business operations. The applicants are evaluated to identify if they have the potential of making good use of the Strategic Economic Development Fund. Once you qualify for the program assistance, you must be approved by the City council to start creating an impact on the economic development of the City of Chandler. For more details, please visit https://www.chandleraz.gov/business/economic-development/business-services/incentives-and-funding#collapse-accordion-1433-1.
Hiring Assistance
Looking for qualified employees to help you run your daily business activities? Well, the Economic Development Division of the City of Chandler works in partnership with Arizona@Work to host career fairs to produce a talented workforce to help your company achieve its goals. The division also makes people know about the career services offered at the Arizona State University and the University of Arizona. Read more at https://www.chandleraz.gov/business/economic-development/business-services/incentives-and-funding#collapse-accordion-1433-4.
Chandler Industrial Development Authority (CIDA)
The purpose of this authority is to support projects that focus on economic development through various activities, including supporting women entrepreneurs to make their businesses thrive. Learn more about the Authority at https://www.chandleraz.gov/business/economic-development/business-services/incentives-and-funding/chandler-industrial-development-authority. The Chandler Industrial Development Authority also runs the Collateral Assistance program, which focuses on funding women-owned businesses through loans of up to $50,000. Read more about the program at https://www.chandleraz.gov/business/economic-development/business-services/incentives-and-funding/chandler-collateral-assistance-program.
Job Training Grant
The purpose of the Job Training Grant program is to help women-owned businesses facilitate the training of their employees. The goal is to help improve their skills and knowledge in management, financing, accounting, marketing, planning, and bookkeeping to enable them to perform quality tasks in the areas. For every position, the program provides companies with up to $5,000 to train the employees holding those positions. Find out more at http://www.azcommerce.com/incentives/job-training.
PHX East Valley Angel Investor Initiative
This initiative is to catalyze economic growth in the City of Chandler by making the funding accessible to women entrepreneurs in the tech industry to enable them to start successful businesses. The city achieves attracts new businesses by making people know about angel investing and supporting tech businesses through every development stage to make them achieve success. About angle investing? Please download the fact sheet at https://www.chandleraz.gov/sites/default/files/documents/imported/ED_AngelInvestorInitiative.pdf.
Gangplank
Gangplank facilitates partnerships and the creation of networking opportunities through special events. Also, the Gangplank provides mentorship and professional development services to women entrepreneurs in the tech industry. For more details, please visit https://gangplankhq.com/chandler/.
Chandler Chamber of Commerce
Chandler Chamber of Commerce supports the growth of the women-owned small business by advocating for their rights, equal opportunities in city contracts, and improving their connections with business resources to facilitate their success and achieve economic development in the City. The chamber also facilitates businesses’ success by providing services that help to attract the building of new enterprises and retain the existing ones. The Chandler Chamber of Commerce is the voice of women-owned small businesses and is working to create a business climate that enhances the opportunities for growth and expansion of existing businesses. The chamber also creates opportunities and benefits for members to encourage more female entrepreneurs to join. The goal is to create an environment that promotes the generation of job opportunities, economic expansion, and enhanced quality of life of the City of Chandler’s residents. Want to get in touch? The Chamber’s staff will respond to all your queries concerning the available resources. Visit https://business.chandlerchamber.com/contact/. Want to become a member? Visit https://business.chandlerchamber.com/member/newmemberapp/ and have access to benefits and opportunities to help you grow in business. For more details, please visit https://www.chandlerchamber.com/.