Get Into Grinnell Blog

Much of our work is spent strengthening the local Grinnell community, and as such, it's important that we work with the other communities in our region. The old adage that we're stronger together is so true and we can accomplish great things when we work together. You may not know that our Chamber of Commerce is a member of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, which is a powerhouse regional chamber in Des Moines. We work together with the Partnership and its 23 affiliate chamber of commerces to work toward a common goal of strengthening central Iowa as a great place to do business and raise families. Our local chamber members are all members of the Des Moines Partnership, which represents over 6,000 business members and is the 4th largest chamber in the nation. I think that speaks volumes for the collaboration, and regionalism, happening in our state. 

It's easy for those of us in Grinnell to look at Des Moines as a giant and opponent, but the great things happening there can have ripple effects felt throughout the region. Rather than working in our own bubble, we aim to collaborate with our counterparts and neighbors in other communities to learn from each other and grow stronger together. 

Just last week, I was fortunate to be part of the Greater Des Moines Partnership's Annual Des Moines to DC trip, along with a couple others from our community. Not only did we have the chance to talk with our elected delegation and their staffs about a number of issues important to the continued growth and vibrancy of our community, but we were able to network with more than 200 business leaders from the Central Iowa region. We were encouraged by the support and encouragement from our peers, and are excited to work with them in a variety of ways in the coming months as we continue to strengthen many newfound relationships. 

As your chamber of commerce, we spend much of our time collaborating with others. Not only in our community, but within our region, making Grinnell and Central Iowa an amazing place to live, learn, work and play.