Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Launches Pro-Growth Initiative, Grow Chicago, to Drive Economic Development and Opportunity Across the Region

Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Launches Pro-Growth Initiative, Grow Chicago, to Drive Economic Development and Opportunity Across the Region

 

CHICAGO – The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce today launched Grow Chicago, a pro-growth advocacy initiative dedicated to raising the voice of local businesses and advancing sustainable policies that create jobs, support families and communities, and ensure the long-term economic health of the region.

 

Grow Chicago will provide a platform for Chicago-area businesses to share their stories and highlight how pro-growth policies help support their success and boost local economic development, making the Chicagoland region a top place to live and work, and a global business destination.

 

“Growth is the foundation of everything and must be at the center of public policy. It is the engine that powers our economy, strengthens competitiveness, reduces budget deficits, creates jobs and opportunities for people to succeed, and sustains Chicago and Illinois as world class economic centers,” said Jack Lavin, President and CEO of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. “Grow Chicago is about giving local businesses a voice and creating a stronger economy by capitalizing on our strengths and advancing policies that encourage investment and opportunity to help businesses of all sizes succeed.”

 

The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce has long-championed pro-growth policies to strengthen the city and state’s long-term economic and fiscal health, including efforts to maintain a competitive tax and regulatory climate, encourage government efficiencies, create strong education and workforce systems, improve public safety and the city’s public transportation systems, and drive innovation and inclusion.

 

Grow Chicago builds on those efforts by creating a dedicated platform for Chicago’s local business community to engage the public and policy makers through videos, digital content, and firsthand stories about the impact public policy decisions have on investment, hiring, business growth, and economic opportunity.

 

The initiative launches at a critical time for the region’s economy. Recent economic indicators underscore the need for a stronger focus on growth and competitiveness. According to the most recent data from the Congressional Budget Office, the Chicago region lagged behind the nation as whole in real GDP growth at 1.4% compared to 2.9%, highlighting the importance of policies that attract investment and support economic expansion as cities and states are aggressively competing for jobs, investment, and talent.

 

The Chamber’s 2025 Chicagoland Small Business Outlook Survey, conducted in partnership with the University of Illinois Chicago College of Business, revealed significant concern among area small businesses. Seventy percent of respondents said they expected the local economy to get worse in the coming year, a dramatic increase from 43% the year before. Fewer than half expected their businesses to perform better in the next 12 months.

 

Despite these challenges, many small businesses remain focused on growth. More than half of surveyed small businesses said they plan to pursue a growth strategy in the coming year, demonstrating continued confidence in the region’s potential and reinforcing the need for policies that help businesses succeed.

 

About the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce

The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit organization that represents more than 1,000 member companies, which collectively employ 400,000 employees and generate $24 billion in revenue. The Chamber combines the power of membership with its legacy of leadership and business advocacy to drive a dynamic economy. To learn more, visit www.chicagolandchamber.org.

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