Government Affairs Priorities
Chamber Mission
The Greater Raleigh Chamber builds a thriving regional economy, enhances the community’s quality of life, and strengthens member businesses.
Chamber Vision
The Greater Raleigh Chamber is the major catalyst and community consensus builder, creating a vibrant, diverse, and sustainable business climate that encourages job growth, workforce development, and economic prosperity and affirms the Triangle as the country’s best region for quality of life.
Advocacy at the Chamber
The Greater Raleigh Chamber is a nonpartisan 501(c)(6) nonprofit that does not endorse candidates or operate a political action committee. It advocates at the local, state, and federal level for sound policies that are business friendly, promote good government, and create a high quality of life. This page highlights key target areas of interest, but does not represent all topics the Chamber may seek to engage with.
Target Initiatives:
• Create a cross-jurisdictional process for communities to map infrastructure needs around growing industry sectors across the region, then advocate for adequate local, state, and federal funding for construction in a timely manner
• Support increased vibrancy in the city center by partnering with businesses and organizations to encourage elected officials to prioritize the Downtown Raleigh Economic Development Strategy
• Advocate for increased childcare resources statewide, including increased federal and state funding, and reasonable changes in regulation to promote the creation and expansion of new centers while keeping children safe
• Advocate for budget flexibility to allow local K-12 schools, community colleges, and universities to fund critical staffing needs for recruitment and retention, programming innovation, and building and maintaining learning environments
• Support the Propel NC plan changing the NC Community College System funding model to better align community college programming with industry needs
• Support state and federal initiatives to prevent third-party litigation agreements from using the legal system for financial gain, and to increase transparency in legal cases through disclosure and anti-steering provisions
• Support increased vibrancy in the city center by partnering with businesses and organizations to encourage elected officials to prioritize the Downtown Raleigh Economic Development Strategy
• Advocate for increased childcare resources statewide, including increased federal and state funding, and reasonable changes in regulation to promote the creation and expansion of new centers while keeping children safe
• Advocate for budget flexibility to allow local K-12 schools, community colleges, and universities to fund critical staffing needs for recruitment and retention, programming innovation, and building and maintaining learning environments
• Support the Propel NC plan changing the NC Community College System funding model to better align community college programming with industry needs
• Support state and federal initiatives to prevent third-party litigation agreements from using the legal system for financial gain, and to increase transparency in legal cases through disclosure and anti-steering provisions
Policy Priorities
Economic Development, Small Business, and Entrepreneurship
Increase economic mobility and inclusive prosperity in Wake County through business growth and employee retention, recruitment, and development
• Ensure the region enacts development policies conducive for growth, including reasonable timelines for project review, approval, and construction that foster predictability and accelerated timetables for new development opportunities and corresponding infrastructure requirements
• Promote policies supporting growth of small businesses by increasing access to capital, a wider network of talent, and increased business opportunities
• Increase inclusive prosperity through equitable economic development and economic mobility strategies and policies
• Expand site development opportunities and readiness throughout Wake County and the region
• Support policies to ensure that Wake County and North Carolina are leaders in targeted industry clusters, including Technology, Life Sciences, CleanTech, and Advanced Manufacturing
• Support policies to foster ample capital sources for entrepreneurs to boost high-potential, high-growth start-ups
• Advance responsible tax policies that promote competitiveness, equity, efficiency, simplicity, and predictability
• Promote policies supporting growth of small businesses by increasing access to capital, a wider network of talent, and increased business opportunities
• Increase inclusive prosperity through equitable economic development and economic mobility strategies and policies
• Expand site development opportunities and readiness throughout Wake County and the region
• Support policies to ensure that Wake County and North Carolina are leaders in targeted industry clusters, including Technology, Life Sciences, CleanTech, and Advanced Manufacturing
• Support policies to foster ample capital sources for entrepreneurs to boost high-potential, high-growth start-ups
• Advance responsible tax policies that promote competitiveness, equity, efficiency, simplicity, and predictability
Education and Talent Supply
Align education resources with current and future industry needs
• Advocate for state funding increases and policy flexibility to improve access to childcare and Pre-K programs to foster employees entering the workforce more quickly while maintaining safe development opportunities for children
• Support the needs of families and employers by advocating for adequate funding for education institutions and workforce development programs that fill employment gaps and prepare future employees for industry needs
• Promote STEM careers and skills in K-12 schools that prepare students for opportunities utilizing real-world technologies
• Advocate for expansion and streamlining of the H-1B visa program to bring more skilled employees to the area to fill critical jobs and increase the region’s attractiveness to international companies
• Support the Propel NC plan to change the NC Community College funding model to align with industry needs
• Support the needs of families and employers by advocating for adequate funding for education institutions and workforce development programs that fill employment gaps and prepare future employees for industry needs
• Promote STEM careers and skills in K-12 schools that prepare students for opportunities utilizing real-world technologies
• Advocate for expansion and streamlining of the H-1B visa program to bring more skilled employees to the area to fill critical jobs and increase the region’s attractiveness to international companies
• Support the Propel NC plan to change the NC Community College funding model to align with industry needs
Good Governance
Encourage civility in civic discourse and policies that create a welcoming environment for all
• Ensure lawmakers and candidates for elected office understand the business community’s expectation of respectful discourse in all matters, regardless of topic or level of agreement
• Educate candidates for office and elected officials about government’s impact on the regional business environment and citizens’ quality of life
• Support simplification and transparency efforts in government programs, judicial systems, and financial institutions to increase access for those who otherwise do not have the resources to engage with them
• Educate candidates for office and elected officials about government’s impact on the regional business environment and citizens’ quality of life
• Support simplification and transparency efforts in government programs, judicial systems, and financial institutions to increase access for those who otherwise do not have the resources to engage with them
Housing Availability and Affordability
Encourage policies and a regulatory environment conducive to the creation of diverse housing types available to all residents, regardless of income
• Defend and encourage land use policies that stimulate the creation of more diverse housing, including single and multifamily properties
• Promote zoning along transit lines, such as the Bus Rapid Transit system, that encourages vertical and dense development that increases housing, economic, and social opportunities in more accessible settings
• Support funding for homelessness diversion programs or similar services that enable residents to remain housed while accessing wraparound social services
• Encourage developer interest and speed up housing supply by advocating for increased predictability and transparency of development application, review, approval, and inspection processes
• Promote zoning along transit lines, such as the Bus Rapid Transit system, that encourages vertical and dense development that increases housing, economic, and social opportunities in more accessible settings
• Support funding for homelessness diversion programs or similar services that enable residents to remain housed while accessing wraparound social services
• Encourage developer interest and speed up housing supply by advocating for increased predictability and transparency of development application, review, approval, and inspection processes
Quality of Life, Wellness, and Healthcare
Maintain the region as a leading place to live a healthy and rewarding life by promoting policies and investments that enhance citizens’ wellbeing
• Encourage public-private activation to achieve goals identified in local Community Health Needs Assessments/Live Well Wake initiative
• Promote quality of life policies that address economic mobility including housing affordability and availability, sustainability initiatives, living wages, entertainment and parks and greenspaces
• Advocate for investment in access and affordability of broadband technologies and digital equity programs
• Ensure Raleigh and Wake County keep downtown vibrancy a top priority and invest in it to the extent necessary promote enthusiasm about the city’s urban core
• Encourage the preservation and enhancement of public amenities that are distributed equitably throughout the region and accessible to all
• Promote quality of life policies that address economic mobility including housing affordability and availability, sustainability initiatives, living wages, entertainment and parks and greenspaces
• Advocate for investment in access and affordability of broadband technologies and digital equity programs
• Ensure Raleigh and Wake County keep downtown vibrancy a top priority and invest in it to the extent necessary promote enthusiasm about the city’s urban core
• Encourage the preservation and enhancement of public amenities that are distributed equitably throughout the region and accessible to all
Transportation and Infrastructure
Ensure existing transportation needs are met while preparing the region for new mass transit and urban mobility options
• Support Regional Transportation Alliance (RTA) initiatives to identify sustainable funding for RDU infrastructure, modernize state highway funding models, advance bus rapid transit (BRT) and intercity rail implementation, and create a region-wide freeway, arterial, street and tactical (FAST) transit network
• Promote strategic investments for congestion relief and mobility options across the region
• Support Wake County Economic Development’s work on a Comprehensive Infrastructure Study, then advocate for adequate local, state, and federal funding for timely implementation of its recommendations
• Ensure that infrastructure planning and construction remains a priority as the Chamber convenes a regional public policy task force to share policy needs and coordinate advocacy efforts
• Work with private-sector partners in sectors such as energy, internet, transportation, water, and others to ensure smooth expansion of services and predictability for future development
• Promote strategic investments for congestion relief and mobility options across the region
• Support Wake County Economic Development’s work on a Comprehensive Infrastructure Study, then advocate for adequate local, state, and federal funding for timely implementation of its recommendations
• Ensure that infrastructure planning and construction remains a priority as the Chamber convenes a regional public policy task force to share policy needs and coordinate advocacy efforts
• Work with private-sector partners in sectors such as energy, internet, transportation, water, and others to ensure smooth expansion of services and predictability for future development