Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Public records raise at least one point you should look into before giving.
What it says it does
THE LANCASTER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY'S MISSION IS TO CREATE THE ENVIRONMENT, FACILITATE PARTNERSHIPS, AND LEAD ON ISSUES THAT ELEVATE BUSINESS SUCCESS. THE CHAMBER HAS 5 STRATEGIC PRIORITIES: PUBLIC POLICY, WORKFORCE, BUSINESS SOLUTIONS, DE&I AND CHAMBER EXCELLENCE.
- Income
- $2.2 million
- Spending
- $2.3 million
- Employees
- 28
- Volunteers
- 275
- Highest pay
- $213,733, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Financial health
We do not score finances when yearly spending is very small or the return has too little detail. The ratios stop meaning much at that size.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Governance
This return does not answer enough of the governance questions to score.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- IN 2024 THE CHAMBER ENGAGED ITS WORK ON 3 KEY PRIORITIES: ADVOCATING FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES, PROVIDING RESOURCES THAT MATTER AND STRENGTHENING OUR WORKFORCE NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE.1) ADVOCATING FOR LOCAL BUSINESSESTHE LANCASTER CHAMBER IS COMMITTED TO FOSTERING A POSITIVE BUSINESS CLIMATE THAT ENABLES ALL BUSINESSES IN LANCASTER COUNTY TO THRIVE. WE ADVOCATE FOR OUR MEMBERS AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LEVELS ON THE BUSINESS ISSUES THAT HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY. EXAMPLES OF WAYS WE ADVOCATED FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES IN 2024 WERE:A) ENGAGING WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS OVER THE PAST YEAR, OUR STAFF DEDICATED 200 HOURS ENGAGING WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS TO REPRESENT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE THEIR COLLECTIVE FEEDBACK ON PUBLIC POLICIES IMPACTING LOCAL BUSINESSES.B) SUPPORTING OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY COLLABORATING WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, THE LANCASTER CHAMBER DEMONSTRATED ITS COMMITMENT TO ADVOCACY BY SIGNING ONTO 15 COALITION LETTERS AND LETTERS OF SUPPORT. THESE EFFORTS ADDRESSED KEY ISSUES IMPACTING OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THE TAX CUTS AND JOBS ACT, CHILDCARE ACCESSIBILITY, AND TRANSPORTATION FUNDING.C) PROVIDING ADVOCACY EDUCATIONWE ENGAGED OVER 800 BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS IN ADVOCACY EDUCATION THROUGH PUBLIC POLICY EVENTS HOSTED AT 16 MEMBER BUSINESS VENUES, FEATURING 39 EXPERT SPEAKERS ADDRESSING CRITICAL ISSUES IMPACTING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. ADDITIONALLY, OUR CANDIDATE FORUMS RECEIVED OVER 2,100 VIEWS, PROVIDING BUSINESSES WITH VALUABLE INSIGHTS TO STAY INFORMED AND ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE STATE ELECTION PROCESS.2) PROVIDING RESOURCES THAT MATTER:A) WAGE & POLICIES REPORTRECRUITING AND RETAINING TOP TALENT IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE FOR BUSINESSES. WITH A TOTAL OF 100 PARTICIPATING BUSINESS, THE LANCASTER CHAMBER'S WAGE & POLICIES REPORT OFFERS A COMPREHENSIVE BENCHMARKING TOOL WITH LOCAL WAGE DATA AND INSIGHTS ON COMPANY POLICIES, COVERING NEARLY 300 POSITIONS AND PRACTICES LIKE COMPENSATION TRENDS, RECRUITMENT, AND RETIREMENT POLICIES.B) SMALL BUSINESS OVER 80% OF LANCASTER CHAMBER MEMBERS ARE SMALL BUSINESSES WITH 25 OR FEWER EMPLOYEES. THROUGH TAILORED TRAINING PROGRAMS, EXPERT GUIDANCE, AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS LIKE CULTIVATE LANCASTER, THE CHAMBER EMPOWERS SMALL BUSINESSES TO ACCESS RESOURCES, BUILD MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS, AND UNLOCK GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES. OUR FOCUS IS ON DELIVERING TOOLS AND SUPPORT TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES THRIVE IN LANCASTER COUNTY'S DYNAMIC BUSINESS COMMUNITY.C) MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY THE LANCASTER CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY, AVAILABLE IN BOTH PRINT AND ONLINE FORMATS, IS AN INVALUABLE RESOURCE FOR CONNECTING BUSINESSES ACROSS LANCASTER COUNTY. WITH OVER 7,000 ANNUAL PAGE VISITS TO THE ONLINE DIRECTORY, IT PROVIDES A TRUSTED PLATFORM FOR INCREASING VISIBILITY, BUILDING CONNECTIONS, AND FOSTERING COLLABORATION AMONG MORE THAN 1,300 MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS. AS A KEY TOOL FOR SHOWCASING YOUR BUSINESS, THE DIRECTORY SUPPORTS GROWTH AND STRENGTHENS THE VIBRANT ECONOMIC NETWORK OF OUR COMMUNITY. 3) STRENGTHENING OUR WORKFORCE: NOW AND INTO THE FUTURETHE LANCASTER CHAMBER IS COMMITTED TO AN EMPLOYER-PARTNERED APPROACH TO ADDRESS EXISTING WORKFORCE CHALLENGES, STRENGTHEN CURRENT INITIATIVES, AND ANTICIPATE FUTURE TRENDS.A) BRINGING YOU EXPERT INSIGHTSIN 2024, THE LANCASTER CHAMBER HOSTED 95 PRESENTERS, FROM LOCAL EXPERTS AND BUSINESS PROFESSIONAL PEERS TO NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SPEAKERS LIKE EDELMAN, COACH K, AND LINDA DUESSEL, DELIVERING IMPACTFUL INSIGHTS TO HELP BUSINESSES THRIVE IN AN EVOLVING LANDSCAPEB) LEADERSHIP LEARNINGOUR EXCELLENCE EXCHANGE PROGRAM & ANNUAL PROFESSIONAL WOMEN'S FORUM BOTH BRING TOGETHER DIVERSE VOICES, ACTIONABLE STRATEGIES, AND INSPIRING DISCUSSIONS TAILORED TO EMPOWER LEADERS AND PROFESSIONALS AT EVERY LEVELC) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTRECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, THE LANCASTER CHAMBER HAS GRADUATED OVER 550 PARTICIPANTS FROM THE NEW MANAGER ACADEMY AND IS RANKED AMONG THE TOP 3 AFFINITY GROUP PARTNERS IN ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE'S E-TOWN EDGE PROGRAM FOR PARTICIPATIOND) FOSTER FUTURE TALENTTHE LANCASTER CHAMBER'S WORKFORCE INITIATIVE AIMS TO FOSTER FUTURE TALENT BY BUILDING STRONG PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN BUSINESSES AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. THIS COLLABORATIVE EFFORT IS DESIGNED TO PREPARE THE NEXT GENERATION FOR THE WORKFORCE, ENSURING THEY ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE NECESSARY TO SUCCEED IN TODAY'S DYNAMIC JOB MARKET. THROUGH STRATEGIC CONNECTIONS AND TRAINING, WE'RE INVESTING IN THE GROWTH AND SUCCESS OF BOTH INDIVIDUALS AND OUR LOCAL ECONOMYI) CELEBRATING OVER 15 YEARS OF DISCOVERING PATHSSINCE 2008, THE LANCASTER CHAMBER'S DISCOVERING PATHS MENTORING PROGRAM, FUNDED BY THE FOUNDATION OF THE LANCASTER CHAMBER, HAS GRADUATED OVER 1,100 STUDENTS FROM ITS PROGRAM. STUDENTS ARE PAIRED ONE-ON-ONE WITH A MENTOR AND ATTEND MONTHLY SESSIONS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR, EXAMINING INDUSTRIES WHILE DEVELOPING CRUCIAL SELF-AWARENESS, COMMUNICATION, AND COLLABORATION SKILLS. TOTAL 155 OF STUDENTS ENGAGED IN OUR EXPERIENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES THIS PAST YEAR. II) ACHIEVETHE ACHIEVE PROGRAM, PART OF THE NEAR COMPLETERS GRANT, ENGAGED 170 PARTICIPANTS IN 2023, HELPING INDIVIDUALS RE-ENTER THE WORKFORCE BY COMPLETING THEIR EDUCATIONAL GOALS AND GAINING VITAL SKILLS. THIS PROGRAM ADDRESSES WORKFORCE CHALLENGES IN LANCASTER COUNTY BY EQUIPPING PARTICIPANTS WITH THE TOOLS NEEDED TO FILL IN-DEMAND ROLES, SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES IN BUILDING A SKILLED AND PREPARED WORKFORCE. AT THE END OF 2024, 54 ACHIEVED DEGREE COMPLETION. III) TALENT FOR TOMORROWIN 2024, WORK BEGAN FOR THE TALENT FOR TOMORROW INITIATIVE, AIMED AT ADDRESSING THE DIRECT CARE WORKER SHORTAGE IN LANCASTER COUNTY. THE PROGRAM WILL FOCUS ON STRATEGIC RECRUITMENT, SKILLS ADVANCEMENT, AND COLLABORATION WITH EDUCATIONAL AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO STRENGTHEN THE LOCAL HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(6) business league.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Caution.
The IRS master file records contributions to this 501(c)(6) business league as not deductible.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since May 1979.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.