For the past three decades the Chatham Business Alliance, subsequently called the Chatham Area Business Alliance has been connecting businesses in the Chatham Area, promoting the area and its businesses, representing and advocating for local economic development, and organizing festivals for the community. In May of 2015 the CABA Board entered into a year-long process of reinventing itself, believing that the organization could become more effective. The following is a draft proposal that came out of those meetings to Reinvent CABA.
About the CABA Reinvention Plan
For the past three decades the Chatham Business Alliance, subsequently called the Chatham Area Business Alliance has been connecting businesses in the Chatham Area, promoting the area and its businesses, representing and advocating for local economic development, and organizing festivals for the community. In May of 2015 the CABA Board entered into a year-long process of reinventing itself, believing that the organization could become more effective. The following is a draft proposal that came out of those meetings to Reinvent CABA.
I. Name
It is proposed that we keep CABA as our acronym, but the letters shall stand for Chatham Area Business and Arts. The Chatham Area shall be defined by the boundaries of the Chatham Central School District.*
II. Mission
CABA is an organization of organizations that exists to vitalize the Chatham area.
III. Vision
To connect the organizations, support their development and attract people to the area
IV. Specific Goals (3 years)
- Secure Federal Tax exempt status 501c3
- Secure broader base of funding:contribution, grants,membership dues
- Engage with the full CABA membership through twice-yearly gatherings
- Actively and regularly communicate with the membership through digital media
- Develop a brochure promoting the Chatham Area updated every other year
- Coordinate the continued development and presentation of Summerfest and Winterfest and add an Octoberfest
- Hire a part-time executive director
V. New Opportunities
Explore through various means collaboration and cooperation with other community organizations and initiatives including but not limited to:
- An educational program with Columbia-Greene Community College that convenes in the Chatham Area. Develop a partnership with Chatham schools focused on applied learning
- Creation of Chatham Area branding and signage
- Expanded lodging options
- Economic development consistent with the comprehensive plans in all 5 municipalities in the Chatham Area
- Outreach to Art Stakeholders as an affiliate of CABA; Harlem Valley Rail Trail; historical societies; projects for proposed visitors centers and home businesses.
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* The Chatham Central School District includes The Village of Chatham and parts of the towns of Austerlitz, Canaan, Chatham and Ghent.
The third annual Best of Columbia County awards ceremony was held Thursday, June 23. More than 20 of the 90 categories were awarded to businesses, organizations and individuals from right here in Chatham, NY. Thank you to everyone who took the time to cast a ballot.