Tulsa Prepares for Post-Pandemic Future with Innovative Programs

TULSA, Okla., Dec. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As 2020 draws to a close and the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the Tulsa Regional Chamber, the City of Tulsa and community leaders are working together to initiate innovative and inclusive approaches to address the immediate needs of businesses and the local workforce. Together they hope to ensure Tulsa is well positioned for economic recovery and future growth post-pandemic.

Clear and open communication have led the way in Tulsa. Resources like the Chamber's Open for Business Guide and the Tulsa Safely campaign have guided businesses on how to operate responsibly while providing the hospitality industry with a voice, acknowledging more than 100 businesses that are adhering to the Tulsa Health Department's workplace guidelines.

The Chamber and its partners have helped provide essential needs to the community. The "Safer Tulsa County" personal protective equipment (PPE) distribution program was a key example. The Chamber partnered with Tulsa County and the Tulsa Area Emergency Management Agency to administer the $1 million program, which was funded through the federal CARES Act. Chamber personnel distributed 2,550 PPE kits at no cost to 1,980 small businesses and non-profits.

"We want to do more than just give local businesses what they need to survive today," says Mike Neal, president and CEO of the Tulsa Regional Chamber. "We want to continue our region's tremendous forward momentum and help our residents and businesses thrive again after this pandemic. Encouraging innovative and inclusive economic development will help ensure that our future is bright."

The City of Tulsa is also taking a proactive approach to move toward a brighter future. Mayor G.T. Bynum's Economic Recovery Advisory Committee brought together 26 local business leaders to survey small business needs and provide recommendations to serve their needs surrounding access to capital and reducing barriers to growth. Furthermore, to bolster Tulsa's burgeoning film industry, the Chamber secured CARES Act funding of up to $20,000 per film production through the Tulsa County Film Recovery Program (TCFRP). The funds help cover production costs related to COVID-19 – enabling crews to film safely within Tulsa's unique topographies and historic cityscapes.

Tulsa also continues to invest in its workers and students. The CARES Act-funded Internet Access Plan provides subsidized services to Tulsans in need, thanks to a unique partnership between the City of Tulsa, Cox Communications, Tulsa Responds and Impact Tulsa. Retrain Tulsa looks to upskill workers affected during the pandemic, opening doors to new professions. In addition, as part of the City's forward thinking, it has partnered with the 36 Degrees North business incubator to create a new space inside City Hall dedicated to economic recovery and small business facilitation.

"As we work to rebuild Tulsa's economy, we must rely on the guidance from Tulsa's public and private sectors," says Mayor G.T. Bynum. "Tulsans from a wide array of industries will continue to work together to provide the innovative tools, brainpower and resources needed to bolster our economy in the months and years to come."

These are just a few examples of the work being done by the Tulsa Regional Chamber, the City of Tulsa and their partners to build a path to recovery during the pandemic. More information on Tulsa and its use of federal CARES Act funding is available here.

About the Tulsa Regional Chamber
Representing more than 2,200 member organizations and more than 170,000 workers, the Tulsa Regional Chamber is the primary driver of regional and individual prosperity in northeast Oklahoma. The Chamber develops and delivers a wide variety of programs and services designed to bolster and benefit Tulsa-area businesses of all shapes and sizes, from large corporations to small startups. For more than 115 years, the Chamber has served as an integral part of what makes the Tulsa region a great place to live, work and play. As epitomized by the Chamber tagline – "Your Partner in Prosperity" – every strategy, program and service of the Chamber is created specifically to increase prosperity.

The Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) has named the Tulsa Regional Chamber the nation's best chamber a record four times – in 2005, 2008, 2010 and 2020. The Chamber has been recognized three times by the Oklahoma Quality Foundation (OQF), including receipt of OQF's Award for Commitment to Excellence in 2019. The Chamber holds three prestigious accreditations: five–star accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; accredited economic development organization through the International Economic Development Council (IEDC); and accredited destination marketing organization (VisitTulsa) through Destinations International (DI). The Chamber also houses the Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts & Culture (Tulsa FMAC), Oklahoma's only accredited city film commission through the Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI).

For more information, visit tulsachamber.com.

About the City of Tulsa
Tulsa is the second largest city in Oklahoma, with a population of over 400,000. Tulsa has developed a widely diversified business base, which includes nationally prominent companies in aviation and aerospace, telecommunications, data processing, manufacturing and distribution among several job sectors. Tulsa is known to have the best of big-city amenities balanced with low cost of living and high quality of life with its world-class parks, museums, and music along with great shopping and food experiences. The City of Tulsa government has approximately 3,700 employees and handles a wide range of services and operations for Tulsa residents.

For more information, visit cityoftulsa.org.

SOURCE Tulsa Regional Chamber

Related Links

https://tulsachamber.com