Chambers of commerce play an important role in the local business economy. Day in and day out, these organizations work hard to foster connections, support and advocate for their members, and drive economic growth.
But the work isn’t easy. Attracting and retaining members, growing revenue, and making a meaningful impact on the community requires a strong strategy and the ability to adapt in the face of both challenges and opportunities.
But what are those challenges and opportunities?
Recently, GrowthZone conducted its 12th Annual Chamber Survey to better understand the trends shaping the landscape in 2026. This year’s report, based on responses from nearly 500 chamber professionals across the United States and Canada, highlights insights across areas such as:
- The biggest challenges chambers are facing
- What motivates members to join and renew
- How member engagement and value impact growth
- How technology is influencing connection and increasing chamber impact
This year’s research provides valuable insights for chambers of commerce looking to benchmark performance, pinpoint opportunities, and more confidently navigate challenges. Here, we’ll share some of the top takeaways to help chambers prepare for a successful year ahead.
RELATED CONTENT: Glean insights from association peers on the trends, challenges, and best practices by reading GrowthZone's 12th Annual Association Survey.
Chambers Are Navigating a Variety of Challenges
Anyone who’s worked for a chamber of commerce knows that the work is far from easy. But which challenges are most pressing this year?
In terms of internal challenges, member engagement and retention, a lack of time, and growing membership top the list. Generating revenue and attracting younger members are also common concerns.
At the same time, chambers are operating in an increasingly complex external environment. The external trends and pressures they expect to have the greatest impact on their operations in the coming year include inflation, more competition for member attention, the rise and evolution of artificial intelligence, and ongoing political or regulatory challenges.
Chambers face a constant balancing act. They must boost member engagement and drive growth, while continuously adapting to broader economic and technological shifts.
Many Chambers Are Growing, But It's Not Easy
As previously mentioned, growing membership is one of the top internal challenges for chambers. Despite this, many organizations are seeing measurable progress.
Half of chambers report year-over-year growth in new members, and another 38% say new membership has stayed steady. Just 12% have declined.
The future outlook is also positive. Forty-four percent predict net membership will increase, and another 44% anticipate staying flat. The remaining 11% expect net membership to decrease.
These insights are promising. However, growth doesn’t come easy.
Chambers report several challenges related to growing membership, including limited staff, no defined recruitment strategy or plan, and difficulty articulating the organization’s value to prospective members.
Chambers can’t rely on the same growth strategies and expect to achieve different results. Fortunately, 71% are actively pursuing new, innovative strategies to grow membership. Another 24% are open to new ideas, but they’re not sure where to start.
Clearly, growth is achievable. But sustaining it requires intentional effort, a willingness to innovate, and the right operational support.
Retention is an Ongoing Challenge
While attracting new members is important, so too is retaining existing ones. This is an area where many chambers struggle. In fact, only 42% expect an overall retention rate of 90% or higher.
For most chambers (59%), retention rates have stayed steady. However, nearly one in five (19%) chambers indicate their retention rate has decreased year over year.
Members choose not to renew for any number of reasons, but the most common ones include:
- Lack of time to participate
- Lack of engagement with organization
- Left the profession, industry, area, or closed business
- Lack of value
- Forget to renew
There will never be more hours in the day. However, professionals will make time for what they feel is valuable. Chambers must clearly communicate the value of membership and create ongoing opportunities for members to engage. When members are engaged and have opportunities to experience value firsthand, they’re much more likely to renew.
AI's Impact Will Continue to Grow
Artificial intelligence is taking the business world by storm. Organizations that adopt it in strategic, secure ways have an opportunity to set themselves apart and drive greater impact.
Chamber professionals are well aware of the impact of AI. Nearly all (97%) feel that AI is at least somewhat relevant to their success in the next two to three years. Six in ten see it as very relevant or critical to the organization’s future success.
But at this point, most chambers are only in the early steps of adoption. Nearly six in 10 (59%) chamber professionals are experimenting with AI tools or features, while only 16% are actively implementing AI-drive solutions.
The trend is clear. While awareness is high, maturity is still developing.
AI can help chambers increase efficiency, streamline operations, and increase impact. The most successful chambers will be the ones that embrace innovation while maintaining an unwavering focus on security, trust, and responsible use.
Community Platforms Drive Meaningful Member Engagement
A community platform gives chamber members a central hub to connect, participate, and unlock the full value of membership. Yet just over half (54%) of chambers are currently using one.
Chambers that use a community platform often see meaningful engagement. Fifty-seven percent report that at least 40% of their member base actively engages with it, with the most common activities including:
- Finding and registering for events
- Networking with other members
- Participating in forums and discussions
- Accessing industry-specific news and resources
- Seeking advice or support from other members
So why have so many chambers not yet adopted this technology? The survey revealed key themes, including a lack of staff to manage the platform, as well as budgeting and funding constraints.
Even so, the opportunity is clear. A well-designed community platform can become a powerful driver of member engagement and a key channel for delivering member value. This is powerful, given that engagement and perceived value are two of the strongest drivers of retention.
Unlock more chamber benchmarks and insights
Chambers of commerce face a variety of challenges when it comes to engaging members, driving growth, and generating revenue. But for organizations that take a more intentional approach to engagement, value delivery, and innovation, there’s also plenty of opportunity ahead.
This year’s survey findings make one thing clear: Chambers can’t rely on yesterday’s strategies to drive tomorrow’s successes. To thrive, chambers must adapt to changing member expectations and external factors while leveraging the right strategies and technology to deliver ongoing value.
Ready to explore these and other findings from GrowthZone’s 2026 Annual Chamber Survey? Check out the full report to discover additional benchmarks, trends, and opportunities for the year ahead and beyond.
