Alabama Accredited Chamber of Commerce

One of the most prestigious programs of the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama (Alabama Chambers) is the Alabama Accredited Chamber Program. The Alabama Accredited Chamber Program sets standards of excellence for chambers in the State of Alabama. It recognizes chambers that have achieved those standards while offering guidelines for those to improve their effectiveness.

The Alabama Accredited Chamber Program is designed to promote public awareness of the intent of the chamber of commerce brand as a not-for-profit community development- based business membership organization by providing a peer review process of generally accepted chamber of commerce organizational benchmarks.

The Alabama Accredited Chamber Program looks at six standard topics: Organization, Mission Focus, Professional Administration, Financial Management, Communications, and, Advocacy.

Why should your Chamber become a Alabama Accredited Chamber?

The benefits are numerous. Accreditation demonstrates your commitment to improvements in your operations that makes you a more valuable and competent organization.

Accreditation will benefit your Chamber by:

• Committing the chamber to meet important standards established collectively by members of the Alabama Chambers.
• Establishing that the Accredited Chamber meets those important standards by Alabama Chambers.
• Validating the Accredited Chamber as existing for the purpose inherent in the time-honored tradition of a “Chamber of Commerce.”
• Increasing your credibility with your Boards of Directors and your membership.
• Helping with membership recruitment and retention.
• Helping differentiate your chamber from other chambers and business associations.

What does the Alabama Accredited Chamber designation mean to the community or area where the chamber is located?

Accreditation benefits the community by:

• Setting high standards, which their chamber of commerce voluntarily ascribes to and meets.
• Providing the assurance that their local chamber of commerce aspires to excellence in a manner consistent with chambers of commerce across the State of Alabama.
• Strengthening free enterprise by protecting the business environment.
• Providing assurances to the businesses joining the chamber that they are investing in a not-for-profit corporation whose revenues are utilized for business and public good and not personal gain.

Any Chamber that is currently accredited through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce at the date of this application is exempt from the full application requirements with proof of accreditation and basic supplemental documentation.

There is an application fee of $250.00 for Alabama Chambers members in good standing. For US Chamber of Commerce Accredited Alabama Chambers members the application fee is $100.00.

For questions & concerns:
Paige Hutto

Submission Deadline: March 29, 2024.

The Alabama Accredited Chamber designations will be presented at the Alabama Chambers 2024 Executive Leadership Conference, April 23-25, 2024 Marriott Shoals Hotel & Spa.