Powering Manhattan's Economy
We're a membership association with a dual mandate: helping our members grow their businesses, and ensuring New York City remains the world's most dynamic and opportunity-rich place to do business.
Who We Are
We advocate for the 125,000+ businesses across Manhattan—the engine of New York's economy. From local storefronts to global headquarters, these businesses together employ 2.4 million people and generate more than $1 trillion in annual GDP. We fight to ensure this engine keeps running.
Our Mission
To make Manhattan the best place in the world to open, run, and grow a business — through smarter policy, safer streets, and relentless support for the owners who power this city.
2025 Impact Report
See how we're driving growth across Manhattan
What We Do
In a complex and changing New York, the Manhattan Chamber acts as the bridge between commerce, community, and government. We provide the stability businesses need to take risks and the support they need to succeed.
Political Advocacy + Influence
We work directly with City Hall and Albany to ensure the economic engine of New York keeps running. Rather than just fighting battles, we facilitate constructive dialogue with elected officials to shape smart, practical policies that reduce red tape and foster affordability.
High-Impact Networking
We believe that relationships are the currency of growth. Through a dynamic calendar of events—from intimate roundtables to borough-wide summits—we bring together solo entrepreneurs, mid-sized firms, and corporate leaders. We create the environments where contacts turn into contracts.
Intel + Resources for Success
We help our members navigate the "cost of doing business." From expert legal and financial workshops to one-on-one technical assistance, we provide the toolkit companies need to adapt to market shifts, digitize their operations, and scale efficiently in a high-stakes economy.
Guiding Manhattan's Future
We do more than serve individual businesses; we steward the borough's brand. We champion initiatives that attract global talent and tourism while revitalizing local commercial corridors. We respond to NYC's evolving needs through coalition-building and testing innovative solutions.
Become a Member
Join us and become part of the influential network that is shaping the future of commerce in New York City.
Learn More About MembershipA Century of Commerce
The Chamber traces its roots to 1920, when it was incorporated as the Yorkville Chamber of Commerce. It was founded by 11 prominent merchants in Yorkville, an Upper East Side neighborhood that was then a hub for German immigrants.
Established in the wake of World War I, the Chamber sought to counteract the anti-German sentiment spreading across the U.S. by strictly focusing on local economic growth. Their mission was "to foster and improve the trade and commerce of Yorkville…and to promote the prosperity and general welfare thereof."
Over the decades, the organization's scope grew significantly—expanding first to Mid-East Manhattan, then Mid-Manhattan, and finally, in 1997, encompassing the entire borough as the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce.
Fighting for the 2nd Avenue Subway
Members of the Yorkville Chamber aboard a parade float in 1923, mocking the congested "standing room only" conditions of the Lexington Avenue subway line and urging the city to implement a new subway line along 2nd Avenue. Mayor Hylan thought it was hilarious. In 2017—94 years later—the Manhattan Chamber was on the host committee at the launch event for the new 2nd Avenue Subway line.
Founded in 1920 by merchants in Yorkville.