Manhattan Commons
The room where Manhattan business gets answers.
Nowhere else in New York
Manhattan Commons is the Chamber's online community, where members connect, help one another, and share intel. Get your questions answered by Chamber staff, find grants and contracts, know what's happening on your block before it happens, from the people who are on it, and have a say in what the Chamber takes to City Hall.
Free for any business with a Manhattan address.
Start on the main feed
The main feed is where everyone lands. The Chamber keeps a few threads running there all the time, and any member can start a new discussion.
- Any weekdayAsk the ChamberPost a question about a violation, permit, lease, inspection, or city rule. Chamber staff answer within one business day, and every answer stays posted so you can search what other owners have asked.
- Every weekEyes & EarsWhat's happening on your block this week? Inspectors on the avenue, a shed going up, a street closure nobody warned you about, a neighbor opening or closing. Post it with your cross streets. It's also the place for anything other owners should know: a trick that worked for you, what you're hearing from City Hall, an app or tool that saved you time.
- As we find themNew opportunitiesGrants, RFPs, vendor opportunities, free programs, awards, and deadlines you shouldn't miss. If you've been through a program, say whether it was worth it.
- First Tuesday of the monthBorough BriefA short read on Manhattan's economy and City Hall, with bold headlines and bullets so you can skim it in two minutes.
- Always openMember DealsDiscounts, first consultations, and trades that members offer each other. One post per business, kept current.
- Your first stopIntroduce yourselfTell us who you are, what you do, what neighborhood you call home, and what brings you here.
Three rooms, each with a clear job
Beyond the main feed, three community forums go deeper. Join the ones that fit your business.
Member to Member Support
Get help from other business owners
Ask for referrals, trade tips, find the owners in your neighborhood, and make the connections you'd make at a Chamber event, any day of the week.
City Hall This Week
Stay ahead of new rules
The hearings, comment deadlines, and new rules that could affect your business, and what the Chamber is doing about each. Share your experience, weigh in on our positions, and help shape our testimony.
Storefronts & Neighborhood Issues
Join the fight for Manhattan's storefronts
The Storefront Business Coalition's working room, open to every member. Follow agendas and recaps, weigh in on letters and testimony, and bring the stuff only another storefront owner understands: a lease renewal, a shed killing your foot traffic, a fine you think is wrong.
How to get in
New to the Chamber
Joining takes about two minutes, and the free membership includes full access to Manhattan Commons.
- Apply for the free Manhattan Business Community membership, or choose a paid tier for added benefits.
- Once Chamber staff approve your membership, you'll receive your login details.
- Log in and click Manhattan Commons in the bar on the left-hand side.
Already a member
You already have access. Here's how to get started.
- Log in to your Chamber member account.
- Click Manhattan Commons in the bar on the left-hand side.
- Complete your profile and turn on email alerts so you don't miss a post.
- Introduce yourself on the main feed, join the rooms that fit your business, then ask your first question in Ask the Chamber or Member to Member Support.
How the Commons works
Two places to post, and a few ground rules.
The main feed
Where the Chamber keeps its standing threads, like Ask the Chamber, Eyes & Ears, and New opportunities, and where any member can start a discussion. Comment on any post or react to it.
The rooms
Three community forums, each with its own feed and its own members. Join a room to follow it, and post there when your topic belongs to that group.
Ground rules and tips
Be generous, be respectful, and treat this space like the room at one of our events, just always open.
- Use a clear title, like "Got a sidewalk café violation. What are my options?"
- Share your type of business, your neighborhood, and what's happened so far. You don't need to name your business.
- Search first. Your question may already have an answer.
- Skip the sales pitches. Tell us about your business when you introduce yourself, and share offers in the Member Deals thread.
Common questions
Is Manhattan Commons really free?
Yes. Every Chamber member can use the main feed and all three rooms, including members on the free Manhattan Business Community tier, which is open to any business with a Manhattan address.
Who can see what I post?
Only logged-in Chamber members. The Commons isn't public, and we'll always ask before sharing your business name or story outside it.
Are answers in Ask the Chamber legal advice?
No. Staff answers are general information to help you understand your options. For a question you'd rather not post, you can book a free one-on-one consultation through the Business Help Desk.
What do paid memberships add?
Paid memberships start at $192 a year and add benefits such as networking events, promotion across Chamber channels, and a direct voice in the Chamber's policy work. Compare memberships.
I'm a member but can't log in. What should I do?
Email info@manhattancc.org or call (212) 473-7875 and we'll help you get in.
Pull up a chair
More than 125,000 businesses make Manhattan work. Manhattan Commons is where Chamber members help each other, and where the Chamber helps them.