A View From 90 E. Second St.
Partnerships have always been critical in producing extraordinary results. Whether it is a successful business, a financially productive event, impactful organizations, a happy marriage or personal relationships, creating and nurturing positive result-focused partnerships can be significant to those who are involved as well as meaningful for those the partnerships touch.
The Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce is involved with several partnerships. Each of them is challenging, rewarding and ever evolving. The Economic Development Partnership, or EDP, as it is referred to by participants in its programs, is between the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce and the City of Morgan Hill. There are many facets of the EDP.
The city contracts with the chamber to provide economic development services that include the creation and development of promotional marketing materials used for direct economic development purposes and selected advertising in electronic and print media, including television and relevant trade publications. The EDP also responds to inquiries from individuals wanting to begin a business and businesses thinking of moving or expanding to Morgan Hill. The chamber and the city’s Business Assistance and Housing Services Department work closely to provide these individuals and businesses information that helps them with their business plan and decision-making process. When concerns are raised by businesses and clarification is required to help businesses resolve process or procedure issues, the EDP is available to assist with those challenges. The Business Assistance and Housing Services Department and the chamber’s Economic Development Inhibitor List are excellent examples of the city and chamber working together to address and resolve issues that impede economic development.
Through the EDP, Morgan Hill is a participant in the Central Coast Marketing Team, a collaborative of city and county governments’ economic development departments, chamber of commerce organizations and private businesses interested in the promotion of the Central Coast as an area that should be considered for businesses to begin, move or expand. The CCMT stretches from Morgan Hill, to the north, to Santa Barbara to the South.
The South Santa Clara Valley Tourism Partnership is another extremely significant partnership. It is the partnership between the Gilroy Visitor Bureau and the Morgan Hill Economic Development Partnership, which includes the chamber. Since its July 1, 2006 beginning, a major Familiarization (FAM) Tour with more than 25 Bay Area writers and a wine FAM Tour for a Southern California writer were held, significant advertising was placed in the Central Coast Visitors Guide, Discover Magazine and VIA Magazine, tourism advertising was shown on KSBW for more than two months and two very successful trade shows were attended by the SSCVTP. More than 16,000 collateral pieces were distributed, which promoted our region’s historical wineries, artists and art galleries, golf courses, recreation opportunities, ag tourism and more.
Similar to the Central Coast Marketing Team and through the Economic Development Partnership and South Santa Clara Valley Tourism Partnership, Morgan Hill has a presence in the Central Coast Tourism Council, which includes visitor and convention bureaus,
