Impact & Strategy

The Greater Reading Chamber Alliance (GRCA) is positioning our community for economic development growth in 2023 and beyond.

The economic development team works to bring the necessary tools and resources to the table to help companies locate or grow their business in our community. Whether a company is seeking information to better understand its customer, looking for a property to accommodate relocation or expansion or requires assistance with financing, our team has the resources to make it happen. The results bring jobs and growth to our region.

Our economic development team is strategically focused on the following areas:

• Business and Industry Growth, Retention + Attraction
• Community and Economic Development

Business and Industry Growth, Retention + Attraction

Berks County companies are growing and expanding because they have access to information and resources.

People and companies new to Berks County are able to make informed decisions on why and how they can grow and thrive in the community.

• Business visits to identify challenges and opportunities and match appropriate resources
• Financing
• Real estate development of available sites for future use
• Talent attraction and retention
• Targeted industry support for the manufacturing and agricultural sectors specifically
• Training

COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

GRCA will provide continued support and partnership with Berks County municipalities as they undertake economic and community development projects. Examples of this support includes working with the Main Street communities, technical assistance and partnership on DCED applications.

Lead local efforts to prepare for restoration of passenger rail service. This will not only provide additional travel options to alleviate congestion of the US 422 corridor and the regional road system, but will also have significant economic and community development opportunities. It will help revitalize the communities along the corridor, including the Greater Reading region. Read more here.

Lead local efforts to prepare for the return of passenger rail to City of Reading, supplementing the train related activity taking place under the auspices of the Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority.

As the designated coordinator or grantee, GRCA will continue to manage and promote several economic development programs:

• Keystone Enterprise Zone
• Keystone Opportunity Zone
• Keystone Innovation Zone
• Foreign Trade Zone 147

Top GRCA Economic Development Accomplishments of 2022

• GRCA worked with over 149 companies interested in locating in Berks County, existing Berks companies considering expansion as well helping with resource identification such as financing options, and sourcing market data. Ninety-five of the companies are based in Berks, and 39% of these companies were in the advanced manufacturing industry.
• Supported the growth and expansion of Berks businesses with over $2.7 million in funding through Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority (PIDA) for projects totaling over $8.4 million in total project costs.
• Award of $2,877,000 is Statewide Small Business Credit Initiative funding for Berks County
• Approval of expansion of the Keystone Innovation Zone to include Alvernia University’s CollegeTowne and Albright College’s Total Experience Learning
• Approval of $500K in Enterprise Zone Tax Credits to assist in the Super Natural Produce project at 4th and Elm Streets
• Reached over one million people with our award-winning “Grow Together” campaign focused on local agriculture producers and makers

Read more about Economic Development in 2022.>

Become an Economic Development Investor!

GRCA has a $1M annual budget to fund the important economic development activities cited above. However, while the Berks County Commissioners provide substantial financial support to help fund this important work, we also rely heavily on Berks business “Investors” to provide critical support for our team and programs. If you would like to support this ongoing work to build our Berks economy, become an “Investor” at one of the following levels:

Thank you to our Platinum Investors!