Economic Development Solutions
The Brooklyn Chamber provides a variety of economic development services. For assistance with economic development services, contact Avi Leshes at aleshes@brooklynchamber.com. Development programs include:
Brooklyn-Made Certification:
Brooklyn-Made provides a quantitative, exclusive measurement of product authenticity that signals quality to consumers. It represents a platform for businesses to market and differentiate their products while promoting local business activity and engagement.
Export Assistance:
Brooklyn Goes Global (BGG) is the Chamber’s exporting assistance program. Through BGG, we provide technical assistance for Brooklyn businesses that are looking to export or are currently exporters.
Note: It is very important to have a Certificate of Origin, an export document certifying in what country the referenced products were produced.
We are pleased to provide Certificates of Origin to members and non-member at the following rates:
- Members: Members receive 3 free Certificates of Origin per year for 1 page ($10 per additional page) and $20 per Certificate of Origin (after 3 Certificate of Origins per year).
- Non-Member: $30 per Certificate of Origin and $15 per additional page.
Public Notary
The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce has a notary public on staff who will provide notary services to Members (free of charge) and to non-Members (for a fee of $10) seeking Certificates of Origin. If it's convenient for you, you can visit our office to have your documents notarized and drop them off with us.
Please call us at 718 875-1000 to make sure that our notary is available Please also be aware that you'll be required to present an official photo ID to our notary. If you have another notary that you prefer to use, you are encouraged to do so. If you use your own notary, please send your completed, notarized documents along with any $30/document processing fee (for non-members) to:
Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce
Attn: Certificate of Origin
253 36th, Building 3, 4th Floor (Industry City) Brooklyn, NY 11232
Please allow seven to 10 business days for our staff to review your documents, process your certificate, return the endorsed certificate and your original invoices to you via U.S. Mail. Should you need your certificates returned more quickly, please email the Chamber at
aleshes@brooklynchamber.com, or call at 718 875-1000. Please be advised that there may be additional charges for expedited processing, shipping and handling.
Note: We also offer Certificates of Free Sale as part of our export documentation services. Also known as a Certificate of Export or Certificate to Foreign Governments, a Certificate of Free Sale is required by many countries as assurance that the products listed have submitted evidence to the issuing agent as being able to freely sell in the U.S.
Procurement Assistance:
Brooklyn Connects is our comprehensive procurement assistance program for Brooklyn-based vendors. The focus is to expand business opportunities for vendors (especially minority and woman-owned firms) by providing streamlined information about public contracting and purchasing opportunities while also fostering business-to-business exchanges and private sector partnerships.
Benefits include providing businesses with resources that meet their service requirements, support for vendors through access to our online/e-news bid opportunities, tech help, access to contractor training and assists minority and woman-owned businesses with the M/WBE certification process.
Neighborhood Entrepreneurship Project:
Our Neighborhood Entrepreneurship Project is focused into bringing Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce's resources and relationships to help community-based organizations improve Brooklyn’s retail districts. Through our not-for-profit affiliate, the Brooklyn Alliance, we help by partnering and identifying local businesses, community groups and relevant stakeholders and strengthen small businesses and merchant-led community organizations.
The Neighborhood Entrepreneurship Project provides resources to help businesses grow and provides organizational capacity building for the upstart or upkeep of local merchant groups. Initiatives include Merchant Organizing, advising on Business Improvement District (BID) formation, BID management services and coordinating supplemental services around sanitation, beautification, and promotion. The goals of the project are to assist developing organizational structures that are sustainable and autonomous in local commercial districts, beautify their physical conditions, gain visibility, provide technical resources including financing, hiring, marketing and minority certification and develop a framework to market them are a desirable place to shop.
We also maintain positive and productive relationships with relevant stakeholders by bridging these groups as a unified voice to speak with government agencies and elected officials. We're grateful for the generosity of our current or former sponsors including: NYC Department of Small Business Services, NYC Council, NYS Assembly, NYS Senate, TD Bank and JPMorgan Chase Foundation.
For more information, contact Avi Leshes at aleshes@brooklynchamber.com and 718-875-1000 ext. 105.
Go Digital!
The GoDigital! team conducts outreach to eligible storefront businesses and provides on-site social media training. We assist owners and employees to understand the most essential and basic platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, Pinterest and Explore Brooklyn. This on-site service allows instructors to better familiarize store owners with the digital platforms and provide ideas and suggestions on how to best take advantage of social media for their businesses.