Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce

What Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce does

The Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit business association founded in 1955, serving member businesses and the broader community in Ellsworth, Maine, and Hancock County. It functions as a regional chamber of commerce providing business advocacy, networking, and civic programming for local enterprises across a tiered membership structure (Class 1 through Class 5 plus a Local Community Group tier), with approximately 8 employees supporting operations.

The Chamber's core products and services include a public business directory, an event calendar hosting roughly 46 events annually, a job board, and Maine's Best Regional Guide — a print publication with 40,000 copies distributed across the region each year. Signature programming includes the 70th Annual Awards Night (a member recognition event), the 41st Annual Autumn Gold Auto Show (236 vehicles in 2025), and recurring community events such as Movies Under the Stars in partnership with The Grand theater and marine education programming with the Schoodic Institute and Shaw Institute. Member administration, event registration, and directory publishing are operated through the third-party GrowthZone platform.

The Chamber's revenue model is a non-profit three-stream construct: (1) tiered membership dues, (2) advertising and marketing revenue anchored by the Regional Guide, and (3) event and sponsorship revenue from the calendar of recurring and signature events. It serves small and mid-sized local businesses, civic institutions, and visitor-facing tourism activity in the Ellsworth and Hancock County economy.

Name

Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce

Legal name

Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce

Website

https://ellsworthchamber.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce is a 1955-founded non-profit membership association serving businesses in Ellsworth, Maine and Hancock County, delivering business advocacy, networking, a regional guide, job board, and a calendar of recurring community and signature events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ellsworth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Tiered membership dues based on business size (1-6 employees, 7-20, 21-75, 76-125, 126+ employees, and Local Community Groups). Provides access to member benefits including directory listing, networking events, and promotional opportunities.
2. Advertising and Marketing Services: Revenue from paid advertising including rack card space at Hancock County Airport, display cases in visitors' center, banner ads, enhanced website listings, and Maine's Best Regional Guide advertising (40,000 guides distributed annually).
3. Event Revenue: Revenue from ticketed events including concerts, performances, and educational programs. Some events like Movies Under the Stars are free while others like Deer Isle Jazz Festival have paid admission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce is a member-supported non-profit business association serving Ellsworth, Maine. It delivers membership services such as a member directory, event calendar, job board, and a published Maine's Best Regional Guide (40,000 copies), along with networking events and leadership development programs like Leadership Hancock County. It also provides visitor information and promotes the region through its annual festivals and tourism initiatives.

Product overview

The Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce operates as a membership-based organization providing community services rather than a technology product company. The Chamber offers a suite of programs and services organized around member promotion, networking, education, and marketing. Core offerings include a Member Directory (searchable business database), Event Calendar (member and community events), Job Board (member benefit for posting openings), and Maine's Best Regional Guide (annual ad book distributed to approximately 40,000 copies). Additional programs include Business After Hours networking events, Annual Awards Dinner, Autumn Gold Festival, Christmas in Ellsworth celebration, and Leadership Hancock County development program. The membership benefits package provides promotional tools including website listings, notary services, bulk mailing permits, social media features, and advertising opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Program
• Member Directory

Quantifiable outcome

• 40,000 Regional Guides distributed annually nationwide
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

28 partnerships are on record, tiered presenting sponsor, major sponsor, minor sponsor, core, major partner and minor partner.

• Bar Harbor Bank and Trustpresenting sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Presenting sponsor for the 70th Annual Awards Night / Business Bash 2026. The bank also hosts Business After Hours networking events as a member benefit.
• Jordan Fernald Funeral Homemajor sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Co-sponsor for the Top Drawer Award at the 70th Annual Awards Night 2026.
• Versant Powermajor sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Presidents/Directors Award Sponsor for the 70th Annual Awards Night 2026.
• First National Bankmajor sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Citizen of the Year Award Sponsor and Top Drawer Award Winner at the 70th Annual Awards Night 2026.
• Darlings Chevroletmajor sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Citizen of the Year Award Co-sponsor and Top Auto Show Sponsor for Autumn Gold 2025.
• Darling Automallminor sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Co-sponsor for Citizen of the Year Award at the 70th Annual Awards Night 2026.
• Franklin Savings Bankminor sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Bubbly Sponsor for the 70th Annual Awards Night 2026.
• Cross Insurance Agencyminor sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Dessert Sponsor for the 70th Annual Awards Night 2026.
• Stanley Subaruminor sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Water Sponsor for the 70th Annual Awards Night 2026.
• Zi Photographyminor sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Event photography sponsor for the 70th Annual Awards Night 2026.
• Hinckleyminor sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Event sponsor for the 70th Annual Awards Night 2026.
• Witham Family Hotelsminor sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Cuisine Sponsor for the 70th Annual Awards Night 2026.
• United Insuranceminor sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Spirits Sponsor for the 70th Annual Awards Night 2026.
• NAPA Auto Partsminor sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Bar Sponsor for the 70th Annual Awards Night 2026.
• downeast Graphicsminor sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Media Sponsor for the 70th Annual Awards Night 2026.
• Coastal Auto Parts NAPAmajor sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Top Auto Show Sponsor for the 41st Annual Autumn Gold Auto Show 2025.
• Hammond Lumberminor sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Sponsor for the Autumn Gold Golf Tournament.
• Merrill's Furnitureminor sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Family Fun Zone sponsor at Autumn Gold Festival 2025.
• Full Circle Printingminor sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Family Fun Zone sponsor at Autumn Gold Festival 2025.
• Seaboard Federal Credit Unionminor sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Family Fun Zone sponsor at Autumn Gold Festival 2025.
• Bangor Federal Credit Unionminor sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Sponsor for the Woodland Wonderland Decorating Contest at Autumn Gold 2025.
• Hannaford (Ellsworth)minor sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Snack donations for the Autumn Gold Golf Tournament.
• GrowthZonecoreTechnology or IntegrationWebsite platform provider for the Chamber's member management, event calendar, and directory services. Site built and maintained by GrowthZone.
• The Grandmajor sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Movies Under the Stars outdoor movie series at Knowlton Park. Provides concessions including popcorn, candy, and water during movie nights.
• Schoodic Institutemajor partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for bird carving demonstrations and marine education programs at Schoodic Institute (Winter Harbor, ME), part of Acadia National Park.
• Wendell Gilley Museummajor partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for bird carving demonstrations at Schoodic Institute. Museum provides guest carver Jim Vekasi for hands-on demonstrations.
• Shaw Instituteminor partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for marine education including Tide Pool Exploration ($5/person) and Nudibranch Needle Felting Workshop ($25/person).
• Stonington Opera Houseminor partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue partner for Goldfinger film screening (James Bond) as part of the chamber calendar events.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Chamber of Commerce: National umbrella chamber of commerce operating the same membership-organization model but at vastly larger scale, with national policy advocacy and enterprise-tier programs.
• Maine State Chamber of Commerce: Statewide chamber that sits above regional chambers in Maine's association ecosystem. Same advocacy and member-services model at broader geographic scope.

Regional players

• Visit Maine: Statewide destination marketing organization that complements Ellsworth's visitor promotion. Comparable in tourism-marketing function but operates at state level rather than as a member-based business association.

Direct peers

• Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce: Maine's largest regional chamber, operating the same membership-based business association model with directory, advocacy, events, and tourism promotion functions for the Greater Portland market.
• Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce: Chamber serving the Bar Harbor area immediately adjacent to Acadia National Park. Directly comparable tourism-tied chamber operating in the same Hancock County / Downeast Maine region.
• Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce: Regional Chamber of Commerce serving Bangor, Maine — same state and comparable small-city chamber model with tiered membership, visitor promotion, and events. Most directly comparable geographic peer in Maine.
• Brunswick Area Chamber of Commerce: Mid-coast Maine chamber operating a near-identical model of tiered membership, visitor center, directory, and community events. Useful size and structure comparable.
• Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce: Regional chamber serving Maine's capital region with similar SMB-to-enterprise membership tiers, advocacy, and event programming. Comparable in scale and governance structure.
• Mount Desert Chamber of Commerce: Hyper-local chamber on Mount Desert Island within the same Acadia tourism ecosystem. Direct overlap in member base, visitor services, and event programming.

Others

• Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE): Industry association for chamber executives and staff. Comparable in that it serves chamber professionals with training, benchmarking, and peer networks — analogous support layer for the Ellsworth Chamber's management team.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ellsworthareachamberofcomm4348
• Facebookfacebook.com/EllsworthAreaChamberofCommerce
• Instagraminstagram.com/ellsworthchamberofficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ellsworth-area-chamber-of-commerce

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce