the hays chamber
The Hays Chamber is a non-profit chamber of commerce founded in 1917 that serves 565+ local businesses across Hays, Kansas and Ellis County through membership-based networking, advocacy, events, and workforce and childcare community programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1917
- HeadquartersHays, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What the hays chamber does
The Hays Chamber is a non-profit chamber of commerce founded in 1917 and headquartered at 2700 Vine Street in Hays, Kansas, serving local businesses and organizations across Hays and Ellis County. Its core offering is a tiered business membership program granting access to networking events (Ribbon Cuttings, Chamber Chats, Business After Hours, Membership Lunches), referrals, promotional visibility, and advocacy representation at the local, state, and federal levels. The Chamber reports 565+ member businesses and a four-person paid staff, supplemented by a 50-55 member volunteer Ambassador program, a 13-member Board of Directors, and the Hays Young Professionals (HYP) sub-brand in its 20th year (launched 2006).
Beyond core membership, the Chamber operates an ecosystem of community programs: Leadership Hays (talent development via the Kansas Leadership Center), the Ambassador program, HYP, the Child Care Task Force of Ellis County, the Ellis County Wellness Committee, the Ellis County Workforce Committee, and the Chamber Member Job Board. Adjacent revenue lines include the monthly Business Connections digital newsletter (free for members), the annual Hays and Ellis County Community Guide (with paid advertising tiers, e.g., $150 newsletter inserts), event sponsorships, the Chamber Cheques discount program, and Chamber Solutions small business health insurance.
The Chamber's business model is a non-dues-and-sponsorship hybrid: revenue is generated from tiered annual membership dues, per-event fees ($15 for members / $18 for non-members at Membership Lunches), event sponsorships (e.g., Title Sponsor for the 17th Annual Chamber Golf Tournament), advertising and Community Guide sales, and program fees (Chamber Cheques, health insurance). It does not disclose financials. Technology is limited to standard SaaS tools — Chamber Master for membership management, Constant Contact for email, and Google Analytics/AdWords plus Facebook Custom Audiences for marketing — with no proprietary platform, no app, and no disclosed AI capabilities. Geographic reach is strictly Ellis County, Kansas.
the hays chamber firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- the hays chamber
- Legal name
- Hays Chamber
- Website
- https://hayschamber.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1917
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- The Hays Chamber is a non-profit chamber of commerce founded in 1917 that serves 565+ local businesses across Hays, Kansas and Ellis County through membership-based networking, advocacy, events, and workforce and childcare community programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where the hays chamber is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hays
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
the hays chamber business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Business Membership |
| One time/ perpetual license | Monthly | Event Attendance - Member Rate |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Event Tickets and Advertising |
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels11 records
the hays chamber product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Hays Chamber is a non-profit business membership organization that delivers networking events (Ribbon Cuttings, Chamber Chats, Business After Hours, Membership Lunches), professional development programs (Leadership Hays and Hays Young Professionals), an Ambassador volunteer outreach program, advocacy at local/state/federal levels, a member job board, workforce and wellness committees, child care task force resources, a digital newsletter, and an annual community guide to its 565+ member businesses across Ellis County, Kansas.
Product overview
The Chamber in Hays, Kansas is a membership-based business organization providing networking, advocacy, and professional development services to over 565 members in Ellis County. The organization operates as a multi-service platform with a core membership product that includes access to ribbon cuttings, chamber chats, membership lunches, and business after hours events. Supporting programs include Hays Young Professionals (HYP) for young professional development, an Ambassador program with 50+ volunteers for member outreach, and Leadership Hays for talent cultivation. Additional services include a member job board, child care task force, wellness committee, workforce committee, digital newsletter (Business Connections), and annual Community Guide publication. The chamber uses Chamber Master for membership management and Constant Contact for email communications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Chamber Membership Membership program that helps new and established business owners and non-profits increase visibility, build connections, and generate referrals. Includes access to member resources, event participation, directory listing, and sponsorship opportunities. Targeted at local businesses and organizations in Ellis County, Kansas.
- Ribbon Cuttings & Groundbreakings Ceremonial events celebrating new business openings, expansions, or anniversaries. Free and open for members and the public to attend. Targeted at member businesses and local residents.
- Chamber Chats Informal networking events and business discussions. Free and open for members and the public to attend. Targeted at member businesses and prospective members.
- Membership Lunches Monthly lunch events featuring speakers on business and community topics. Members pay $15 per person; non-members pay $18. Targeted at Chamber members and prospective members.
- Business After Hours Casual networking events for members and the public to connect in a business setting. Free to attend. Targeted at Chamber members and local businesses.
- Hays Young Professionals (HYP) Program promoting the development, recruitment, and retention of young professionals in the Hays area. Includes Connect Committee, Develop Committee, Advisory Council, and various networking events. Targeted at young professionals in the Hays area.
- Ambassador Program Group of 50+ elected volunteers who attend Chamber events, perform member outreach, and facilitate community engagement and relationship-building. Targeted at volunteer business professionals representing member businesses.
- Leadership Hays Talent development program designed to cultivate future community leaders through training, workshops, and project-based learning including Your Leadership Edge and When Everyone Lead programs through the Kansas Leadership Center. Targeted at emerging and established leaders in the Hays area.
- Chamber Member Job Board Online job posting and recruitment resource for Chamber members, accessible at members.hayschamber.com/jobs. Targeted at member businesses recruiting talent and job seekers.
- Child Care Task Force of Ellis County Committee focused on addressing child care needs in Ellis County, offering resources, provider appreciation events, and professional development for child care providers. Targeted at child care providers, employers, and families in Ellis County.
- Ellis County Wellness Committee Committee working to advance a culture of lifelong wellness across Ellis County by bringing together community partners to promote healthy lifestyles and workforce well-being. Targeted at Ellis County employers and residents.
- Ellis County Workforce Committee Monthly committee meeting on the last Tuesday at 2 p.m. that seeks collaboration with members and community partners to discuss workforce needs in Ellis County. Targeted at employers, educators, and workforce partners.
- Business Connections Digital Newsletter Monthly digital newsletter featuring member announcements, new employees, awards, and business news. Free for members; 150-word limit with optional headshot. Targeted at Chamber members and the broader Ellis County business community.
- Hays and Ellis County Community Guide Annual community guide publication featuring advertising options for members, including various advertising and feature options to tell business stories. Targeted at member businesses and local advertisers.
- Chamber Solutions Small Business Health Insurance Health insurance offering through the Chamber for small businesses. Targeted at Chamber member small businesses seeking group health insurance options.
- Chamber Cheques Discount program offering savings at local participating businesses. Coordinated by Isaiah Schindler. Targeted at Chamber members and participating local businesses.
Quantifiable outcome
- 565+ member businesses served through networking, referrals, and promotion
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use the hays chamber
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
the hays chamber technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
the hays chamber partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
the hays chamber competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce: The largest Kansas chamber of commerce. Operates the same membership/advocacy/event model serving a Kansas metropolitan business community, making it the most directly comparable peer to the Hays Chamber scaled up.
- Topeka Chamber of Commerce: Kansas-based chamber offering comparable membership, advocacy, and workforce programs to local employers in Topeka. Same operating model and member value proposition as the Hays Chamber.
- Lawrence Chamber of Commerce: Mid-sized Kansas chamber anchored by a major university (KU), analogous to Hays/FHSU. Same membership dues, networking events, and advocacy structure, with similar small-city/Rust-Belt dynamics.
- Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce: Kansas chamber serving Manhattan and the Flint Hills region. Same membership-based business association model serving a small Kansas metro anchored by a university (K-State), highly comparable to Hays.
- Salina Area Chamber of Commerce: Regional Kansas chamber offering the same mix of networking events, advocacy, leadership programs, and member services to businesses in Saline County. Closest like-for-like rural Kansas chamber peer.
- Great Bend Chamber of Commerce: Small rural Kansas chamber serving a similar agricultural/service economy. Closest like-for-like scale peer to Hays, useful for benchmarking membership economics and programming mix.
Broad incumbents
- Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce: A larger, regional Kansas City chamber covering a broad metro and overlapping program mix (networking, advocacy, workforce). Scaled-up incumbent that competes for executive-level member mindshare.
- Kansas Chamber of Commerce: Statewide Kansas business advocacy organization. While broader in scope, it competes for member dues from Kansas employers and overlaps on advocacy and workforce policy work.
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce: The national U.S. Chamber is the apex incumbent of the same model. Many Hays Chamber Executive Level members hold dual memberships, and the national organization competes for advocacy relevance and member dollars.
Regional players
- Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce: Regional chamber serving the Joplin, MO metro just across the Kansas border. Similar small-metro chamber model and member value proposition, serving an adjacent geography rather than competing directly in Ellis County.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
the hays chamber social profiles
Digital presencethe hays chamber financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
the hays chamber leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles17 records
the hays chamber funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
the hays chamber M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about the hays chamber
What does the hays chamber do?
The Hays Chamber is a non-profit business membership organization that delivers networking events (Ribbon Cuttings, Chamber Chats, Business After Hours, Membership Lunches), professional development programs (Leadership Hays and Hays Young Professionals), an Ambassador volunteer outreach program, advocacy at local/state/federal levels, a member job board, workforce and wellness committees, child care task force resources, a digital newsletter, and an annual community guide to its 565+ member businesses across Ellis County, Kansas.
Is the hays chamber a public or private company?
the hays chamber is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was the hays chamber founded?
the hays chamber was founded in 1917.
Where is the hays chamber based?
the hays chamber is headquartered in Hays, United States, in the North America region.
Who are the hays chamber's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce, Topeka Chamber of Commerce, Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce, Salina Area Chamber of Commerce and Great Bend Chamber of Commerce. Broad incumbents are Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, Kansas Chamber of Commerce and U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce is listed as a regional player.
Does the hays chamber have an API?
No public API is recorded for the hays chamber.