The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the charitable arm of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, is an advocacy, civic, and educational organization that provides trainings, resources, grants, and other services to businesses and individuals intended to improve their general resiliency and success, particularly in the face of economic and environmental crises. ¹

Background

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation was registered as a tax-exempt charitable organization (under the name “Us Chamber of Commerce Foundation”) in October 2013, with an address in Washington, D.C. It is the nonprofit arm of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, one of the country’s largest business federations and lobbying groups. ^{2 3}

Activity

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation maintains a wide variety of civic, educational, and professional programs, grants, and free informational resources intended to improve the general resiliency and viability of businesses in the face of environmental, economic, and other crises. For instance, the organization’s Readiness for Resiliency (R4R) program offers educational programming to small businesses anticipating environmental disasters as well as grants of $5,000 when a federally declared disaster impacts businesses’ areas of operation. ¹

The organization also maintains BizConnect, a program offering development and mentorship services to small businesses in economically distressed areas; a Talent Pipeline Management Academy to train skilled workers; and a Business Leads Fellows program, which offers year-long fellowships to state- and local-level executives. ¹

Funding

Organizations, municipalities, and corporations that have given $100,000 or more to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation include the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Amazon.com, American Express, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Booz Allen Hamilton, the Caterpillar Foundation, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the Charles Koch Foundation, the City of San Antonio, Comcast, the Craig Newmark Philanthropic Fund, the Cummins Foundation, CVS Health Corporation, the Daniels Fund, Deloitte, the Dutch Bros Foundation, General Motors, Honeywell International, Johnson and Johnson, JPMorgan Chase, LinkedIn, Lockheed Martin, Lowe’s Companies, the Lumina Foundation, MetLife, Prudential Financial, the PwC Charitable Foundation, the Strada Education Foundation, T-Mobile US, the Anschutz Foundation, the Aspen Institute, Boeing, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Toyota Motor North America, the UPS Foundation, USAA, Verizon Communications, the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, the Walgreens Boots Alliance, Walmart, the Walter Scott Family Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, and the Wells Fargo Foundation. ¹

Leadership

Michael Carney is the president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Previously, he led the organization’s emerging issues, communications, and civics teams. ⁴

Taylor Hansen is an executive director of policy and programs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Previously, he was a senior adviser at the Presidents Forum as well as an employee with the U.S. House Committee on Education and Workforce, the Marwood Group, the Center for Education Reform, Career Education Colleges and Universities, and the Institute for Global Futures. ⁵

Rebecca Mousseau is an executive director of corporate relations at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Previously, she was a fellow at the Heritage Foundation working under the vice president of external relations, a member of the board of governors at Catholic University of America, a member of the board of directors of the John Paul II Fellowship, and an employee of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. ⁶

Shanique Streete is the executive director of programs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Previously, she worked on the policy and advocacy team at CARE, on the team of the U.S. State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program, as a legislative analyst at the Women’s Congressional Policy Institute, and as a fellow with the Congressional Hunger Center placed at D.C. Hunger Solutions and the National Women’s Law Center. ⁷

Caitlin Thomas is executive director of civics at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Previously, she worked for Aloha United Way in Honolulu, Hawaii. ⁸

Yagmur Cosar is the executive director of communications at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Previously, she was a vice president at Burson Cohn and Wolfe, an account supervisor at FleishmanHillard, and a public relations officer at the Turkish Embassy to the United States. ⁹

1. Cawley, Carolyn; Cosar, Yagmur. “Going Farther, Together: 2023 Impact Report.” U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. January 23, 2024. Accessed December 2, 2024. https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/corporate-social-responsibility/going-farther-together-2023-impact-report
2. “Us Chamber Of Commerce Foundation.” ProPublica. Accessed December 2, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/461561597
3. “About the Foundation.” U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Accessed December 2, 2024. https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/about/about-the-foundation
4. “Michael Carney.” U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Accessed December 2, 2024. https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/bio/michael-carney
5. “Taylor Hansen.” U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Accessed December 2, 2024. https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/bio/taylor-hansen
6. “Rebecca Mousseau.” U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Accessed December 2, 2024. https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/bio/rebecca-mousseau
7. “Shanique Streete.” U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Accessed December 2, 2024. https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/bio/shanique-streete
8. “Caitlin Thomas.” U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Accessed December 2, 2024.
9. “Yagmur Cosar.” U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Accessed December 2, 2024. https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/bio/yagmur-cosar