Welcome back to CSU for the 2023-24 school year! If this is your first year, we are very excited you have chosen our amazing Colorado State University for your educational pursuits.

As you enjoy all that Fort Collins and Northern Colorado have to offer, we invite you to spend time with our local businesses. Especially our many small businesses, which make up the majority of our business community. Just like you, these small business owners live in Northern Colorado. Their goal is to provide jobs while contributing to the local economy. Many of our small business owners have expressed how important CSU students are to their workforce and what wonderful employees college students make.

Small business owners are familiar faces within the community, and many have lived in Northern Colorado for a long time. They raise their families here and understand CSU is a big contributor to making Fort Collins a great place to live.  Chances are their kids may be at CSU with you. You will join in the adventure of watching CSU sports at Moby and Canvas Stadium together. They are truly local and love being your neighbor!

You won’t find many of our small businesses anywhere else. It is an amazing feeling for a small business owner to know there are no other businesses who are EXACTLY like theirs! This individuality provides an amazing impact on our local culture and history of Northern Colorado.

At the end of the day, small businesses realize the role our community plays in the success of their business. They set out to do what they do because of their passion, but without you, it wouldn’t be a reality. Because they would be much less without the CSU community, they’ll be more thankful than you’ll ever know.

So where does the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce fit in this community? We are unabashed in our efforts to Build Community! Our goal is to support a small business community which you want to tell your friends and family about and show them when they visit; you will give them the true Northern Colorado experience!

The Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce is the trusted business champion, catalyst and convener creating shared economic prosperity for Northern Colorado. We serve our members and the community with boldness, determination and strength of character. We are action-oriented business advocates who listen and build informed decisions. We are strategic thinkers, innovators and connectors who create impact.

We love where we live, and we want you to feel the same way. May we be the first to welcome you to Colorado State University and Northern Colorado!