Questions
Frequently asked questions
Membership, meetings, dues, and how the association relates to the county chamber. If your question is not here, the board answers email.
Is there a chamber of commerce in East Fishkill?
East Fishkill does not have a chamber of commerce of its own. The East Fishkill Business Association is the town's business membership organization. It is the local counterpart to the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce, which covers the whole county, rather than a replacement for it — many members belong to both.
What is the East Fishkill Business Association?
A not-for-profit membership organization, incorporated in New York, for businesses operating in East Fishkill or serving its residents. It is run by a volunteer board elected by the membership and has no paid staff. Its stated purpose is to promote the success and prosperity of its members, to address the problems and concerns with running a business, to create a voice loud enough to be heard in government decisions, and to foster business interests in the community.
Who can join?
Any business with a location in East Fishkill, and any business based elsewhere that genuinely serves the town's residents, is eligible for business membership. Registered nonprofits serving the town join at the nonprofit rate. Residents, retirees and professionals who want to support local business without holding a directory listing are eligible for individual membership.
How much does membership cost?
Business membership is $150 a year. Individual and nonprofit memberships are $75 a year. Dues run twelve months from the date an application is approved. There is no fee to apply and nothing is charged before the board approves an application.
How do I join?
Apply through the membership page on this site. The board reviews applications at its monthly meeting and you will hear back by email either way. If approved, you are sent a link to set a password, your directory listing is drafted, and a dues invoice is raised.
What does membership include?
A listing in the public member directory that you control from your own portal login, member rates at association events, the ability to submit your own events to the community calendar, a vote at the annual meeting, and access to standing member-to-member offers published by other members.
What is a Business After Hours?
An evening mixer hosted inside a member's place of business, usually from about 5:30 to 7:30. There is no agenda, no head table and no presentation — it is an open two hours for conversation. The host provides the space and light refreshments; the association handles invitations and name tags. It is a long-standing format among business associations.
When and where does the association meet?
The association meets monthly. Meetings run about ninety minutes and follow a standing agenda: a short business session, a round of member introductions, and a guest speaker or working discussion. Meeting dates are published on the events page as they are scheduled.
Do I have to be a member to attend?
No. Most association events are open to the public, and prospective members are welcome to attend before joining. A small number of events are marked members-only on the events page.
Do members get a vote?
Yes. The association is a membership corporation under New York's Not-for-Profit Corporation Law, which requires an annual meeting of members to elect directors. Members in good standing vote at the annual meeting and may stand for the board.
Where is the association located?
The association has no staffed office. Mail goes to 815 Main St, Unit 353, Hopewell Junction, NY 12533, and email to office@efbusiness.org. Meetings and events are held at venues around East Fishkill and are listed individually on the events page.
How is this different from the county chamber?
The Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce operates county-wide from Poughkeepsie and runs programs a town association cannot match. What a county body cannot do is track what is in front of the East Fishkill Town Board, or know which member three doors down can quote the job you need. That local work is what this association exists to do.