Wednesday, the Utah Chamber released the newest iteration of Utah Rising, the statewide, business-led economic initiative, with action plans across six focus areas. These additions showcase what the Utah Chamber is doing and provide Utah businesses with concrete ways to further help build our state’s success far into the future. The newly added action items can be reviewed at UtahRising.com.
Launched in fall 2024, Utah Rising is a long-term plan to keep Utah one of the best places in the country to live, work and build a future. Every two years, Utah business leaders review and update Utah Rising to keep it aligned with the needs and challenges of our evolving state and economy.
“Utah’s success has never been an accident. In Utah, we build the future we want, we don’t wait for it to happen, and that is exactly what Utah Rising is about,” said Derek Miller, president and CEO of the Utah Chamber. “As part of this update, we took a hard look at the plan and asked a simple question: how can every business get involved? Adding action items that present practical steps for businesses to take will make a far greater and longer lasting impact.”
Utah Rising is organized around six focus areas that together define Utah’s economic strength: Workforce and Education, Transportation, Business Environment, Housing, Livability and Natural Resources. Each focus area carries a strategic goal, measurable indicators tracked on a public dashboard at utahrising.com and a signature project.
The updated action plan translates Utah Rising’s long-term goals into practical steps. In the Workforce and Education focus area, for example, the plan includes the goal of raising third-grade reading proficiency to 100% by 2030. Examples of newly added actions include encouraging businesses to help by offering employees paid time to mentor young readers, sponsoring local literacy initiatives and partnering directly with schools.
“Planning, coordinating, collaborating and working together have always been the key ingredients in Utah’s secret sauce,” said Spencer P. Eccles, chair of the Utah Rising Steering Committee. “Utah Rising builds on that tradition by providing our business community with the framework and tools needed to address today’s challenges while strengthening our economy and expanding opportunity for all Utahns today and for generations to come. Now is the time to act. If every Utah business commits to just one meaningful action, our collective efforts will have an extraordinary impact for generations to come.”
The Chamber encourages every Utah business, however large or small, to review the six focus areas and choose at least one action to advance over the next two years.
Since its launch, Utah Rising has helped guide the Utah Chamber’s advocacy and long-term economic priorities. During the 2026 Legislative Session, the Utah Chamber achieved a 100% success rate on its priority legislation, including policies that advanced the goals outlined in Utah Rising. The addition of business action plans marks the next phase of the initiative by inviting every Utah business to help turn that vision into measurable progress.
Utah Rising is guided by a steering committee of Utah business and community leaders and spearheaded by the Salt Lake Chamber and Utah Chamber. Visit utahrising.com.
