Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, AECOM, Cisco, Deloitte, and Guild Open Applications for “Rally LA,” Supporting Small Businesses Ahead of the LA28 Games

by L.A. Area Chamber

LOS ANGELES - [August 18, 2026] - The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce (the Chamber), AECOM, Cisco, Deloitte, and Guild, today announced that applications are now open for small businesses in the area to join Rally LA's inaugural cohort. Rally LA is a collaborative, place-based initiative designed to strengthen small businesses and build long-term economic value across the Los Angeles region ahead of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games and beyond.

For Rally LA, the Chamber will serve as the core facilitator, bringing together stakeholders to activate a coordinated ecosystem of support for local small businesses. As part of this effort, the Chamber is convening a local advisory committee, which includes representatives from Los Angeles organizations, local nonprofits and community leaders.

As Los Angeles prepares to welcome the world to the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Rally LA will work with corporate, nonprofit, and community organizations to better connect selected small businesses to the resources and indirect opportunities created by the increased economic activity expected across the region. This cross-sector collaboration is designed to bolster the infrastructure and resources that currently exist, while unlocking additional opportunities for support. While events like the LA28 Games can generate significant economic opportunity, Rally LA can help small businesses to access capacity building and connectivity opportunities.

Small businesses play a vital role in local economies - powering neighborhood corridors, generating local jobs, and reinvesting in communities to help them thrive. Yet many face challenges in accessing large-scale opportunities, including limited capacity, capital and visibility. Rally LA is designed to help address these challenges by aligning resources to help small businesses grow and stay resilient.

Through Rally LA, supporters will help small businesses across Los Angeles by:

• Building capacity through targeted coaching and business resources
• Expanding connections to corporate networks and relevant indirect economic opportunities
• Increasing visibility to drive foot traffic and excitement toward the small business community

"Our small businesses are the economic engine of Los Angeles. As a convener for this initiative, the Chamber is proud to help orchestrate this corporate collaboration," said Maria Salinas, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce CEO. "Rally LA will help local entrepreneurs have the coordinated support, connections, and visibility to compete and grow around these major sporting events in Los Angeles."

"The LA28 Games are about more than just incredible sports, they are a catalyst for lasting economic impact across the region," said Erikk Aldridge, Vice President of Impact & Legacy, LA28. "Rally LA is an important lever in our collective commitment to ensuring access to opportunities for our local and small businesses."

"Rally LA stems from the belief that small businesses will play a major role in the success of the LA28 Games and the region's long-term economic vitality. By supporting local businesses with the resources, connections, and assistance they need, the economic benefit for the community will endure well beyond the event," said Brian Tippens, Cisco's SVP and Chief Social Impact & Sustainability Officer. "Cisco is proud to build on our longstanding history in Los Angeles by supporting this initiative that brings together the best of corporate leaders and small businesses to drive meaningful impact."

"Economic resilience often starts at the neighborhood level," said Terry Feit, Deloitte's* Los Angeles Managing Partner. "Rally LA is about place-based opportunity - bringing the corporate, nonprofit and public sectors together to help ensure that the small businesses defining LA's unique neighborhoods are equipped to thrive. By pooling resources and coordinating efforts, an ecosystem of support can be created that outlasts any single event. We look forward to helping these entrepreneurs carry that momentum into the years ahead."

"Los Angeles is on the cusp of enormous investment ahead of the LA28 Games, and Guild's work is grounded in the belief that economic opportunity and resilience depend on coordinated infrastructure," said Hanna Patterson, SVP of Employer Partnerships, Guild. "Rally LA brings together a meaningful coalition of organizations who share that spirit of collaboration and commitment to outcomes. We're proud to be pushing this work forward together. When each organization leans into where they uniquely add value, every dollar goes further for the city, its businesses, and its people."

Rally LA is currently building its network of corporate supporters with plans to announce its first cohort of small businesses in the fall of 2026. The goal is for this ecosystem of organizations to deliver support related to the specific needs of the neighborhoods in which these small businesses live. To apply, small businesses should visit https://rally-la.com/apply. To learn more about the initiative, explore collaboration opportunities, or subscribe to program updates, visit Rally-la.com.

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About Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce represents the interests of a broad spectrum of organizations across the private, non-profit, academic, and public sectors, including the business community, job creators, and innovators in the Los Angeles region. Our mission is to design and advance opportunities and solutions for a thriving regional economy that is inclusive and globally competitive. As the oldest and largest business association in the region, the Chamber has a long-standing history of convening business leaders, communities, and policy makers to promote a vibrant economy.