A growing number of studies have quantified the local economic benefits delivered by independent businesses, demonstrating how locally-owned independent businesses return much more of each dollar in revenue to their communities, and contribute to healthier, wealthier, local economies.  

In recent years, more than 90 US communities have developed Independent Business Alliances to strengthen independent, locally-owned businesses, prevent the displacement of local entrepreneurs by absentee-owned corporations, and build more durable and diverse local economies. 

The American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA) has helped these local groups successfully launch and develop a larger network to share ideas and learn from each other.

This session presents the four-pronged organizing model pioneered by AMIBA, shares key insights on how to create effective local alliances and successful buy-local campaigns, and explores interest to adapt the AMIBA approach for Canada. 

Presenter

jeff-milchen-headshot.jpg

His prior work includes successfully operating his own start-up businesses in Vermont and serving as the director of Reclaim Democracy. He is the author of "Building Buy Local Campaigns that Shift Culture and Spending" and his commentaries and articles have appeared in dozens of publications including Business Week, S.F. Chronicle, The Ecologist, The Chicago Tribune, Washington Post and Adbusters.

Additional Resources

• What is an Independent Local Business?
• Building “Buy Local” Campaigns that Shift Culture and Spending
• The Multiplier Effect of Local Independent Business Ownership
• Strength in Numbers (free monthly newsletter)
• Top 10 Reasons to Buy Local, Eat Local, Go Local (with sources)
• Four Pivot-Points for Rebuilding Local Economies (Fieldstone Alliance)
• Buying Local: Tools for Forward-Thinking Institutions (The Columbia Institute & ISIS Research Centre)
• The Power of Purchasing: The Economic Impacts of Local Procurement (LOCO BC)
• Building Dreams with Teams: A Practical Approach to Developing Your Local Economy (COIN Peterborough)
• Re>Think Local: The Economic Impact of Independent Businesses in the Hudson Valley (Civic Economics)

innoweave.png

Innoweave has partnered with the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing to host an Introduction to Social Finance webinar.

The webinar will provide an overview of social finance, and will review concepts and basic approaches associated with social finance. It will also provide an overview of the Innoweave Social Finance workshop.

Register now

• When: Wednesday, September 24th, 2014 at 12:00 pm ET (9:00 am PT)
• Where: This webinar will be hosted via Cisco WebEx. A link to the meeting will be provided upon completion of registration via the link below.

The content for this module was developed by the Community Forward Fund and the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing.

Learn the basics of cooperatives, cooperative economics, and the practice of cooperation with everyday practitioners. Cooperatives are democratically owned and operated businesses and organizations that meet the needs of their membership and community. Through activities, guided readings, and facilitated conversations with co-op professionals and other students, participants will become familiar with how co-ops work and the growing cooperative movement.

[ register here ]

Highlights:

• Learn with co-op educators, developers, and co-op professionals
• Develop an understanding of cooperatives and the cooperative economy
• Learn about and participate in the burgeoning cooperative movement

innoweave.png

Innoweave has partnered with Advocacy School to host this Introduction to Constructive Engagement webinar.

The webinar will provide an overview of constructive engagement, and will review concepts and approaches associated with constructive engagement. It will also provide an overview of the Innoweave Constructive Engagement workshop, which will be held at different locations across the country this fall. Workshop details can be found here.

This webinar will be led by Sean Moore of Advocacy School. Sean has more than 30 years experience in public-policy and advocacy related to local, provincial/state and federal government affairs in Canada and the United States. Sean is a recipient of the 2013 Bissett Distinguished Alumni Award from Carleton University's School of Public Policy & Administration (SPPA).

Register now

Event details:

• When: Monday, September 15th at 12:00pm PT (9:00am ET)
• Where: This webinar will be hosted via Cisco WebEx. A link to the meeting will be provided upon completion of registration via the link below.

Teams are encouraged to apply for one of numerous upcoming Constructive Engagement workshops listed on this page.

The content for this module was developed by Advocacy School.