Happy New Year!
‘Tis the season for lists, and we would be remiss if we didn’t do our part, so without further ado, BALLE presents:
The Top Five Ways to Build a Localist Economy in 2013
(1) Think Local Procurement First
Attention Localists: Local procurement is the next big thing.
Buy Local campaigns and consumer education are still essential tools in the Localist workbench, but bringing the Localist movement to scale requires setting our sights on some of the biggest consumers out there: governments and anchor institutions. These entities represent an enormous sector of the economy, and tapping into this demand could represent millions, or even billions, of dollars of income for local businesses in your community. Not only does this powerful source of local spending results in strengthened local businesses, but it also supports healthier communities and increased tax revenues, a win-win for all involved.
You can get involved by joining BALLE’s dedicated webinars and sessions at our annual conference, which will teach you the hows and whys behind empowering your community to take advantage of this massive untapped source of demand for local goods and services.
(2) Measure What Matters
Connect and learn with us.
2013 is going to be a big year for measurement in the BALLE community. BALLE’s Executive Director, Michelle Long, has been invited to join 30 world leaders, as well as experts from MIT, to participate in a global learning lab examining how to measure true well-being. And that is just the tip of BALLE’s Monitoring and Evaluation iceberg.
From Milwaukee to Ogden, Las Vegas to Louisville, the hard data is trickling in to prove what most of us have known all along about the necessity of Localizing economies, but we have only just begun.
In 2013 BALLE is embarking on the next phase of a comprehensive measuring and evaluation program to clearly demonstrate the many benefits of Localism: More jobs, more wealth, more equality, and many previously unquantified benefits of a healthy economy.
BALLE is working with the Improve Group to develop our Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) program. We’re kicking it off by working with Local First Arizona, Local First West Michigan, and others to test economic indicators to measure Localist impact. Soon, all BALLE community members will be able to test these measurements of Localist economic success to see how successfully they attract supporters and resources to your work.
You can get involved by attending M&E sessions at our annual conference, joining our focused M&E work at our pre-conference Network Leaders Exchange, upcoming webinars and affinity groups and by keeping an eye on the BALLE website for other opportunities to shape this watershed project.
The time has come to measure what matters!
(3) Share Localist Resources with your Community
BALLE is the nexus of activity in the Localist community, and there is no better way to catalyze activity in your community than to take full advantage of BALLE’s many offerings. Get your community connected with the best practices, best examples, best tools, and best stories the Localist community has to offer.
You can get involved by engaging your community in the following ways:
- Join BALLE and use the BALLE graphics cupboard and messaging tools to get the word out about your Localist work. Spice up your emails, mailings, posters, websites, powerpoints, and other communications with these custom-made tools.
We’ve been playing with the new “Localist” messaging in Philly for a few months now and we’re finding that it’s really resonating…We’ve had “Localist” nametags at our past two events and it’s cool to see people wear them…It’s exciting to finally have language that works.
– Leanne Krueger-Braneky, Executive Director, Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia
- Host viewing parties for BALLE Webinars to multiply the impact of this cutting-edge programming in your community, and catalyze new work and relationships. View. Discuss. Implement. Repeat.
- As a BALLE Leader or Champion, join an Affinity Group – and have your local businesses members join – to find like-minded, like-hearted peers from across North America who see the big picture in their communities, have an eye for spotting win-win-win opportunities, and the dedication to make things happen. Affinity groups offer an unparalleled opportunity to connect directly with your peers to collaborate on cutting-edge Localist work.
(4) Share Your Stories With BALLE
There are no one-way streets in the new economy, and in order for BALLE to continue to offer the best solutions from around the world, we need to hear from you about how go-getters in your community are laying the foundations for a new economy.
You can get involved by sending us stories, news articles, videos from your community about:
- Innovative entrepreneurs who are changing the way their industries do business
- How groups of businesses are moving from competition to collaboration, and working together to achieve mutual goals and success
- The ways in which your community is working to advance Prosperity for All
- Great examples for how your community is encouraging people to Think Local First
(5) Unleash Financial Capital in Your Local Economy
In the interest of helping communities across the continent find local financial resources to build enduring local wealth, BALLE has developed numerous community capital programs focused on local investment. BALLE has hired staff to cultivate local community capital programs in select cities, and has also developed programming to cultivate local investment by community foundations, banks, credit unions, and individuals interested in capitalizing local businesses.
You can get involved by:
- Attending Community Capital webinars
- Join the Community Capital affinity group
- Attend the 2013 BALLE Conference for cutting-edge Community Capital programming
- If there is a local funder in your community who is committed to being a leader in pioneering Community Capital work, contact us about his or her potential involvement in our Funders Circle.
(6 – Bonus!) Come to the 2013 BALLE Conference!
Registration is now open!
The BALLE Conference June 12-14, is simply the best opportunity for you to work with a superb, high-caliber community to advance Localist economic transformation in your home place, build deep relationships that will inspire and recharge your own work, and go to lots of great parties in the process.
Whether you are an international thought leader, on-the-ground social entrepreneur, policymaker, network builder, funder, philanthropist, or Localist of any other persuasion, this is the can’t-miss event of the year for you.
2012 was a pivotal year in the ongoing Localist economic transformation, and 2013 is going to be even bigger. By taking the above steps, and working with BALLE to build Real Prosperity, you will be placing your community at the forefront of the emerging new economy.
We are excited to be doing this work with you in the new year. Onward!
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