Our Partners
Somerville Local First is a member of the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE). BALLE is North America’s fastest growing network of socially responsible businesses, comprised of over 80 community networks representing over 22,000 independent business members across 30 U.S. States and Canadian provinces. BALLE networks create local living economies through the building blocks of independent retail, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, green building, local zero-waste manufacturing, community capital, independent media, and local arts and culture. We encourage you to learn more about BALLE by checking out their website here.
The Sustainable Business Network (SBN) engages business and community leaders in building economies that are green, local, and fair. The SBN has 20-years of experience in bringing business leaders together along with others interested in topics such as business ethics, the multiple-stakeholder model, and sustainable workplaces to share information and take action. We encourage you to check out their website here.
Somerville Local First is applying for our own 501(c)3 nonprofit designation and, like other Local First networks around New England, is currently a project of the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Boston
The New England Local Business Forum
The New England Local Business Forum (NELBF) is a resource for local business organizations in New England made up of more than a dozen local business alliances. By connecting local business leaders on a regional level, NELBF strives to promote independents and strengthen local economies. To find out more about NELBF, visit their website here.
Cambridge Local First is SLF’s affiliate organization in neighboring Cambridge, MA. Like SLF, CLF is committed to building a strong local economy and a vibrant, distinct community. First formed in October 2005, CLF’s network of locally owned and independent businesses has grown to over 250 member. Find out more about CLF by visiting their website here.
The Sustainable Business Leader Program (SBLP) is a comprehensive certification program that supports local businesses in improving their environmental business practices and reducing their carbon footprint. For more information on becoming a Sustainable Business Leader please visit their website www.sustainablebusinessleader.org.
The American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA) is a non-profit organization helping communities to launch and successfully operate programs to support community-based enterprise and entrepreneurism, build local economic vitality, and prevent the displacement of independent businesses by large corporations. AMIBA has helped dozens of communities across the U.S. and Canada to launch Independent Business Alliances and assisted many more with Buy Local campaigns, policy initiatives and more. They offer a wide range of outreach tools and trainings, and publish a free monthly newsletter that provides a steady flow of new ideas and tools. For more information, visit their website http://amiba.net/. (Note: SLF has not yet joined AMIBA as members, though we support their work)
The Move Your Money project is a nonprofit campaign that encourages individuals and institutions to divest from the nation’s largest Wall Street banks and move to local financial institutions. To find out more about Move Your Money, check out http://moveyourmoney.info/.
The New Rules Project & Stacy Mitchell
Stacy Mitchell is a senior researcher with the New Rules Project and directs its initiative to curb the power of big-box retailers and strengthen locally owned businesses. She’s the author of Big-Box Swindle, writes regularly for a variety of publications, and produces a monthly email bulletin, The Hometown Advantage. We encourage you to check out her website http://www.newrules.org/.
On Saturday, October 2nd from 11 AM to 5 PM, the first-ever Boston Local Food Festival will take place outdoors along the Boston Waterfront and Fort Point Channel. Themed Healthy Food for All!, it is a zero waste, free festival celebrating the virtues of eating local food produced in the Boston area, Massachusetts, and New England. The festival will feature freshly harvested produce, delicious dishes ($5 or less) created with locally grown ingredients and take-away from Made in Massachusetts producers. Festival-goers can engage with farmers, chefs and entrepreneurs, learn from workshops and demonstrations about gardening, cooking, nutrition, health and exercise while enjoying art and festive music. For more information: www.bostonlocalfoodfestival.com
