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1/21/2010 -- Independent Business Advocates and Public Interest Groups Condemn Supreme Court's Ruling on Corporate Money in Elections, Call for Constitutional Amendment to Overturn Decision -- see our news release
1/14/2010 -- Business Week blogs on the results of our post-holiday indie business survey
12/1/2009 -- Santa Fe Alliance Director, Vicki Pozzebon, defends Combined Reporting as a means of ensuring large corporations pay their portion of state taxes. (Pozzebon is member of the New Mexico Tax Coalition encouraging adoption of CR)
11/24/2009 -- Who wants to read another rehash about Black Friday at MegaMart? The real story is at local independents. Read AMIBA's press release
AMIBA welcomes our newest affiliates:
Asheville Grown Business Alliance
Asheville, NC
Sonoma County Go Local Cooperative
Sonoma County, CA
Mariposa County IBA
Mariposa County, CA
Buy Local
Downtown Great Falls
Great Falls, MT
Buy Local Berkeley
Berkeley, CA
Main Street Stillwater IBA
Stillwater, MN
Independent Business Alliances in the News:
Austin IBA (TX): AIBA director Dean Lofton profiled in Austin Business Journal (1/10)
Summit IBA (CO):
SIBA holiday campaign tracking money spent with indies and pumped into the county a big success. (1/10)
JXN Local First (MI): Jackson group ramping for 2010 (1/10)
New survey results A new survey of over 1800 independent businesses in the US and Canada by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance indicates those in communities with active "buy local" campaigns fared far better than other businesses. See press release |
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Think of your favorite shop, restaurant or service provider. We'll bet it's a home town business. Independent locally-owned businesses are essential to a vital local economy and community character. They use the goods and services of other local businesses, serve as community hubs, and are vital components of healthy neighborhoods and strong city centers. They're where the locals go. They're owned by our friends and neighbors, or maybe even by you.
The threat to our communities is real. Dependence on absentee-owned businesses and corporate chains carries many unhealthy consequences. It's not just local businesses who suffer -- our communities are losing social, cultural and economic strength, a place for entrepreneurship, and the ability to determine our own futures. But we have a choice.
AMIBA is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping communities and independent business thrive. Our proven organizing models and assistance can help prevent the displacement of local independent businesses, ensure ongoing opportunities for entrepreneurs, and advance citizen engagement in community social, cultural and economic well being. The evidence of success isn't just anecdotal; concrete data demonstrate the power of these local Alliances.
We can help you design and implement an effective "Buy Independent / Buy Local" campaign, an Independent Business Alliance®, pro-local policies, and more.
See the benefits of AMIBA affiliation or inquire about our support for individual initiatives.
Read The Benefits of Doing Business Locally (pdf) for more on the importance of independent, local ownership.
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Free Public Education Tools from AMIBA!
If your community is ramping up a "Buy Indie/Buy Local" campaign in 2010, the American Independent Business Alliance can help. See our newest free educational posters / fliers to download and print! We also are giving away our popular bag stuffer template (pictured below) here.
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Whether you aim to launch an IBA promptly or get your community talking about the issues, AMIBA's presentations and workshops will give you a big boost! More than 90% of our community presentations help spark new Alliances. They also generate media attention, community support and new members for your group. Our presentations for trade shows and conferences have led both to many new local efforts and national campaigns by existing organizations. Learn more or view upcoming events.
| What They're Saying... |
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“The bottom line is that people are beginning to realize the importance of shopping locally, and how that helps keep your dollars close to home…it employs your neighbors, your friends, and it bonds the community by keeping us on the same team.” Jeff Boyd |
It's our vision for a start to leveling the playing field for locally-owned independent business. We invite organizations, local, state, and national legislators, and government officers to endorse this platform, developed by AMIBA and the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. Better yet -- implement it! View the Platform for Independent Business
