Community Vitality/Community Economics

The New Rules Project
Does outstanding work to promote local ownership and community empowerment. Their site lists dozens of examples of local and state policies newrules.org

The Institute for Local Self-Reliance
A nonprofit research and educational organization that provides technical assistance and information on environmentally sound economic development strategies. They've got a great links page to organizations concerned with community sustainability. ilsr.org

Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO)
The national association of community-based organizations providing entrepreneurial education, access to capital, and support to aspiring and active low-income entrepreneurs. microenterpriseworks.org

Rocky Mountain Institute's Economic Renewal Program
Promotes community development without rampant growth or corporate dependence. rmi.org

Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE)
Aims to create and strengthen local networks committed to building sustainable and inclusive living economies and promoting socially responsible business practices. livingeconomies.org

The National Main Street Center of the National Trust for Historic Preservation
The nation's clearinghouse for information, technical assistance, research and advocacy on preservation-based commercial district revitalization. mainstreet.org

California Healthy Communities Network
Works to advance the interests of communities in the State of California.
calhcn.org

Ithaca Hours
There's nothing funny about this money. The best developed community currency in the nation! ithacahours.org

Berkshares, Inc.
Another successful local currency program in the Berkshire region of Massachusetts. berkshares.org

The National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO)
A private, nonprofit membership and research organization that serves as the leading source of accurate, unbiased information on employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), broadly granted employee stock options and related programs, and ownership culture. nceo.org

Countryside Connection - An Extended Rural Networking Community
Based in Hampshire, England with an extension to Brattleboro,Vermont and greater New England, Countryside Connection advises small enterprises in Britain's rural communities how to work together to thrive and prosper. Find a directory to their network of bed & breakfasts, inns, hotels, farm & artisan producers, artists & craftspeople, restaurants, pubs, educators & small businesses. countrysideconnection.co.uk

Entertainment with Purpose

Adrienne Young & Little Sadie
These acclaimed American Folk artists, an independent business in their own right, connect people to their food, encourage them to engage in shaping their world, and strongly support locally-owned independent businesses. Follow the link--they've donated a free mp3 download of a cut from their album, Plow to the End of the Row, to visitors from our website! http://www.adrienneyoung.com/go/?E_MjM4

Family Farms/Organic Agriculture

The Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF)
Provides free and affordable legal services to grassroots, community-based groups and local governments working to protect their quality of life and natural environment through building sustainable communities. CELDF is helping townships across Pennsylvania craft anti-corporate farming ordinances to help preserve family farms. celdf.org

Robyn VanEn Center for Community Supported Agriculture
History of the CSA movement as well as a directory of CSAs in the United States. Use this link to find a CSA in your area! http://csacenter.org

Organic Farming Research Foundation
Fostering the improvement and widespread adoption of organic farming practices. An excellent resource on organic farming policy and practice, and offers terrific links. http://ofrf.org

National Farmers Union
The voice of family farming. nfu.org

The Organic Consumers Association (OCA)
a grassroots non-profit public interest and advocacy organization that monitors issues of food safety, industrial agriculture, genetic engineering, corporate accountability, and environmental sustainability. organicconsumers.org

Reversing Global Corporatization, Promoting Community Empowerment and Democracy

ReclaimDemocracy.org
Actively works to restore democratic authority over corporations, revoke the power of money to control government and civic society, and revive democracy in the US. Their website is a terrific resource for illuminating and eliminating the root causes of top-of-the-news problems and issues. ReclaimDemocracy.org

Program on Corporations, Law and Democracy (POCLAD)
The pre-eminent research group on corporate, labor and legal histories, rethinking organizing strategies and shedding light on democracy movements. poclad.org

Sprawl/Land Use/Big Box Development

ReclaimDemocracy.org (see above) also provides one of the best compendia on Wal-Mart we've seen. You can find articles, studies and other information that can provide you with information for your Big Box battle or pre-emptive campaign. ReclaimDemocracy.org/walmart/index.html

Sprawlbusters
An International Clearinghouse on Big Box Anti-Sprawl information. sprawl-busters.com

Sprawlwatch
A Clearinghouse full of information on best land use practices. sprawlwatch.org

Community & Environmental Defense Services
A nationwide network of attorneys, environmental scientists, traffic engineers, planners, political strategists, fund-raisers, and other professionals allied to help people defend their community and environment from the impact of poorly planned land development activities. Find their excellent publication, How to Win Land Development Issues, available as a free download. CEDS.org

Trade Associations Doing Notable Work to Help Independent Businesses

American Booksellers Association
The national trade association for our nation's wonderful independent booksellers--Independent Bookstores for Independent Minds. bookweb.org

Booksense.com
Looking for a book on the web? You don't have to compromise your convictions! Visit booksense.com for a great alternative that supports community-based bookstores when you don't have one in your hometown! Their services include gift certificates good at over 1000 participating independent stores.

Abebooks.com
Your search for that hard-to-find or out-of-print book might end with abebooks.com, a service that searches the nation's independent bookstores for your request.

American Specialty Toy Retailing Association
The national trade association for independent toy stores and manufacturers of those unique, creative, well-made toys we all love. Use ASTRA's toy store finder to locate a unique toy store near you! astratoy.org

Association of Retail Travel Agents
The largest nonprofit association in North America that represents independent travel agents. artaonline.com

Independent Community Banks of America
The only national trade association dedicated to community banks -- aggregating their political power, providing industry information and training, and providing products and services. ibaa.org

Carpet One
An excellent resource for locating a local, independent carpet store near you. carpetone.com

Council of Independent Restaurants of America (CIRA)
The trade association and buying cooperative of fine independent restaurants nationwide. dineoriginals.com

Independent Grocers Association (IGA)
A national buying cooperative for independent grocers. Find an independent grocer committed to community near you! iga.com

National Cooperative Grocers Association (NCGA)
Identifies, develops and implements effective strategies for coordination and collaboration between regional Cooperative Grocers Associations. ncga.coop ncga.coop

National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA)
An association serving all types of cooperative business. You can find a cooperative business or find out how to start one--all in one place. ncba.coop

Find an Independent Cafe
Buck the green circle! We all know independent cafes brew the finest joe. Visit Delocator.net to find them near you in the U.S. and Canada...and if you know of one that's not on the list, you can add it!

Find a Co-op
If you want to find a co-op grocery near you or on your travels, do your search at the Cooperative Grocer Online. The site also provides useful links for folks in the co-op grocery business. cooperativegrocer.coop

Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America The nation's oldest and largest independent agent and association. Use the site to find an independent agent. independentagent.com

The Utility Connection provides a search tool for publicly-owned natural gas and electricity providers nationwide. utilityconnection.com