Building Community Economic Vitality
in New England
With in-depth training on developing Buy Local campaigns and Independent Business Alliances
Wednesday June 11, 10 AM - 4:30 PM
Trinitarian Congregational Church, 54 Walden St.
Concord, Massachusetts
(Parking on street & nearby municipal lots)
local contact: 978-369-6662
Introduction
Community-level organizing to support independent businesses is escalating rapidly in New England, and this gathering will accelerate the Localization Movement and help connect participants, while offering you the opportunity to learn how to effectively execute a "Buy Local" campaign or launch an Independent Business Alliance.
You'll have the rare opportunity to tap the expertise of both Stacy Mitchell, senior researcher for the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and author of Big Box Swindle and Jeff Milchen, founder of the Boulder Independent Business Alliance and co-founder of the American Independent Business Alliance. Concord organizers are hosting this event to tap the experience of AMIBA's staff in working with communities around the country and to share each others’ skills and experience.
Purpose
This gathering is for people concerned with supporting local, independent businesses in their communities. Independent Business Alliances* and many other groups working on local efforts and those serious about starting to organize such efforts will share ideas, resources, and explore opportunities for collaboration at the regional and state levels.
Summit Highlights:
Presenters Jeff Milchen and Stacy Mitchell will:
- show how our heritage of local independent business can survive in the face of global homogenization
- illustrate the economic and civic importance of sustaining local ownership in all sectors of business
- reveal many less-visible benefits our community reaps from supporting local independent businesses
- recount successful town policy models currently in use to support localization & independent businesses
- introduce the groundbreaking work of Independent Business Alliances (IBAs)
-- how they serve the unique realities and needs of local independent businesses & their communities
-- how IBA programs & strategies are helping independent businesses compete and win against chains
-- how to organize an effective Alliance
-- effective messaging and media skills
We also will explore opportunities to share resources and skills across our groups and ways to begin forming a collective voice at the state and regional levels to influence media coverage, political debate and public awareness.
Registration (includes lunch, refreshments and takeaway materials)
Participant Category |
Early registration rate before June 8 |
Regular rate after June 8 |
Business owners & general public |
$30 |
$50 |
Government employees & staff/board of established business organizations |
$80 |
$100 |
Members of AMIBA affiliates |
$15 |
$35 |
(Secure payment via PayPal, check or money order.)
NOTE : The "continue shopping" button may not function with all browsers (PayPal issue). Please contact us if you aim to register multiple participants and have a problem. To reach us, call 406-582-1255 or email info*at*AMIBA.net.
To register by mail:
Checks or money orders payable to AMIBA.
AMIBA
222 S. Black Ave.
Bozeman, MT 59715
Please include a list of registrants and contact information, along with any group identification.
*The name, Independent Business Alliance, is a service mark of the American Independent Business Alliance and is licensed for use only to AMIBA affiliates.