A Declaration of Financial Independence

Introduction 2026 marks the American Independent Business Alliance's 25th year of growing the local economy movement. We have nurtured dozens of independent business alliances, hundreds of linked n...

Devolution is happening right now as you read this paragraph, in an unplanned, messy way.

Most communities measure economic progress by looking at regional gross domestic product (GDP), population growth, or successful corporate attractions. We know that these measures are misleading and w...

Where’s the alignment this month? A release of local economist Michael Shuman’s new report in The Main Street Journal.

There is power at the local level. Join us to hear about a range of exciting policies and campaigns at the state and city level all over the country to advance affordable housing and community reinvestment—from...

Podcast Episode · Shelterforce · May 1 · 19m

Today, affordable quality housing is often out of reach. Standard remedies tend to focus on tweaking regulations, zoning, and public subsidies. But what if systemic shifts are needed? That is a central...

Many great organizations and great leaders, all starved for funds, could provide the basis of a new, stronger local economy movement.

Amid federal funding cuts, the idea of public banks is gaining ground as a tool for states and localities to finance community development.

We believe that strong local economies are the essential building blocks of a better world.

We celebrate this month's Local Legend, Susan Witt, cofounder and executive director of the Schumacher Center for a New Economics.

In this live online event, Donna Morton (cofounder of Salmon Returns) and Michael Shuman (community economist) share their knowledge of investing locally and building bioregional institutions.

Promoters of community capital are often willing to overlook or excuse the poor performance of their local bank or credit union.

The Opportunity Zone (OZ) program has unleashed billions in private capital. But who does the program really help?

Neighborhood malls are more than places to shop.

Every dollar spent locally helps create jobs, fuel community growth and keep Homer’s spirit thriving

Zohran Mamdani’s resounding victory as mayor of New York City now needs to show results. Image Credit: Public Bank NYC

“Embrace everyone already wearing plaid, document it with a picture, and watch it grow.”

Hundreds of Precious Plastic workshops worldwide convert waste into products and profits

Our featured interview this week is with Thom Hartmann, arguably the top progressive talk-radio DJ in the country.

A book that describes regular folks serving justice to slimeball authorities, damaging their communities.

Since 2018, the Dream Exchange has been raising funds from do-gooders across the country to create a public marketplace for minority-owned businesses.

As PBS stations lose funding for local broadcast journalism, they'll air a new documentary about the demise of local print journalism

I’m still working my way through Ezra Klein’s and Derek Thompson’s book Abundance, which urges liberals to embrace a world where they do “big things.” If we want more housing, for example, we need to ...