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...

ILSR's virtual event explains restrictive covenants, a type of sneaky lease clause used by big chains to keep competitors out.

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This Halloween, Choose Indie Local.

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

Since the FTC and 17 states sued the tech giant, Amazon's monopoly and its abuse of sellers and shoppers are only getting worse.

In 1994, Wendell Berry delivered a talk at the 23rd annual meeting of the Northern Plains Resource Council. Included in his remarks was a list of enduring principles for communities seeking “to cohere...

July is Independents Month ⭐️ Often, when we think of “shopping locally,” brick-and-mortar retail businesses come to mind. But it’s Independents Month, and we want to celebrate ALL INDIE LOCALS!

Rhode Island passes landmark law to end grocery store real estate restrictions.

Cultivating the Eat Indie Local movement through grassroots initiatives and nationwide partnerships. Join us this August!

As we celebrate the Declaration of Independence’s 250th anniversary, we’re also celebrating our independents: independent businesses.

When disaster strikes, waiting for help shouldn’t be part of the problem. Our rapid funding process is designed to get financial support into the hands of businesses facing one-time emergencies—fast.…

A wave of retiring business owners is about to reshape Rhode Island manufacturing, where 80% are approaching an exit without clear succession plans. At least, that’s according to data from Polaris MEP...

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...

Podcast Episode · Shelterforce · May 1 · 19m

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

Local Return celebrated Move Your Money Month this April with many calls to learn, consider, and act. We are all economic actors, and our financial behaviors matter. Moving even just some of our…

Geographic and corporate concentration in banking and retail is limiting entrepreneurship in many U.S. communities. Existing place-based policies help, but often fail to deliver scalable, tailored inv...

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