Think Local First Nevada County Foothills

Who Benefits from a Local First Campaign?

Courtesy of the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies

Locally Owned Businesses
Independent businesses stand to gain significantly from a Local First Campaign. Businesses can be quite successful when they cooperatively market to local consumers, and commit to delivering quality services and products local consumers desire. Strong business networks can also facilitate connections to suppliers and support services.

After the launch of the Sustainable Connections Think Local First Campaign in NW Washington, locally owned businesses made these kinds of comments:
"As the owner of a local business, I always knew the importance of buying from other locally owned businesses but participating in this campaign has re-enforced that for me. I now am extra careful to think about where I can find a product or service for my business first from a fellow independent."
"I think this has been a real educational opportunity for many of my customers. Some have always thought local first and appreciate being acknowledged for that but others are only occasional customers and had never considered the many significant benefits of their choices. This campaign has made it easy for me to introduce the topic with them." "Increasingly I have customers tell me and my employees that the reason they chose our business today is because we are locally owned - and they appreciate that!"

Sustainable Connections recently surveyed their community and business members to measure the effect of their Local First campaign. Ninety-seven percent of participating businesses said they would recommend being part of such a campaign to other businesses in their industry. Three in five Bellingham households reported that they had significantly shifted their buying habits toward locally owned businesses as a result of the Local First campaign.

Local Government
Diverse and numerous small and independent businesses provide a stable tax base and generally require less costly infrastructure and public services, thereby providing a good return on investment to local governments.

In Washington State, local governments do not have the autonomy to choose local vendors unless they are the lowest bidder. After the Sustainable Connections campaign, the county executive worked with the local state representative to introduce legislation that would permit local governments to choose locally owned businesses where there is a 5% or less difference in price. The county executive said it was a simple matter of common economic sense - why pay $100 less for a vehicle from another place and miss out on taxes from the local sale?

Community Members
A Local First campaign can have a tremendous positive impact, with community residents being the greatest beneficiaries. When there is a conscious effort to support local businesses, residents of a community get the products and services they want in a geographically convenient area. They also have more stable local employment. Numerous small and independent businesses provide a strong tax base that can support public projects, schools, and cultural activities, enhancing the quality of life in a community. Community and non-profit organizations benefit from the financial, in-kind, and volunteer support of local businesses. A Local First program can also positively affect the local environment. Less sprawl and habitat loss on the outskirts of town and less air pollution from big trucks can help protect and preserve the local ecosystem.

From a letter to the editor of the Bellingham Herald from a community member who was impressed with the Sustainable Connections Think Local First campaign: "My wife and I recently moved to Bellingham from CA...We have been very impressed with the buy local campaign. It has influenced our shopping patterns and choices. We went to locally owned furniture stores for furnishing our new home. We shopped at local grocery stores, which also provided insights into the many local meat, fish, dairy and produce sources in Whatcom County... Programs like this buy local campaign can influence newcomers to become contributors to the local economy much more quickly than would otherwise be the case."