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How to get involved in the Local Living Economies movement
Sign up for our mailing list.
Receive our newsletter and get the latest ideas, resources, and case studies from the front lines of the Living Economies movement, featuring network innovations, guest essays, and relevant news coverage of the living economies movement, plus updates about our conferences and programs. We never sell our list under any circumstances.
Attend a BALLE conference.
We held the 6th annual BALLE conference June 5-7, 2008, in Boston, Massachusetts. It was great! Many attendees report BALLE conferences to be the best conference they have ever attended. Sessions and keynotes from that conference are now available on CDs and DVDs from Fleetwood Multimedia. Sessions and keynotes from our 5th annual conference, held May 31 - June 2, 2007, at the University of California, Berkeley, are available on CDs and DVDs from Conference Recording.com.
Find a network.
See our map and list of networks to find one near you.
Join a network.
An individual or business does not become a member of BALLE itself but of a local BALLE network. Join a local network already established in your region, and work with others to build a sustainable and prosperous community. To find out whether your area already has a BALLE network, check out our Local Networks page.
Start a network.
No local network in your area? Collaborate with other business leaders to form one! Order a hard copy of our information kit on how to start a network at the bottom of our Contact Us page, and receive an invitation to join our free bi-monthly BALLE Basics orientation conference call for people interested in starting new BALLE networks.
Or, download a free PDF of our information kit and click here to sign up for the next BALLE Basics call, on January 15, 2009.
Start a Local First campaign.
Order our comprehensive 90-page manual on how to put on an effective Local First campaign in your area at the bottom of our Contact Us page.
Donate to BALLE.
We are happy to accept one-time or recurring donations through our website or by check, made out to BALLE, 165 11th St., San Francisco, CA 94103. Thank you!
Work for a network.
Local BALLE networks occasionally have positions open for people who are passionate about building Local Living Economies. Check back here for job openings with networks or the BALLE office.
Volunteer for a network.
Local BALLE networks always need good volunteer help, and really appreciate it. Check with your local network or the BALLE office for volunteer slots.
Buy locally.
Here are ten good reasons to shop at locally owned businesses.
Bank locally.
Stashing your cash in a locally owned bank is one more great way to keep money circulating in your local economy and to support your local businesses and community endeavors.
Eat locally.
The average bite of food in the United States travels 1,500 miles from farm to plate. Learn from the locavores how you can cut your "food miles" to save energy, eat seasonally, and support local farmers.
Source locally.
Your business, too, can get in on the act. What does your business buy that you could be sourcing from other independent, locally owned businesses in your community?
Invest locally.
You don't have to invest only in the mega-macro roller-coaster. More and more ways to make solid investments in locally owned independent businesses are emerging with the growth of the local economies movement, from Upstream 21 to Slow Money to RSF Social Finance to the Philadelphia Reinvestment Fund - and more are on the way.
Travel locally.
Wherever you go, you can patronize locally owned and independent businesses - including hotels and resorts - to support your destination's local economy.
