#locavesting

[margaretgifford]

Program Related Investment Benefits Philanthropic Investors and Entrepreneurs

Read my most recent article on local impact investing, with Stacey Faella of the Woodcock Foundation — in Locavesting. 

http://www.locavesting.com/featured/pris-an-underused-funding-tool-for-family-foundations-and-social-enterprises/

[socstock-blog]

On September 25, Jay Finch, Founder & CEO of Socstock, will be presenting at Digital Collaborative's inaugural Cincinnati Crowdfunding and Locavesting Meetup.

Please click to learn more & sign-up (via EnterChange)

[loca-vesting-blog]

A Blog About Community Entrepreneurship and Locavesting

A new practice called “locavesting” also recalls an earlier time, when businesses were founded and funded by local people. Few of us know exactly where our retirement dollars are at a given moment. Electronic trading and global markets has increased the complexity of investing to the point where even the computers have a hard time following the action.

Locavesting introduces small business owners to each other at informal gatherings. Business plans are examined, financial needs are discussed and deals are made.  Now, instead of purchasing timber stocks, where all of the action takes place over the horizon, the locavestor has a small stake in the town lumberyard. The benefit works both ways – the business gets needed capital at a reasonable rate and the investor realizes gains that may be greater than what could be made in the larger market.

In Hawaii, we are coming to terms with our dependency on both imported energy and food - over 90% in each case have been imported. We are starting to make some great progress in switching to local renewable sources using solar and wind resources which are plentiful here. A renaissance in bringing back locally grown food and value added products is also starting. All this is leveraging our very healthy visitor industry with people on vacation being more open to trying new things and appreciating the preciousness of Hawaii’s environment.

CoolProjectsMaui is both telling these stories as they happen and providing behind the scenes insights on the tools that people are using in their ventures or projects. Just as we are inspired by the stories we see and hear over the Internet, in the media, and when we travel; we believe that others will benefit from our stories and maybe end up as customers, suppliers, or locavestors.

A local example of locavesting can be found in Port Townsend, where a group called LION (Local Investment Opportunity Network) is bringing small businesses and small investors together.

[post-carbon]

Strengthening Local Economies: Shuman

Not even 1 percent of Americans' long-term savings are invested locally, largely because it's just not possible under the current system. But what would our towns look like if a larger fraction of this $30 trillion were in local economies? Local businesses account for half of the jobs and economic output in most minority world countries, so the effect could be important. During Orion's latest live web event, Michael Shuman, author of Local Dollars, Local Sense, discussed innovative ways that citizens can improve their local economies while growing their own bank accounts.

Orion

[post-carbon]

Practical paths to a post-carbon lifestyle

This dialogue is a continuation of one started by Drs. Sherry Ackerman and Guy McPherson a few weeks ago on Transition Voice. In that discussion, Ackerman and McPherson laid out some philosophical considerations about the need for a transition to more locally-based economies of human scale along with a deeper reverence for and consideration of the natural world that we share with plants, animals and other natural forms.

In the following discussion, they talk very practically — pragmatically — about how to get there, laying out some of the nuts-and-bolts of preparing for a post-carbon lifestyle.

Transition Voice

[post-carbon]

Counties and parishes with a greater concentration of small, locally-owned businesses have healthier populations - with lower rates of mortality, obesity and diabetes - than do those that rely on large companies with "absentee" owners, according to a national study by sociologists at LSU and Baylor University.

"What stands out about this research is that we often think of the economic benefits and job growth that small business generates, but we don't think of the social benefits to small communities," said Troy C. Blanchard, associate professor of sociology at LSU. "This study highlights not only the economic benefits of small business, but its contributions to health and well-being."

Trust is the Only Currency

[cloudfunded]

Invest in businesses you know and trust. Get Cloud Funded!

Sign up for Beta: http://www.cloudfunded.com

[hcbihighlights]

Interesting read on Locavesting by Fast Company

"What would the world be like if we invested 50% of our assets within 50 miles of where we live? Can you paint that picture for me?" -Amy Cortese, Author of Locavesting: The Revolution in Local Investing and How to Profit From It

Read full article here.