Mission & History

Our Mission:

To cultivate our living economy of independent, uniquely local businesses and farms through community advocacy, consumer education and business promotion.

Our Vision:

To be an integral part of a global web of living economies creating economic prosperity, enhancing social equity, honoring cultural diversity and regenerating the life support systems of nature.

• Business Promotion

We promote local-unique independent businesses for greater community visibility and customer loyalty. We build a common voice with them, help them build their expertise and capacity, and encourage sustainable connections among them. And we work to uncover business opportunities and needs that can be filled locally.

• Consumer Education

We make finding and supporting independent businesses easy for the consumer. We encourage consumer choice with accessible tools and creative campaigns in both traditional and the new social media. We collaborate with our business members to profile their goods, services, and community participation.

• Community Advocacy

With our partners in local government and civic organizations, we develop projects to focus our shared commitment to sustainable community and quality of life.  We work to engage community members to appreciate their role and responsibilities in our living economy. And we work to identify opportunities to integrate community and economic development.

VISION BOOKLET – Fall 2010

Our Story:

September 2006: Launched the first Be Local Coupon Book and Eat Local Food Map as a project of Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living Association (RMSLA)

December 2006: Initial collaboration with Northern Colorado Food Incubator (NCFI which started in 2004), co-hosting the first Winter Community Market and partnering with National Center for Craftsmanship

Spring 2007:

• Affiliated with the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies
• Started “Uniquely Fort Collins” partnership with City of Fort Collins’ Economic Health program

Fall 2007:

• Hosted Michael Shuman, author of Going Local: Creating Self-Reliant Communities in a Global Age and The Small-Mart Revolution
• Published Be Local Coupon Book #2
• Established Founding Steering Committee for Business Network
• Hosted Be Local Day on CSU Campus
• Held Harvest and Holiday Community Markets
• Created first drawing of year-round, permanent Community Marketplace

Spring 2008:

• Coordinated “Getting Connected” for Food Businesses
• Hired staff to manage Be Local Book
• Created a 501c3 non-profit, community effort as joint effort between Be Local/Living Economy and Northern Colorado Food Incubator
• Joined Community Marketplace Planning Group of Downtown Development Authority (DDA)

Fall 2008:

• Published Be Local Coupon Book #3
• Held Harvest and Holiday Community Markets
• Debuted our film: Eat Local-Grow Local — Taking Root in Northern CO
• Hired staff to work with Business Network

Spring 2009:

• Held first New Year, Valentine, & Spring Community Markets (Monthly Jan – March)
• Started consulting role with Community Marketplace Project of Downtown Development Authority (DDA)
• Coordinated  ”2nd Annual Getting Connected” for food businesses
• Hosted Doug Hammond, E.D., BALLE-San Francisco
• Holding 2nd Be Local Day on CSU Campus

Fall 2009:

• Experienced 100 % growth in business members and hit business member #200 in Early Sept
• Started the Be Local 20/20 Challenge and Economic Impact Calculator
• Played key role in Programmatic Feasibility Study for Community Marketplace
• Published Be Local Coupon Book #4
• Launched online marketplace  — BeLocalFirst.org
• Hosted first 1/2 day Business Event: Living Economy 2009 – Leading the Way in Challenging Times
• Doubled the number of Winter Farmers’ Markets to twice/month, Nov – March

Spring 2010:

• Opened our first office and hired part-time office manager and business program developer
• Staff now includes 2 full time Co-directors, and 5 associates working 10-30 hours each.
• Bimonthly Winter Farmers’ Markets averaging 1500-2000 people and $22,000 in economic impact each Saturday
• Hosted third annual Getting Connected for Food Businesses
• 20/20 Challenge reached the $1 Million Multiplier mark in mid-February
• Hosted 12-part  radio series on Local Food System on KRFC 88.9  and wrote 12-part newspaper article series on local Farmers for The Coloradoan

….stay tuned!