What It Means to Be a Member of the Local First Collective

Being a member of the Local First Collective means joining a community of businesses and individuals who believe that a thriving local economy starts with intentional choices. It means choosing to support the makers, service providers, farmers, educators, and entrepreneurs who live and work right here at home — because when they succeed, the entire community succeeds.

Membership is more than a badge. It’s a mindset. It’s a commitment to exhausting local options before exploring alternatives, ensuring that every dollar spent strengthens the people and businesses that make our hometown unique.

As a member, you:

1. Connect With Like-Minded Local Businesses

You join a network of businesses that share your values — people who understand the importance of keeping money, jobs, and opportunity within the community. These are partners who care about the same things you do: local growth, local pride, and local resilience.

2. Support a Local-First Economy

You actively choose to “look local first” in everything your business does — sourcing materials, hiring talent, collaborating on projects, and making purchasing decisions. You become part of a collective movement dedicated to reducing dependency on distant suppliers and building stronger regional relationships.

3. Strengthen Your Community’s Identity

Your membership affirms that local businesses are the heart of any town or city. They shape the culture, character, and flavor of the place we call home. By committing to a Local-First approach, you help preserve that identity and invest in its future.

4. Use the Collective as a Resource

The Local First Collective exists to help you succeed using local resources. Members share referrals, expertise, knowledge, products, and opportunities. Before you go outside the community, the Collective is here to help you find what you need from someone nearby.

5. Show Your Commitment to Responsible Growth

Supporting local is more than a trend — it’s a responsible approach to sustainable economic development. Members demonstrate leadership by understanding that building local wealth has a measurable, positive impact on everyone around them.

6. Join a Movement That Puts Community First

This is bigger than business. The Collective represents a movement toward self-reliance, fairness, and mutual support. It’s about choosing community over convenience and understanding that small shifts in purchasing habits create real, lasting change.