Local First engages businesses, organizations, and citizens to strengthen our local economy.
Recognizing that regional prosperity grows from communities actively building economies that strengthen and sustain the places we love —
we work to promote, encourage, and support our local businesses & economy.
Support the Local Businesses & Organizations You Love!
Give to TLC Crowdfunding Campaigns
Give to individual businesses, buy gift cards, and more!
Upper Valley businesses are suffering and we need to be there for them now, so that they’ll be here for us after this crisis.
Keep your dollars here while staying safe! Order take-out or eat al fresco, open an account at a local bank, buy gift cards to your favorite places, eat local and buy direct from farmers with an online store or visit a farmers market, keep your local subscriptions/memberships
Support local businesses! Give to your favorite businesses and organizations through TLC 4WARD, or contribute to a restaturant employee fund or virtual tip jar.
Upper Valley businesses are suffering and we need to be there for them now, so that they’ll be here for us after this crisis.
Keep your dollars here! Order take-out, buy gift cards to your favorite places, eat local and buy direct from farmers with a CSA or visit a farmers market, keep your local subscriptions/memberships, open an account at a local bank
Donate to local businesses! Give to your favorite businesses through TLC 4WARD, or contribute to a restaturant employee fund or virtual tip jar.
Find Open Local Businesses and Farms. Search the Vital Communities Guide.
TLC/4WARD Upper Valley
Funding for this project is made possible in part with a Rural Business Development Grant from USDA Rural Development.
You know your favorite business that you call when you need expert advice, a special order, or a raffle donation?
They need you.
TLC 4WARD Upper Valley is a crowdfunding platform that empowers individuals to invest in our local economy by giving to the local businesses and organizations that are our friends & neighbors and the backbone of our regional economy.
Share whatever you can to help the businesses that create stable jobs, enhance our community character, and generously give back to our community survive the pandemic emergency.
Take advantage of the resources and projects that can help your business and our economy on the long road to recovery. Local First has a new, more inclusive, membership model, so join us as we work together for an Upper Valley economy that is more local, fair, and green!
Keeping dollars in our economy is the key to community resilience and by joining Local First, you are letting your customers know that they are choosing to support our economy and community when they shop.
The Local Crowd Upper Valley (TLC Upper Valley) is a collaboration of regional economic development and community building supporters working together to cultivate a stronger ecosystem of investors, service providers, and local economy champions to provide access to capital to both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors throughout the region.
By leveraging the power of crowdfunding, TLC Upper Valley’s fundraising platform will help start-up ventures, early-growth stage companies, and community-based projects find access to capital.
Shift Your Shopping and Gift Thoughtfully This Season!
The mission of the Shift Your Shopping campaign is to “build a tradition that strengthens local economies, expands local employment, nurtures a sense of community, and provides a more relaxed, fun and rewarding holiday shopping experience.”
Every dollar spent at a local, independent business returns 2-4 times more to be re-spent in the community than a dollar spent at a non-local business. With consumers reporting that they will spend an average $1007 for holiday shopping this year, according to a 2018 National Retail Federation survey, a shift to local purchases represents a significant contribution to local jobs and taxes. Sustained “buy local” campaigns have demonstrated their capacity to shift sizable portions of that spending from chains and remote businesses to local entrepreneurs, according to the Institute for Local Self Reliance. ILSR indexes key local economy studies at https://ilsr.org/.
Locally-owned, independent businesses play a crucial role in creating jobs, strengthening our community cohesion & enhancing local character!
Keep the Upper Valley a great place to live, work, and play and think local first when dining out, banking, hiring professional services, or shopping for anything.
Calling All Locally Owned and Independent UV Retail Stores and Restaurants!
Vital Communities has commissioned an Independent Economic Impact Study t [...]
Do you own an Upper Valley business that is suffering due to the effects of the pandemic and could use a little help from your friends? TLC 4WARD [...]
Do you own an Upper Valley business that is impacted by Covid-19 and could use a little help from your friends? TLC/4WARD is here to help.
Vital Co [...]
Wendell Berry once said that by choosing to support a local business in your community, you're essentially telling that business owner, "I want you to [...]
Get the information you need to move forward with a renewable energy or energy efficiency project in Vermont or New Hampshire. Join Ken Yearman, Rural [...]
Calling all Upper Valley farms and small businesses!
Could your business benefit from professional consulting services to improve your marketing? Wi [...]
Local Investing Success with TLC Upper Valley!
The Local Crowd (TLC) Upper Valley is a locally based crowdfunding platform that empowers individuals [...]
Locally owned businesses are rooted in the Upper Valley and donate time and money every month of the year as they support nonprofits, schools, and co [...]
Every dollar spent at a local, independent business returns 2-4 times more to be re-spent in the community than a dollar spent at a non-local business [...]
1. Move your banking to a community bank or credit union, and invest your money in tangible assets like land, or with organizations like the Cooperative Fund of New England that invest in community control.
2. Rent out a room in your home, or swap space for gardening, child or elder care, or carpentry
Green Circle
King Arthur Flour
LaValley Building Supply
Great Eastern Radio
Valley News
Vital Communities
Promoter
Chippers, Inc.
West Lebanon Feed & Supply
Ledyard National Bank
Sustaining
A.B. Gile Inc.
Fat Hat Clothing
Jake’s Market & Deli / Jake’s Coffee Co.
John Ring CPA
Lyme Green Heat
Nomad Communications
Simple Energy
The Skinny Pancake
Village Green Publishing
Our program is underwritten by these community partners
A study commissioned by Vital Communities finds that, for every dollar they earn, local retailers (like CourierWar of Randolph, above) and restaurants return a share to the local community that’s up to four times as ...more
Just in time for fall and back-to-school, there are some exciting transit updates from both sides of the river!
Tri-Valley Transit (formerly Stagecoach) has a new midday route on the 89er South route. This route connects ...more
Do you need to press the reset/refresh button? Have you spent too much time behind a screen these days? We have a solution! Take our challenge – Quest to Refresh! Complete five or more Quests ...more
A community conversation about increasing resilience through local food production and working lands
Join Vital Communities, Land for Good, and other partners to talk about the working lands that feed and sustain our community in a ...more
School reopening is the big topic right now: how to do it safely, effectively, and efficiently. New requirements for health checks, physical distancing, and reduced bus capacity are likely to create bottlenecks, congestion, and lost ...more
Even with the need for physical distancing and many people working from home, transit and carpooling are available for those who need them. Here is some information on how to use each safely these days.
Riding ...more
We are launching Upper Valley Everyone Eats! Between September 8 and December 18, approximately 2,500 meals from local restaurants will be available weekly across the Upper Valley’s Vermont community meal programs and food pantries. These ...more
Do you hope to do a longer hike before the good weather ends? Do you enjoy a challenge? We have a way for you to attain these goals! Two of our Quests incorporate sections of ...more
Weatherize Webinar with NHSaves
Monday, August 17 at Noon
Did Covid-19 stop your 2020 weatherization plans in their tracks? NOW is the right time to jump back on the weatherize band wagon. Lower energy bills and cozy ...more
Yes...Local as Usual, Safer than Ever.
Pick Your Own strawberry farms opened this past weekend. Get out there and pick the delish! There is nothing like ripe berries. So good. Each berry that comes into season ...more
The Upper Valley berry season typically ranges from late June to early October. In our short, but fruitful season, we can enjoy raspberries and strawberries (although neither are technically real berries), then move into summer ...more
Vital Communities celebrated the graduation of the Leadership Upper Valley Class of 2020 on Wednesday, June 10. This event marked the program’s 14th graduating class, as 31 local leaders completed the 10-month program with a ...more
Over these past few weeks I have experienced waves of anxiety and sadness, and at the same time such gratitude. I can’t imagine going through this crisis in any other part of the world. The ...more
I hope this note finds you all healthy and adjusting to the routines of remote learning and teaching. I know my family and I are starting to feel a rhythm in our days and finding ourselves to be ...more
On March 18, Vital Communities held a webinar featuring five inspiring stories from energy committees across the Upper Valley. Stories included:
Electric charging stations in Bethel
An Upper Valley eBike lending library
Energy saving window ...more
You're Invited!
The 13th Annual Upper Valley Energy Committee Roundtable will be held Tuesday, September 15, 5-8 pm in West Lebanon! This annual gathering of local energy volunteers is open to all, whether you serve on an ...more
Ed. Note: On May 30, Vital Communities honored 12 community leaders who’ve added immeasurably to the vitality of the Upper Valley at its annual Heroes & Leaders Celebration. The following are the event’s keynote remarks ...more
Every spring, Leadership Upper Valley, a program of Vital Communities, hosts the annual Heroes & Leaders Celebration to recognize individuals who make significant contributions to the Upper Valley. In 2019, we are pleased to honor ...more
See a complete listing of all Local First Alliance members!
VITAL COMMUNITIES
