Vermont Dollars, Vermont Sense: A Handbook for Investors, Businesses, Finance Professionals, and Everybody Else
August 13, 2015
Authors: Michael Shuman and Gwendolyn Hallsmith
A growing local economy movement is putting down roots in the United States and around the world, as people work to strengthen local businesses, promote “buy local” campaigns, and end subsidies and other unfair advantages given to nonlocal businesses. Even in its early stages, local investment is having significant impact. For example, Slow Money, a grassroots group promoting local food investment, has moved $38 million into more than 350 small farms and local food enterprises.
Vermont Dollars, Vermont Sense: A Handbook for Investors, Businesses, Finance Professionals, and Everybody Else by Michael Shuman and Gwendolyn Hallsmith profiles 28 local investment tools for grassroots investors, businesses, finance professionals, and others–with examples of how these ideas are being realized today in Vermont, the state with the strongest local economy movement in the country.
Vermont Dollars, Vermont Sense also makes clear that the local economy movement can and should be significantly larger than it is today, in Vermont and every other state. Using Vermont case studies, it charts the direction that people in every state can follow (future editions will offer specifics on a state-by-state basis).
A project of Post Carbon Institute, Vermonters for a New Economy, Global Community Initiatives, The Public Banking Institute and The Fresh Sound Foundation.
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