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Nonprofit Spotlight | September 2018 | Louisville Independent Business Alliance

This special feature showcases 1si’s nonprofit members. Spotlighting members from across the community, 1si’s NonProfit Member Spotlight reflects the variety of our membership. If you would like to be featured in this section, please contact Connie Mudd via email at ConnieM@1si.org.

Please use 300 words or less to describe your agency and your impact in the community.

Agency Mission Statement or Description:

The mission of the Louisville Independent Business Alliance (LIBA) is to preserve the unique community character of the Metro Louisville area by promoting locally-owned, independent businesses and to educate citizens on the value of purchasing locally. In order to pursue LIBA's mission, the organization focusses on:

• Informing citizens of the value provided by locally owned businesses, including their importance to the local economy, culture, and social fabric. The goal is to encourage area residents to view themselves as citizens -- as members of a community rather than merely as consumers.
• Offering group branding, promotion and advertising to LIBA members to elevate the individual and collective profiles of locally owned businesses in order to provide marketing and exposure advantages chains routinely enjoy.
• Creating strong relationships with local government and media in order to inform local decision-making and give voice to the locally owned independent business community, and to promote policies that support community-rooted enterprises.

A study of Louisville-area businesses shows that for every $100 spent a locally-owned, independent business, $55 is reinvested locally, whereas only $14 is reinvested when that same money is spent at a national chain. The results are even stronger for restaurants.

According to the 2007 Economic Census, Jefferson County produces annual retail store sales across all lines of goods (excluding motor vehicles and gas stations) of roughly $10 billion. Assuming this survey provides a representative sample of area independent retailers, a market shift of just 10% from chains to independents would retain an additional $416 million in the regional economy every year.

Year established: 2005

Counties/regions serviced: Jefferson, Bullitt, Henry, Meade, Nelson, Oldham, Spencer, Shelby and Trimble in Kentucky, and Clark, Floyd, Harrison, and Washington counties in Indiana.

Focus areas: see above

Impact in community: see above

Volunteer Opportunities: From committees to one-time events to administrative tasks, we have a variety of volunteer opportunities.

How 1si members can help your organization: Everyone can help by buying from locally owned, independent businesses. And if you’re an independent business owner, become a member!