Introduction
2026 marks the American Independent Business Alliance’s 25th year of growing the local economy movement. We have nurtured dozens of independent business alliances, hundreds of linked nonprofit organizations, and thousands of local changemakers who work every day to strengthen their local economies and communities.
While many organizations are promoting various aspects of the local economy movement, we are mindful of the special importance of local alliances of independent businesses. The American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA) remains a powerful convener of local business networks, enabling them to connect, share best practices, and improve their effectiveness.
We are reaching out to independent business owners, organizations, and leaders aligned with our mission in the hope that you will stand with us and embrace our Declaration of Independent Businesses below. By bringing together millions of independent businesses and their supporters, we will leverage this declaration to catalyze the growth of local economies everywhere.
Our signature represents our commitment to the Local Economy Movement, our fellow independent business owners, and the communities we serve with pride.
We invite you to sign on today!
On this, the 250th anniversary of the United States of America, we, the undersigned, remember that our country was founded by brave independent farmers, shopkeepers, and craftsmen. Independent businesses, core to the Spirit of 1776, fought a revolution to break away from a king, despotic rule, and monarchical monopolies. Today, we face different kinds of despots, ranging from a runaway central government to untethered global corporations. Independent businesses must unite and organize again.
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Why Independent Businesses: We believe in the power of local economies, anchored by strong independent businesses, to serve as the essential building blocks of a better country and a better world. We know that local economies become stronger as they become more self-reliant in basics like food, energy, and water. When more of the economy is owned locally, there are better jobs, higher wages, stronger tax bases, and more entrepreneurship. An economic foundation built on independent businesses can, and has been proven to, achieve more economic justice, greater environmental stewardship, broader equity and inclusion, and stronger democracies.
Innovate Locally, Share Globally: We also have confidence that a world of stronger local economies is one in which more problems can be solved in more places more quickly. Our motto is to innovate locally, share globally. By connecting communities worldwide with one another, we can share solutions, technologies, and successful policies more quickly. A world of more self-reliant communities is one in which we are more likely to meet basic human needs, to live within planetary ecological boundaries, and to coexist with one another without war or violence.
Our Roots: Many leaders, businesses, and organizations have propelled this movement over the past 30 years. In 2001, two dynamic nonprofit business associations were established: American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA) and Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE). Both undertook breakthrough work in educating consumers about the value of buying from and supporting locally owned and independent businesses. Hundreds of cities and tens of thousands of businesses participated. Today, only AMIBA continues to operate. The number of local business networks has declined significantly, and the work of local economies has splintered into hundreds of competing organizations.
Our Vision: We will unite with one million independent businesses all across the United States of America to build strong alliances among each other and simpatico organizations. Together, we will exchange knowledge, institute programs, support local policies, share funding resources, and promote the benefits of shopping locally.
Our signature represents a commitment to the Local Economy Movement, our fellow independent business owners, and the communities we serve with pride.