Economy
Especially in uncertain times, supporting a diversified local economy makes sense. Serving local needs through local resources means more stable supply chains and a stronger, better-connected community. Over the years, we've found ways to invest in the vitality, sustainability, and diversity of Saint Paul and Minneapolis— starting from the St. Anthony Park neighborhood and working outward— rather than in the stock market or other distant purposes.
With community support, enterprises of all types and sizes are more likely to thrive.
Whether we invest "time, talent, or treasure," these are the values we'd like to instill in our local economy:
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investing in this immediate geographic area and in a low-carbon future everywhere
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supporting businesses that build our climate resilience
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supporting entrepreneurs with earth-friendly ideas; sharing expertise
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finding participation options for people at different stages of life and levels of wealth and income
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investing with an eye to "patient capital" and safeguarding of principal
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partnering with compatible community institutions
Some of our projects: We helped launch the Local Dough Investment Club and the Local Investment Opportunity Network, which both meet quarterly (see below). Many of us are members of Taproot Real Estate Investment Co-op in South St. Anthony Park or the Midway Investment Co-op. We've researched land trusts and land banks, community development corporations, self-directed IRAs and solo 401Ks. Sustainable agriculture interests many of us. We met with the Northfield-based nonprofit Sharing Our Roots, which is restoring land with poultry-based agroforestry. Read our Park Bugle article about it.
Local Investing Meetups
Quarterly get-togethers in the metro area:
Next meeting Tuesday, Feb. 18, 6-8:00 pm
Topic and location TBA
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Have you had enough of bulls and bears... and sharks? Do you want to support Main Street, not Wall Street? To help grow an economy with opportunity for all, we're thinking LION: that's a Local Investing Opportunity Network.
Whether you're an entrepreneur, potential investor, or curious community member, join us at a meetup, often at a venue like a local brewery. We learn about interesting corners of the local economy from guests like these:
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Cody Fischer of Footprint Development: Climate-smart, mid-size, multi-unit housing
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Anthony Taylor of Venture Bikes: Equitable access to biking in the Twin Cities
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Cooperative Energy Futures: collectively owned renewable energy
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Rebecca Blumenshine of Both/And Finance: Adding local investment into any portfolio
​You don't need lots of money to invest in local enterprises. Be a customer or offer creative support: an in-kind gift, your own expertise, or an exchange of services. We're not all lions, either! It takes all kinds: leaders and followers, idea people and detail people... and the serendipity of community.
As a model, we're looking to a LION based in Washington State. Another resource is the UK-based REconomy Project, linking localization efforts around the globe to share what's working where.
​For details, email lion@TransitionASAP.org.
Local Dough
investment club
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The members of this investment club aim to put their money where their values are. Members make monthly contributions, meet quarterly, and share knowledge and research to invest in co-ops and other generative enterprises. Read more in the November 2021 Minnesota Women's Press: "Local Dough: A Values-Based Investment Club."
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Contact Local Dough by email at
local-dough[at]googlegroups.com.
More Resources
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Community investment funds: Funds that collect money from investors and use it to invest to improve the community. When sponsored by a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, such a fund can borrow money from non-accredited investors and invest it to further the nonprofit purposes, as stated in its tax exemption letter. Example: Our Katahdin investments, okinvestments.org.
Local investment networks: Groups organized to learn about local entrepreneurs that need investment capital. By establishing a relationship with a local business through the Network, individuals can make investments directly in that business without being an accredited investor. Example: Fund Milwaukee, fundmilwaukee.com.
C Notes: Small dollar bond-like investments: mycnote.com.
Ours to Own: Small-dollar bond-like investments:
Prepare and Prosper: Twin Cities group that works with low-income people on building emergency funds and financial planning, as well as free tax prep: prepareandprosper.org.
Investing for the Next Economy
We hosted this panel in September 2023 at the Saint Anthony Park library, offering
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a framework for thinking about local and sustainable investing
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ways to invest in renewable energy, and recent changes that make it more possible
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new efforts to foster cooperatively owned real estate in Saint Paul
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Watch the session here. (We suggest turning closed captioning on, since one panelist has a quiet voice.)
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About the panelists
Rebecca Blumenshine is the creator of Both/And Finance, which provides education on the intersection of personal and community finance. She has held jobs in corporate finance, grassroots nonprofit fundraising, and public policy analysis and has master’s degrees in Public Policy and Business Administration.
Jeremy Kalin is lead attorney in the Impact Counsel practice at Avisen Law. He helps leverage the federal Inflation Reduction Act and was recently involved in passing the Minnesota Climate Innovation Finance Authority (our state's version of a Green Bank). He chaired a White House task force on clean energy, climate policy and investment, founded a clean energy financing business, and served in the Minnesota House of Representatives.
Nkuli Shongwe is director of community wealth building at Nexus Community Partners and board vice chair for Taproot Investment Cooperative, which works for community ownership of commercial real estate in the Creative Enterprise Zone: South St. Anthony Park and the west edge of Midway. At Nexus, she supports creation of cooperatively owned BIPOC businesses.
