What’s New in the Local Investment Movement: An Annual Report - Local Leaders Roundtable - VIRTUAL EVENT
2025-04-17 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
What’s New in the Local Investment Movement: An Annual Report – Local Leaders Roundtable – VIRTUAL EVENT

Over the past year, The Main Street Journal has published hundreds of stories and dozens of interviews capturing what is new in the local investment movement—not just in the United States but worldwide. There are dramatic developments in the types of funds being created, in the ways communities are using local investment tools, and in proposed new crowdfunding laws. Michael Shuman, the publisher of the MSJ, will provide a look at what’s happened—and what to expect this coming year.
Hosted by the American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA).

Venue
Virtual Event

Starts
Thu Apr 17 2025, 1:00pm EST

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Cincinnati Cooperatives Tour
2025-04-25 13:00 - 15:00
Visit the Co-ops in the Co-op Cincy Network
Curious about our co-ops? Co-op Cincy offers tours! Tickets are free, but donations are appreciated.
The tours are part of our efforts to spread awareness about the co-op business model and how it’s taking off in Cincinnati.
Participants will tour selected co-ops in our network, which includes more than 10 co-op businesses ranging from an energy-efficiency and solar power company to an urban farm. On the tour, they will learn how the co-op model supports family-sustaining jobs, provides ownership opportunities to people from historically marginalized groups, and nurtures businesses accountable to communities.
Learn more about Co-op Cincy.

Friday, April 25, 2025
1:00 PM 3:00 PM

Sustainergy 605 Burns St Cincinnati OH, 45204 United States (map)

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Also held on Friday, May 23, 2025 1:00 PM 3:00 PM. View that Event

Sustainable Finance: Values-Based Investing for Environmental and Financial Health
2025-10-14 07:00 - 10:30 | Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, 2201 Fred Taylor Dr, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States
Oct 14, 2025, 7:15am – 10:45am

Full Details, Agenda and Registration
In-person and virtual
As climate-related risks intensify and federal support for environmental initiatives wanes, the need for sustainable investment has become more urgent than ever. In 2025, the new U.S. administration has rolled back several federal climate policies, including previous investments through the Inflation Reduction Act1, prompting many firms to seek resilience through private capital and pragmatic sustainability strategies. Despite these challenges, the sustainable investment market remains poised for growth.
Sustainable finance offers a powerful response. By aligning capital with climate goals, investors—both individual and institutional—can drive meaningful change while securing long-term returns. According to Morgan Stanley, 88% of investors are interested in portfolios that integrate sustainability, and over half plan to increase their sustainable investments within the year2.
On October 14th, 2025, join the EPN in exploring three key domains of sustainable finance:

Individual investment portfolios: Learn how to align your personal finances with your environmental values.
Institutional-level investing and ESG: Discover how organizations are integrating environmental, social, and governance criteria into their strategies.
Funding sustainability ideas: Understand how innovators can secure private capital to launch and scale climate solutions.

A highlight of the event will be a case study presented by Dr. Steven Quiring, professor of geography at Ohio State, who founded StormImpact, a weather analytics company that helps utilities prepare for extreme storms. StormImpact was recently acquired by Urbint, a national leader in infrastructure resilience3, providing a powerful example of how sustainable finance can turn academic research into real-world impact.

Cost: $25 for professionals; free for students and virtual attendees

Location: Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center and virtually

Contact:
Hallie Stelzle stelzle.2@osu.edu

Full Details, Agenda and Registration

Appalachian Manufacturing Action Plan Summit
2025-10-16 11:00 - 15:00 | Virtual
Thursday, October 16 at 11 am -3 pm ET via Zoom
The culmination of our manufacturing summer series, the Appalachian Manufacturing Action Plan Summit will be a chance to discuss the future of manufacturing in our region and the path to get there. The three hour event will include a variety of sessions to choose from on a range of topics and a larger conversation based around the creation of ReImagine Appalachia’s new Manufacturing Action Plan.
Learn More Agenda & Register
A Free Virtual Event

Shared Sips, Shared Ownership: A Come-and-Go Holiday Happy Hour Cincinnati
2025-12-09 17:00 - 20:00 | Somerset, 139 E McMicken Ave, Cincinnati, 45202, United States
Sharing an event by our friends at Co-op Cincy.

When: Tuesday, December 9th, 5PM to 8PM
Where: Somerset, 139 E McMicken Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Pull up a chair, grab a drink, and meet the people building a more democratic, cooperative economy right here in Cincinnati.
Shared Sips, Shared Ownership is a casual, come-and-go happy hour hosted by Co-op Cincy… no agenda, no formal program, just good conversation and great company.
Think of it as speed-dating a co-op: chat with worker-owners, local entrepreneurs, and community members who are proving that business can be done differently with shared prosperity at the center.
Whether you stay for one round or all evening, you’ll leave inspired by the power of cooperation and connection.
Let them know you can make it (RSVP)
P.S. Bring a friend, a colleague, or someone curious about co-ops, the more, the merrier.
In solidarity,
The Co-op Cincy Team
Founded in 2011, Co-op Cincy nurtures an interconnected network of worker-owned businesses in Greater Cincinnati. Our goal: an economy that works for all. By expanding worker-ownership, we support family-sustaining jobs, provide ownership opportunities to people from historically marginalized groups, and nurture businesses accountable to communities.

Militarization of our Communities: What Business Can Do in Response
2025-12-11 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
A virtual event hosted by our friends at ASBN.

December 11 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

SECURE YOUR SPOT

Charlotte, Portland, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Memphis, Chicago …. Is Your Community Next?
Join us on December 11th, 2025, for a live, online briefing to help business leaders understand the economic and rule of law implications of National Guard deployment and Border Control & ICE actions in their communities. Such activities have a negative impact on a cities’ economic vitality and resident’s sense of security. The Posse Comitatus Act generally prohibits the military from engaging in civilian law enforcement, with few exceptions.
This briefing will provide non-partisan facts and offer insights into how businesses can respond. Speakers include former military leaders experienced in civil-military affairs, business leaders and attorneys.
What you’ll learn:
• The legal authorities under which National Guard troops can be deployed.
What business leaders can expect during a deployment.
Economic impacts on business of militarizing our cities and communities.
Legal options for businesses to respond to ICE actions and how to protect your workforce.
Status of federal and state lawsuits challenging Guard deployments and ICE activities.
Hosts:
American Sustainable Business Network
Horizons Projects
National Security Leaders for America
Secure Growth Initiative
South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce
The West Philadelphia Corridor Collaborative
Speakers:

Steven Dyme, CEO, Flowers for Dreams (Chicago)
Christopher Purdy, President, Chamberlain Network, former Army National Guard
Daniel Schwartz, Advisor, National Security Leaders for America, Senior Counsel, BCLP LLP and former general counsel at the National Security Agency
Jonathan Grode, Managing Partner, Immigration, Green & Spiegel LLP (Philadelphia)

SECURE YOUR SPOT

Additionally, we invite all businesses to Tell Your Story on the Impact of the present Immigration policy, ICE, and National Guard deployment on your business and community.

Constituent Lobbying 101: How to Influence Your Elected Officials
2026-01-29 19:30 - 20:30
7:30 – 8:30pm EST

Virtual event

Join from anywhere

REGISTER

Elected officials need to know the truth about solar: that it provides reliable, locally produced energy and it saves people money. That’s why we want to equip you with the skills and knowledge to share that message with decision makers.

Join us for our Lobbying 101 Training webinar where we will discuss why meeting with your elected officials matters, how you can secure your own meeting and how to make the most out of your time during the meeting.

During this webinar, you will hear insights from: – Ohio State Representative, Tristan Rader – State Policy Campaign Director, Liz Veazey – Organizing Director, Jill Pape – SUN Volunteer, Felipe Munoz

Attend

How to Help Your Local Government Stop Buying from Amazon, Save Money, and Support Local Business
2026-02-13 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Event by Small Business Rising
Fri, Feb 13, 2026, 12:00 PM (Eastern Time)
Virtual Briefing: REGISTER

Join the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) on Friday, February 13th, 2026 for a virtual briefing on Amazon’s growing capture of your local public dollars — and what you can do about it. ILSR’s investigation exposed how Amazon is using dubious contract terms, algorithmic pricing, and other problematic tactics to eliminate competing local suppliers and drive up costs for basic supplies used by cities and school districts.
From how to file a public records request to sharing the rationale for why Amazon harms our communities, this hands-on session is geared for procurement professionals, community advocates, and local/state policymakers. It will provide guidance on the WHY and HOW of shifting your community’s public purchasing to local providers utilizing ILSR’s Citizen Guide: How to Break Up With Amazon.
Virtual Briefing
How to Help Your Local Government Stop Buying from Amazon, Save Money, and Support Local Business
Friday, February 13th, 2026
12pm-1pm ET
Join leading experts, local policymakers, and small businesses to learn:
> How to find out if your local government or school district is buying from Amazon
> How to assess and share the information you get back
> How to propose and advocate for change
> How cities have taken on Amazon and won
MORE INFO + REPORT LINKS

ASBN’s Quarterly Amplifier Meeting
2026-04-14 14:00 - 15:00 | Virtual
Partner event by the American Sustainable Business Network.
Join us on Tuesday, April 14th at 2:00 PM ET for ASBN’s Quarterly Amplifier Meeting, designed to deliver timely policy insights, actionable engagement opportunities, and space for meaningful connection.
Attendees will leave with a clear picture of where policy stands, how ASBN is shaping the conversation, and where their voice can make a difference. Whether you’re newly engaged or deeply involved, this meeting ensures you’re connected to the big picture—and empowered to take part.
What to Expect:

Policy Updates – Key developments across ASBN’s policy platforms
Engagement Opportunities – Concrete ways to take action on current campaigns
Q&A + Networking – A chance to ask questions, share ideas, and join small-group discussions by area of interest

Register For Event

Data Centers 101 and Responsible Development Practices
2026-04-16 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Partner event by ReImagine Appalachia
April 16 at 12 PM noon ET via Zoom
Thursday, April 16 at 12 PM ET via Zoom – The conversation around data centers is buzzing – join us to take a few steps back and learn about the basics – what are they? How do they work? What are aspects that communities need to consider when a potential data center might be coming to their town?

Register here

Pesticides and cancer risk in farming communities
2026-05-07 11:00 - 12:00
Thursday, May 7 • 11 AM – 12 PM EDT
Free. REGISTER
Investigate Midwest will host a free, live virtual panel examining pesticide exposure and cancer risk in agricultural communities, bringing together researchers, a physician, journalists, and lived experience to explore what is known, what remains uncertain, and how these risks are playing out across the Midwest.
Pesticides and cancer risk in farming communities

Resources for local Communities Facing Data Center Development
2026-05-07 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Thursday, May 7, 2026 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET
Policy in our nation has been slow to catch up to the data center boom, however, advocates are working to create guidance to help our communities get up to speed. The scale of data centers presents a huge learning curve for our communities. The following resources from our partners may be helpful in helping communities navigate some of the complexities that stem from data centers.
ReImagine Appalachia will host the third event in our data center webinar series on how community members can get a seat at the table when data center projects come to town.
Thursday, May 7, at noon ET via Zoom – Join us to learn about the resources and levers of influence that are available to local governments and communities to ensure that community benefits are secured in any agreement with project developers.
There’s still time to register here!

Understanding Cash Flow for Funding Approval by OBDC
2026-05-19 11:30 - 12:30 | Ohio Business Development Center (OBDC)
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 – 11:30 AM
Understanding Cash Flow for Funding Approval
Featuring Michael Towns with Adelphi Bank
Learn:
• How lenders evaluate cash flow
• Why cash flow matters more than profit
• How to position your business for funding approval
Join the May 19 session:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/wBaXITz7ReGsOa3MbVwoYw
Both sessions are FREE and held online via Zoom.
These practical conversations are designed to help entrepreneurs, contractors, and small business owners become more funding ready and financially prepared for growth.
We look forward to seeing you online!
Ohio Business Development Center (OBDC)
OHBDC.org

SOLAR USE IT OR LOSE IT: Why Ohio and Appalachia Should Accelerate Solar Projects to Capture Federal Tax Credits
2026-05-21 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
USE IT OR LOSE IT: Why Ohio and Appalachia Should Accelerate Solar Projects to Capture Federal Tax Credits
May 21, 2026, at 12:00 PM ET via Zoom – This webinar will highlight findings from new Keystone Research Center research and companion state fact sheets tracking the rapid growth of solar energy across Appalachia – Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia – and what it will take to keep that momentum going. Free.
Register here
With deadlines shortened under the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA), the window to secure Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tax credits is rapidly narrowing. This session will explain which types of projects across the region can still qualify, share real-world examples of successful solar installations, and outline practical policy recommendations and next steps to maximize remaining federal incentives and sustain solar deployment as federal credits begin to phase down.
