6. To have community-produced energy:
More solar panels on our rooftops. Everyone should be able to invest in solar panels for their homes, apartments and office buildings. The ability to invest our money into solar energy projects is paramount, and our friends at Mosaic are experts in doing both of those things.

Billy Parish, Mosaic: Mainstage speaker

7. To live and work in harmony with the natural world:
There are countless innovations that are inspired by nature. Economic systems can be designed like living systems in which there is no waste, but rather every output becomes a nutrient to another subsystem. Janine Benyus is the expert!
Janine Benyus, The Biomimicry Institute: Vision speaker

8.To adopt a “Buy Local First” purchasing initiatives:
Communities can thrive by thinking “Local First” in every aspect of their purchasing. Alignment of their economic development policies and buying from local sources keeps money in the community. We know there may not be a local option for everything (all you caffeine junkies know what I’m talking about), but if we make it easy for hospitals, universities and other local institutions to connect with local producers and providers, there will be greater impact. These people are all doing it!
Stacy Mitchell, Institute for Local Self-Reliance: Towards a Localist Policy Agenda
Matt Raker, AdvantageWest: Economic Development and Community Capital
Carlos Velasco, Fuerza Local: Local First 2.0

9.To tap into community capital:
We need to unleash local money! We need local banks, investors, and community foundations to drive investment into our local businesses. Many of the most pioneering businesses and farms that are critical to a thriving local economy have the most difficult time gaining access to traditional sources of capital, so we need innovative and relationship-driven solutions for funding. Hear from the people on the ground.
Don Schaffer, RSF Social Finance: Integrated Capital and Connections
Michael Shuman, Cutting Edge Capital: Rethinking Investment
Dawn McGee, Goodworks Ventures: Rethinking Investment
Paul Hogan, John R. Oishei Foundation: Community Foundations and Grassroots Funders

10.To connect leaders and spread solutions:
There will be hundreds of local business networks, incubators, hubs, and people to learn from in your community, so connecting people in meaningful ways to share ideas and spread innovation is key to our learning and momentum. Let’s talk openly about what worked and what didn’t. Create gathering spaces that bring people together and foster collective work at all levels. We are better together! These two dynamic women are making it happen.
Deborah Frieze, The Berkana Institute: Cultivating Leadership for Localism
Angie Hawk Maiden, ACENet: Economic Development and Community Capital

(1-5 are found here in this earlier post)
Learn more at BALLE’s 2013 conference, held in Buffalo NY this year:
http://bealocalist.org/2013-balle-conferenceBALLE 2013