Building Local Economies

Listen: The Cost of Dominant Food Delivery Apps

Luke Gannon

May 25, 2022

Kennedy Smith joined The Morning Show on Wisconsin Public Radio to talk about how the largest, Wall-Street-fueled delivery apps are using their market power to extract ever-increasing profits from restaurants.READ MORE

Report: Small Business's Big Moment

Kennedy Smith

January 24, 2022

One of the biggest challenges facing America’s towns and cities is leveling the playing field for small businesses. Our new report shows how civic leaders can use the American Rescue Plan to do just that, which will provide communities and local economies with lasting benefits for decades to come.READ MORE

Watch Now: Small Business's Big Moment

Kennedy Smith

January 20, 2022

On February 10th, 2022, ILSR and Main Street America hosted a conversation about how communities can use some of their federal American Rescue Plan Act allocations to support small business growth and development. The webinar was based on a new report by ILSR that outlines a dozen ideas for using American Rescue Plan Act money to cultivate and support small businesses.READ MORE

Watch: New Wave of Federal Recovery Funds Can Rebuild Main Street

Susan Holmberg

September 13, 2021

At the Future Cities conference, ILSR Senior Researcher Kennedy Smith moderated a panel discussion about how cities can leverage federal recovery funds to revitalize their commercial districts, create more small businesses, and reduce racial and economic inequality.READ MORE

Main Street's Missing Ingredient: Small Scale Manufacturing — Episode 133 of Building Local Power

Jess Del Fiacco

August 19, 2021

Host Jess Del Fiacco, ILSR Co-Director Stacy Mitchell, and Senior Researcher Kennedy Smith are joined by Ilana Preuss, the founder of Recast City, a firm that works with city officials and local leaders to integrate space for small manufacturers into placed-based development projects.READ MORE

In Governing: New Opportunities for Cities to Create Affordable Space for Small Business

Kennedy Smith

July 28, 2021

In Governing, ILSR Senior Researcher Kennedy Smith and Santa Cruz County Supervisor Ryan Coonerty examine how cities and towns can create affordable space for local businesses and foster a built environment that supports entrepreneurship.READ MORE

Special Delivery: Our Report Shows How Local Delivery Services are Superior to the Big Apps

Kennedy Smith

May 25, 2021

Unlike the predatory Wall Street-backed apps, local delivery services charge lower fees, support restaurants, keep wealth in the community, and demonstrate that when it comes to food delivery, local delivery models are better and more efficient.READ MORE

Keeping NYC Land Out of Corporate Hands — Episode 118 of Building Local Power

Jess Del Fiacco

March 21, 2021

Host Jess Del Fiacco and ILSR Co-Director Stacy Mitchell are joined by Brad Lander, who represents Brooklyn's 39th District on the New York City Council. Brad shares his perspective on how the pandemic has affected NYC neighborhoods.READ MORE

Kennedy Smith talks to Mayors about How to Help Small Business

Kennedy Smith

November 30, 2020

ILSR Senior Researcher Kennedy Smith talked to the Mayors' Institute on City Design about how to help Main Street businesses survive the pandemic.READ MORE

Policy Brief: Local and State Governments Have Marshalled $9.27 Billion for Small Business Relief

Kennedy Smith

October 19, 2020

Our research has found that cities, counties, states, and community organizations have established more than 800 programs to provide financial assistance to small businesses in the wake of the pandemic. These programs have deployed more than $9.27 billion in grants and loans. Yet the funds are running out. Congress should address the unprecedented crisis facing small business by quickly providing the resources local governments need to do this important work.READ MORE

On WBEZ's Reset: How Can We Protect Small Businesses During The Pandemic?

Jordan Ashby

September 30, 2020

On WBEZ, Kennedy Smith discusses the state of small businesses during this pandemic and the role that state and local governments need to play in supporting them.READ MORE

Report: 26 Actions Local Leaders Can Take to Help Small Businesses Weather the Pandemic

Kennedy Smith

July 29, 2020

ILSR's latest report describes 26 actions that community leaders — including local governments, local business groups, nonprofit organizations, business improvement districts, and other entities — can adopt to help small businesses weather the crisis.READ MORE

Biting Back: Delivery Apps are Gobbling Up Restaurant Revenues, and Cities Have Had Enough

Kennedy Smith

May 29, 2020

Wall Street-funded delivery services are taking a huge bite out of restaurants' meager revenues. Restaurant owners are desperate and furious — and cities are pushing back.READ MORE

How Cities and States Are Stepping up to Help Small Businesses in Crisis (Episode 101)

Jess Del Fiacco

May 28, 2020

Host Jess Del Fiacco talks with Kennedy Smith, Senior Researcher with ILSR's Independent Business initiative, about efforts at the state and local level to support small businesses affected by the pandemic.READ MORE

Our Big List of Covid-19 Assistance Programs

Kennedy Smith

May 26, 2020

We are building an ongoing list of grant and loan programs that can help small, locally owned businesses weather the COVID-19 pandemic.READ MORE

Share our Infographic on How To Help Local Businesses Weather Covid-19

Kennedy Smith

April 13, 2020

Print this and post it around town, and share it on social media. We can all do our part to help support small businesses weather the Covid-19 pandemic.READ MORE

How State and Local Governments Can Help Small Businesses During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Kennedy Smith

April 8, 2020

Cities and states must help support businesses and working families, especially until the federal response meets the scope of the COVID-19 crisis. In some places, that’s already happening. Here are the steps local and state governments have taken so far to shelter small businesses from the virus’s vast economic turmoil.READ MORE

Local Businesses Need Your Support During Covid-19. Here's How.

Kennedy Smith

April 3, 2020

The coronavirus pandemic has created an existential crisis for America’s small, locally owned businesses, which are the backbone of the nation’s economy. Here are some things you can do.READ MORE

In American Prospect: The Imminent Small-Business Collapse and What Can be Done to Stop It

Stacy Mitchell

March 23, 2020

In the American Prospect, ILSR's Co-Director Stacy Mitchell explains the unprecedented economic crisis that small businesses are now confronting, particularly if the federal government doesn't respond promptly and comprehensively.READ MORE

What the Federal Government Needs to Do to Enable Small Businesses to Survive the Coronavirus Crisis

Stacy Mitchell

March 19, 2020

The Institute for Local Self-Reliance — together with more than a dozen national and local small business organizations — have put forward a proposal for how the federal government should help small businesses survive this crisis. We expect to refine this plan as things develop.READ MORE