Seeds of Hope

In February of 2016, First Lady Michelle Obama visited ILSR project manager Linda Bilsens’ backyard urban farm to demonstrate the benefit of growing and eating local. The home gardening magazine Clever Root details this visit and the prominence of the White House Kitchen Garden.… Read More

Vote for the White House Kitchen Garden

Date: 31 Oct 2016 | posted in: Composting, waste - composting, Waste to Wealth | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

The newly installed White House Kitchen Garden speaks to an important throughline in American history and could be a profound new symbol of community reuse, wealth and self-reliance, all of which are vital to strengthening local economies across the country.
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FLOTUS Tours ILSR Staff Member’s Backyard Garden

After visiting D.C.-area schools, Mrs. Obama visited the Institute for Local Self-Reliance’s Waste to Wealth initiative Project Manager Linda Bilsens at her home to laud the community garden they have cultivated in their yard.… Read More

Community Broadband Networks Press Packet

Date: 10 Feb 2015 | posted in: MuniNetworks, Press Release | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

At MuniNetworks.org, we provide resources that support local authority for broadband networks that are directly accountable to the communities they serve. As more community leaders realize the economic benefits of faster, more reliable Internet services, they are pursuing local control of connectivity through public ownership, cooperative models, and other nonprofit approaches. The vast majority of community … Read More

ILSR’s Research Serves as Backbone For White House Community Broadband Action

Date: 20 Jan 2015 | posted in: MuniNetworks, Press Release | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Minnesota Organization’s Research Serves as Backbone For White House Community Broadband Action ILSR.org was instrumental in providing information, context and support to the administration ahead of their community broadband announcement this week.   Minneapolis, MN – The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR), a Minnesota-based non-profit organization, has a lot to be proud of today … Read More

National Press Follows President Obama to Cedar Falls, Iowa

Date: 15 Jan 2015 | posted in: Media Coverage, MuniNetworks | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

On January 14th, President Obama visited Cedar Falls, Iowa, to share his strategy to expand high-speed connectivity to more Americans, encourage competition, and galvanize economic development. Obama’s plan centers around community networks and he announced that the next step will be eliminating barriers in 19 states that usurp local authority to invest in publicly owned infrastructure. … Read More

President Obama Speaks Against Barriers to Community Networks

Date: 14 Jan 2015 | posted in: Media Coverage, MuniNetworks | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

When we started to hear rumors that the White House was investigating community owned networks, we were excited but not sure what to expect. I have to admit that seeing President Obama – the President of the United States – saying that Cedar Falls was smart to invest in themselves was much more powerful than I … Read More