Can we plug the leaks in the local economy?

Perhaps the simplest and most foolproof way to build wealth in the region is to keep more dollars circulating in the local economy. Every dollar spent in locally owned stores or for locally produced goods and services has a beneficial multiplier effect far beyond a dollar that immediately flows out of the region. 

This section will cover the efforts to support local businesses and to study how our dollars are flowing in and out of the local economy. Two priority areas will be energy and food — necessities that drain billions of dollars out of Northeast Ohio each year (thus this section will have a lot of links to the Energy and Food sections of the site where we will cover regional energy and food systems). 

Local resources
BuyNEO (IT services)
Cleveland Originals
FutureHeights: HeightsShops program 
ibuyneo.com of COSE
Northern Ohio Minority Business Council

National resources
The Hometown Advantage
Rocky Mountain Institute Economic Renewal Program
Think Local First (Portland)