The Portland Buy Local campaign was launched in July 2006 by a group of about twenty Portland business owners and citizens. After receiving a very enthusiastic response from both businesses and residents, that initial working group decided to incorporate the Portland Independent Business and Community Alliance (PIBCA) in September 2006 and form the organization's first Board of Directors and Advisory Board.

PIBCA's mission is to support locally owned, independent businesses in Portland, to maintain our unique community character, provide continuing opportunities for entrepreneurs, build community economic strength, and prevent the displacement of community-based businesses by national and global chains.

Our three focus areas are:

• Informing citizens of the values provided by community-based businesses and their importance to the local economy, culture and social fabric.
• Group branding, promotion and advertising to elevate the collective profile of our community-based businesses and bring to them some of the advantages chains enjoy.
• Creating strong relationships with local government and the media to inform local decision-making and give a voice to the locally owned independent business community.

Our activities include the Portland Buy Local Campaign, facilitating regular networking and educational events with our members, promoting an annual Holiday campaign, and maintaining an online business directory.

To date, over 150 businesses have joined the campaign, displaying Portland Buy Local window decals, posters, countertop thank-you cards, tee-shirts, bumper stickers, and other educational materials in their businesses, as well as incorporating the Buy Local logo in their own marketing and advertising. Portland Buy Local has been featured in numerous news articles, and on a variety of radio and television shows, giving us an opportunity to bring our message to a wide audience.

Although we support independent businesses throughout Maine, because of our limited resources and capacity, the Portland Buy Local Campaign is exclusively focused on businesses located in the city of Portland. Proprietors of businesses located elsewhere are encouraged to contact us to learn more about this initiative and how they can start similar campaigns in their area.

To participate in Portland Buy Local and be included in the online directory, a business or organization must be locally owned and independent. We define these terms as follows:

"Locally owned" means the business is privately held and the owner or the majority of the owners are Maine residents and live within 50 miles of Portland at least half of the year. This includes employee- and cooperatively owned businesses, as well as nonprofits, but not government units. The business must be registered in Maine with no corporate headquarters outside of the state.

"Independent" means the owner or owners have full decision-making authority over the business, and the business has no more than 10 outlets, with the majority located in Maine.

People often ask us if we are against chain stores. The Portland Buy Local campaign was not formed in response to any specific store opening or retail development. Rather, it seeks to educate consumers about the benefits of locally owned, independent businesses, and to inspire shoppers to support them. Part of that effort sometimes involves pointing out the negative impacts corporate chain or "big box" retailers have on our local economy and community, but this campaign is committed to keeping its overall message and focus positive.

PIBCA is an affiliate of the American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA), a 501c3 organization that helps people start and sustain Independent Business Alliances (IBAs). (PIBCA is one of over 30 IBAs in North America.) It also serves as our fiscal sponsor for charitable donations and grants.

PIBCA is an all-volunteer effort led by a Board of Directors and an Advisory Board:

Board of Directors:
Carole Ansheles
Chris Busby, The Bollard
Bill Duggan (President), Videoport
Stuart Gersen, Longfellow Books
Judy Halpert (Treasurer), Movies on Exchange
Nancy Lawrence, Portmanteau
Joan Leitzer
Mary Allen Lindemann, Coffee By Design
Stacy Mitchell (Vice President), Institute for Local Self-Reliance
Allan Schmid, Books, Etc.
Sally Struever, Port City Studios
Susan Tran (Secretary), Tsunami Tattoo/Maine Public Broadcasting

Advisory Board:
Jan Beitzer, Portland's Downtown District
Elise Loschiavo, Portland's Downtown District

Standing Committees:
Executive Committee, Bill Duggan, Chair
Finance Committee, Judy Halpert, Chair
Membership Committee, Stuart Gersen and Sally Struever, Co-Chairs
Marketing/Education Committee, Chris Busby, Chair