Local First
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersGrand Rapids, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Local First firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Local First
- Legal name
- People First Economy
- Website
- https://localfirst.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Local First is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Grand Rapids
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Local First business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Local First generates revenue through tiered membership fees based on business size (employee count). Membership provides directory listing, networking events, educational programming, promotional opportunities, and access to the member hub.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Entrepreneur (1-3 Employees): $195/year or $16.25/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Neighborhood (4-12 Employees): $295/year or $24.59/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Small (13-50 Employees): $450/year or $37.50/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Medium (51-125 Employees): $695/year or $57.92/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Large (126+ Employees): $950/year or $79.17/month |
| Subscription | Annual | Pay What You Can: Variable pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Local First product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Local First operates a tiered membership-based coalition for locally-owned businesses in West Michigan, providing directory listing, networking events, educational workshops, promotional opportunities, and advocacy through its parent People First Economy. Members pay annual or monthly fees scaled by employee count (from $16.25/month for 1-3 employees to $79.17/month for 126+ employees), with a Pay What You Can scholarship option. The coalition also maintains a public-facing online directory that connects consumers to local businesses.
Product overview
Local First is a West Michigan program of People First Economy that operates as a community coalition rather than a software product. It advances a locally owned economy through a portfolio of programs including the Local First Coalition (membership program with tiered pricing based on business size), the Local First Directory (online business directory), Good For Michigan (B Corp certification support), People First Policy (advocacy), Local First Workshops (educational programming), People First Reflections (content platform), PFE Podcast, Capital Readiness Initiative, and People First Business Network. The organization focuses on building local wealth, strengthening social connections, supporting environmental harmony, and nurturing vibrant community life.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Local First Coalition Membership
Quantifiable outcome
- 68% of money spent at locally-owned businesses stays in the community
Companies that use Local First
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Local First technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Local First partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- B LabcoreLocal First began collaborating with B Lab, the global organization overseeing B Corp certification, in 2012. The partnership created shortened versions of the B Impact Assessment and launched initiatives like MyGRCityPoints with the City of Grand Rapids. Good For Michigan is Michigan's designated B Local.
- Lakeshore Independent Business Alliance (LIBA)coreLocal First merged with LIBA in 2012, expanding its reach to the Lakeshore area of West Michigan.
- Southeast Michigan Sustainable Business ForumminorMerged with People First Economy in 2023, expanding the organization's geographic reach.
- 1% for the PlanetcorePeople First Economy is a 1% for the Planet Environmental Partner, working for the benefit of people and the environment. The partnership provides a globally recognized platform for environmental giving.
- Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)coreMEDC supports the Good For Supply Chain Award, a collaboration between Good For Michigan and Pure Michigan Business Connect to help diversify and strengthen Michigan business supply chains.
- Pure Michigan Business Connect (PMBC)minorPMBC delivers services to help diversify and strengthen the supply chain of Michigan businesses, collaborating on the Good For Supply Chain Award.
- CommonplaceminorPartnered with Commonplace to create the Good For Traverse City Cohort, helping companies in Traverse City measure their impacts and implement global best practices.
- Northern InitiativescoreA Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that provides loans and technical assistance to underserved populations. Northern Initiatives works with local entrepreneurs including those in People First Economy's programming.
- Michigan Economic Development CorporationcoreSamuel Sedlecky represents MEDC on the board. MEDC supports Local First Workshops through funding.
- Local Financial InstitutionsminorDuring Move Your Money Month, People First Economy partners with local banks and credit unions (Lake Michigan Credit Union, Bloom Credit Union, West Michigan Community Bank, Consumers Credit Union, United Bank) to promote local banking.
- City of Grand RapidscoreCollaborated with the City of Grand Rapids to launch MyGRCityPoints and other initiatives promoting local ownership.
- Michigan Center for Employee OwnershipminorPartnered with MCEOs Roy Messing to present workshops on employee ownership models and succession planning for local businesses.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Local First competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE): Network of local business leaders building equitable local economies, directly comparable in connecting local businesses and supporting community-rooted economic development.
- Independent We Stand: National movement promoting independently owned businesses through directory listings and consumer awareness campaigns, sharing Local First's mission and member-driven go-to-market motion.
- Institute for Local Self-Reliance: National research and advocacy organization promoting local economies and community ownership, aligned with Local First's policy advocacy and evidence-based local economy work.
- American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA): National federation that supports and connects independent local business alliances across the U.S. directly comparable to Local First's coalition-of-local-businesses model with directory and networking focus.
- Main Street America: National nonprofit focused on downtown and commercial district revitalization through local business support, comparable in its mission of preserving locally-owned economic ecosystems.
- Local First Arizona: Statewide coalition in Arizona promoting locally-owned businesses through tiered membership and a public directory, with a near-identical business model to Local First West Michigan.
Emerging players
- Small Business Majority: Small business advocacy organization focused on national policy, comparable in serving SMBs but oriented toward federal policy advocacy rather than local coalition and directory building.
Others
- B Lab: Global nonprofit overseeing B Corp certification that Local First partners with through Good For Michigan; adjacent in the local and sustainable business ecosystem but focused on certification rather than coalition building.
- Civic Economics: Economic research and consulting firm specializing in local economy impact studies (including the 68% local-recirculation statistic Local First uses), adjacent to Local First's evidence-based advocacy work.
- American Booksellers Association: Trade association for independent bookstores using membership, advocacy, and education to support local independent businesses, a comparable trade-association model applied to a specific retail vertical.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Local First social profiles
Digital presenceLocal First compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Local First financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Local First leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Local First funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Local First M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Local First
What does Local First do?
Local First operates a tiered membership-based coalition for locally-owned businesses in West Michigan, providing directory listing, networking events, educational workshops, promotional opportunities, and advocacy through its parent People First Economy. Members pay annual or monthly fees scaled by employee count (from $16.25/month for 1-3 employees to $79.17/month for 126+ employees), with a Pay What You Can scholarship option. The coalition also maintains a public-facing online directory that connects consumers to local businesses.
Is Local First a public or private company?
Local First is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Local First founded?
Local First was founded in 2003. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Local First based?
Local First is headquartered in Grand Rapids, United States, in the North America region.
How does Local First make money?
One revenue line is on record: membership Fees.
Who are Local First's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE), Independent We Stand, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA), Main Street America and Local First Arizona. Small Business Majority is listed as an emerging player. Others are B Lab, Civic Economics and American Booksellers Association.
Does Local First have an API?
No public API is recorded for Local First.