What Think Local First DC does

Think Local First DC (TLFDC) is a 501c3 nonprofit founded in 2006 by the Latino Economic Development Corporation to support local independent businesses in Washington, D.C. through education, advocacy, and connections. The organization operates a tiered membership program (Builder $250, Changemaker $300, Innovator $350, Visionary $600, Community/Nonprofit at 10% off) priced by member business revenue, plus a free Supporter tier for residents. Core programs include the Made In DC certification (170+ enrolled businesses, launched 2012/expanded 2016 with DSLBD), the Living Wage Certification Program (with DSLBD), the annual Local First Awards, the Builder Dinner series, the Employer Advocate quarterly seminars, the Creative Entrepreneur Capital Summit, and COVID-19 technical assistance that secured over $5M in forgivable loans for 70+ small businesses in 2020. The organization operates without proprietary technology — its Local Business Directory is listed as "Coming soon!" — and leverages digital platforms, email newsletters (The Local Buzz), events, and earned media for member engagement.

Revenue is generated through four streams: membership fees (subscription recurring), event sponsorships (Local First Awards and Builder Dinner tiers), individual/corporate donations (PayPal-driven), and DC government grants (notably from DSLBD). Distribution is primarily membership-based with event-driven engagement and channel partnerships (Congressional Bank for disaster relief, CareClix for telemedicine at $9.99/month). TLFDC also holds meaningful regulatory influence: it worked with City Council to pass Made In DC legislation in 2015 and informed the Mayor's Economic Development Strategy Plan in 2017. The organization has 1-10 employees, is governed by a Board led by Raj Aggarwal (President/Co-Founder), and counts Andy Shallal (Busboys and Poets founder) and Nizam Ali (Ben's Chili Bowl) among its board/advisory members, anchoring deep ties to DC's cultural and SMB community.

Name

Think Local First DC

Legal name

Think Local First DC

Website

https://thinklocalfirstdc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Think Local First DC is a 501c3 nonprofit founded in 2006 that supports local independent businesses in Washington, D.C. through education, advocacy, and connections via a tiered membership program, certifications, and community events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees structured by business revenue tiers: Builder (<$250K) at $250/year, Changemaker ($250K-$500K) at $300/year, Innovator ($500K-$1M) at $350/year, Visionary ($1M+) at $600/year, and Community/Nonprofit at 10% off standard rates.
2. Donations: Individual and corporate donations supporting advocacy work for small and local independent businesses in DC.
3. Event Sponsorships: Local First Awards and Builder Dinner events generate sponsorship revenue from corporate sponsors at various tiers (Visionary, Innovator, Localist, Friends).
4. Government Grants: Grants from DC government agencies including Department of Small and Local Business Development for programs like Living Wage Certification.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Think Local First DC is a 501c3 nonprofit membership organization that supports local independent businesses in Washington D.C. through education, advocacy, connections, and public initiatives. It provides a tiered membership program, networking events, signature gatherings (Local First Awards, Builder Dinner, Employer Advocate seminars), the Made In DC program, and resources like crisis technical assistance. Revenue is generated primarily through membership fees, donations, event sponsorships, and government grants.

Product overview

Think Local First DC is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of programs and services to support local independent businesses in Washington D.C. Its core offerings include a Local Business Directory for discovery, a tiered Business Membership Program (Builder, Changemaker, Innovator, Visionary, Community/Nonprofit) providing training and technical assistance, the annual Local First Awards ceremony, various events (Employer Advocate seminars, Builder Dinner, Creative Entrepreneur Capital Summit), the Made In DC program for local manufacturers, and the Living Wage Certification Program. The organization also provided COVID-19 technical assistance securing over $5M in loans for local businesses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Membership Program A tiered membership program for local independent businesses in Washington D.C. based on annual gross revenue, offering training, technical assistance, resources, connections to other local businesses, member events, telemedicine benefits, and access to The Local Buzz newsletter. Tiers include Builder (<$250K), Changemaker ($250K-$500K), Innovator ($500K-$1M), Visionary ($1M+), and Community/Nonprofit (10% off).
• Local Business Directory A directory of local businesses in Washington D.C. that allows users to search and discover local establishments by category including Eat & Drink, Services, Made In DC, Co-Ops, Banks & Lenders, B-Corps, Women-owned, and Green America.
• Local First Awards An annual celebration of local independent businesses, entrepreneurs, and artists who give back to the community. Awards include categories such as Builder, Community Champion, DC Maker, Green Thumb, High Road, Pioneer, Ripple Effect, and Trailblazer.
• Made In DC Program A program launched in partnership with the DC Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) to support businesses that produce locally-made products. Has enrolled and supported over 170 businesses in Washington D.C.
• Living Wage Certification Program A certification program for employers that meet living wage requirements, established in partnership with the DC Department of Small and Local Business Development.
• Events Program A portfolio of events including The Employer Advocate seminars, Builder Dinner series, DCRA In Your Neighborhood sessions, Creative Entrepreneur Capital Summit, Living Wage DC workshops, and Local First Market vendor events, designed to convene DC local business owners and community stakeholders.
• COVID-19 Technical Assistance Technical assistance provided to small local businesses during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, helping 70+ businesses secure over $5M in loans with an average forgivable loan amount of $84k.
• The Local Buzz Newsletter A monthly newsletter providing updates on local business news, events, and member opportunities, distributed to subscribers including job postings and event announcements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Every dollar spent at local businesses generates at least 3x more direct economic impact
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006LEDC formed Think Local First DC in 2006, establishing the organization as a nonprofit dedicated to supporting local independent businesses in DC. LEDC continues as a community partner and finalist in Local First Awards.
• Congressional BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for disaster relief technical assistance, helping member businesses navigate COVID-19 relief programs and loan applications.
• CareClixminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTelemedicine provider partnership offering Think Local First DC members telephone, messaging, and video consultation capabilities on mobile devices for $9.99/month.
• LISC DCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost and sponsor of the Builder Dinner series. LISC DC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation) is a community developer and investor supporting DC communities.
• Industrial BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts Builder Dinners and serves as Masters of Ceremony. Industrial Bank is a community bank focused on revitalizing communities in low and moderate-income areas.
• Washington InformercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-host and Masters of Ceremony for Builder Dinner events. Local newspaper serving DC community.
• City First BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer host of Builder Dinner. Community bank focused on loans for business growth and development in low and moderate-income areas.
• Lee's Flower ShopcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of 2018 Builder Dinner. Family-owned flower shop established 1945 and member of Think Local First DC.
• Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Made In DC program launch in 2016, enrolling 170+ businesses. Also partner for Living Wage Certification Program.
• Busboys and PoetscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder Andy Shallal founded Busboys and Poets. Venue host for DCRA In Your Neighborhood events and 2019 Local First Awards sponsor.
• Green Impact CampaignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in 2015 to provide free energy assessments to local businesses, saving them more than $100k.
• Cureate ConnectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted webinar on local supply chains and procurement, helping businesses scale through anchor institution partnerships.
• District BridgesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for The Employer Advocate seminar series and Ward 1 City Council Candidate Forum.
• Social Art and CulturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-powered Creative Entrepreneur Capital Summit for creative entrepreneurs combining education, networking, and venture capital concepts.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Independent Business Alliance: American Independent Business Alliance is a national nonprofit association that supports and connects local independent-business alliances. It is a broader ecosystem peer because its members include organizations pursuing the same local advocacy and business-retention mission as Think Local First DC.
• Main Street America: Main Street America is a nationwide community-development network focused on strengthening small businesses and local commercial districts. It is broader and more established than Think Local First DC, but overlaps in place-based economic development and local-business advocacy.

Regional players

• Local First Nashville: Local First Nashville advocates for locally owned businesses and helps consumers discover independent companies through a network and directory. The organization is comparable in mission, customer community, and community-led growth model.
• Local First Utah: Local First Utah is a local-economy organization that connects independent businesses, residents, and institutions through membership, events, and education. Its focus on local procurement and community wealth creation parallels Think Local First DC's advocacy work.
• Local First Arizona: Local First Arizona is a nonprofit local-business alliance that supports independent companies through membership, education, events, and local purchasing advocacy. It is highly comparable to Think Local First DC, but operates at a broader statewide and regional level.
• Local First Indy: Local First Indy builds networks among locally owned businesses, consumers, and community leaders through events, promotions, and advocacy. Its focus on strengthening a regional independent-business ecosystem closely overlaps with Think Local First DC.
• Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia: Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia is a membership organization supporting locally owned, sustainable enterprises through events, procurement connections, and business development. It is comparable by customer base, mission, and local-business support services.
• Chicago Independent Business Alliance: The Chicago Independent Business Alliance supports locally owned and independent businesses through advocacy, education, and community engagement. It serves a larger metropolitan market but has a highly similar operating model to Think Local First DC.
• Local First Boulder: Local First Boulder is a member-based organization that advances a vibrant local economy by connecting consumers and independent businesses. Its membership programs, events, and local-business directory are directly comparable to those of Think Local First DC.

Direct peers

• Independent We Stand: Independent We Stand is a national coalition that promotes locally owned independent businesses through public education, campaigns, and a network of local alliances. It closely matches Think Local First DC's mission, membership engagement, and local-economics advocacy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/think-local-first-dc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Think Local First DC