The Local Crowd (TLC) Monadnock will launch online on Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at noon with two 30-day campaigns focused on supporting sustainable agriculture:
Both campaigns are based in Keene, NH. Individuals can contribute online to either campaign regardless of where they live, inside or outside of the Monadnock Region. Each campaign will offer a limited number of rewards to individuals who give at certain financial levels. For example, Archway Farm offers a Sausage Club to individuals who give $75. Sausage Club members receive one pound of four different kinds of Archway Farm sausages, each featuring an ingredient from a local farm. The first sausage is a Cheddar Smoked Bratwurst made with Stonewall Farm cheese. A kick-off celebration is scheduled at Stonewall Farm on Saturday, March 18, 2017 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The Local Crowd Monadnock Launch Party includes food samples, children's activity stations and hayrides. Members of TLC Monadnock's Leadership Team will attend to answer questions and handout resources. This event is free and open to the public.
Register today
TLC Monadnock is a locally based crowdfunding platform that empowers individuals to support the businesses, organizations and initiatives that grow wealthier and healthier communities in the region. Crowdfunding, or the practice of raising funds to support a project from a large number of people, is a viable alternative to recruiting businesses from outside the region to boost economic activity. This project is part of a two-year research study funded by a USDA Small Business Innovation Research grant to gauge this platform's effectiveness in rural areas. During its pilot phase, TLC Monadnock will only accept campaign proposals from businesses, organizations or community initiatives based in Keene, Chesterfield, Hinsdale, Swanzey or Winchester. TLC Monadnock will give preference to campaigns from these communities that align with their respective city or town's master plan and contribute to a local, green and fair economy. TLC Monadnock is a collaboration of regional economic development organizations working to cultivate a stronger ecosystem of investors, service providers and local economy champions. A team of community leaders from Southwest Region Planning Commission, Monadnock Buy Local, New Hampshire Small Business Development Center, Greater Keene Chamber of Commerce, Monadnock Economic Development Corporation and Hannah Grimes Center manages this crowdfunding platform.
Discover more details and updates or contact Jen Risley at jen@monadnocklocal.org or 603-499-7950.
By Xander Landen, Keene Sentinel
Crowdfunding for and by Monadnock Region businesses is coming next month. Members of several regional economic development organizations are launching The Local Crowd Monadnock — an online platform to raise money for projects proposed by area businesses — in mid-March. Read the entire article: Crowdfunding for the Monadnock Region to arrive in March.
Archway Farm in Keene, NH is excited to announce that they have been selected by The Local Crowd (TLC) Monadnock as one of two crowdfunding campaigns focused on sustainable agriculture. Archway Farm, a small family farm on Arch Street, is dedicated to raising quality local pork. "With the support of our community, we would like to purchase a mobile sausage cart that would allow us to showcase the great tastes of locally grown food directly to our customers," said Mark Florenz, owner of Archway Farm. "Our pork is available at the Monadnock Food Coop in Keene and the North End Butchers in Brattleboro, but we feel a direct connection to customers is critical to our farms sustainability." TLC Monadnock will officially launch online on March 15, 2017 with two campaigns focused on sustainable agriculture: Archway Farm’s “Farm to Table on Wheels” project and Stonewall Farm’s “Barn Raising” project. Supporting sustainable agriculture is a prominent part of Keene’s Comprehensive Master Plan. “TLC Monadnock is about us -- our region, our community -- and the goals we've created around economic development and prosperity,” said Jen Risley, Monadnock Buy Local Executive Director. “We invite everyone to become a campaign supporter -- it doesn’t matter where you live.”
Stonewall Farm in Keene will host The Local Crowd Monadnock’s Launch Party on Saturday, March 18, 2017 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The event includes food samples, children’s activity stations and hayrides. Also, this event is free that is open to the public. Follow Archway Farm on Facebook for updates or contact Mark Florenz at mark.florenz@gmail.com or 603-352-3198.
The Local Crowd Monadnock launched on April 15, 2017!
The Local Crowd (TLC) Monadnock is a locally based crowdfunding platform that’s about us -- our region, our community -- and the goals we've created around economic development and prosperity. Crowdfunding, the practice of sourcing small contributions from a large number of people, is nothing new. In fact, the Statue of Liberty’s base was funded by crowdfunding in 1885. Publisher Joseph Pulitzer launched a fundraising campaign in his newspaper and raised $101, 091 from over 160,000 donors. In today’s world, that would amount to over $2 million! With the advent of the Internet, the power of crowdfunding has increased exponentially. TLC Monadnock brings that power to our community. Once TLC Monadnock launches, you’ll be able to join with your friends and neighbors to support campaigns that inspire you -- by giving any amount of money you feel able and moved to give (from $1 on up!). Some campaigns provide rewards for your support -- a thank you gift for funding their project. TLC Monadnock will officially launch on March 15, 2017 with two campaigns focused on sustainable agriculture: Archway Farm’s “Farm to Table on Wheels” project and Stonewall Farm’s “Barn Raising” project.
Supporting sustainable agriculture is a prominent part of Keene’s Comprehensive Master Plan. Here’s a relevant section of the plan: “Local sources and sustainable agricultural practices can provide us with a high-quality, healthy, affordable and secure supply of food. We should continually seek to help local food producers sell their goods directly to consumers… as well as [support] sustainable food-production methods and education opportunities, linking local food with health, economic development, and land-use and climate-change goals.” TLC Monadnock empowers the crowd to help the City of Keene -- and our community -- reach our Master Plan goals.
Archway Farm, a small family farm on Arch Street in Keene, raises heritage breed pigs. “We think pigs are awesome, and there aren't nearly enough of them in New Hampshire,” said Mark Florenz, owner of Archway Farm. “With the support of our community, we would like to purchase a mobile sausage cart that would allow us to showcase the great tastes of locally grown food directly to our customers.” Mark hopes to bring Archway Farm products, as well as other local producers’ products (like bread and condiments) to the Farmers’ Market of Keene. The cart will also be available to come to your home or place of work to provide lunch for small groups. Learn more about Archway Farm.
The stars of Stonewall Farm’s educational programs -- the sheep, alpacas, goats and chickens -- need a new and safer barn. So, Stonewall Farm is having a barn raising, not only to help build the structure, but to fundraise to cover the costs of designing and constructing the barn. “The new barn will offer interpretive features, encourage visitor interaction with the animals, as well as provide an adequate meeting space for educational programs involving the animals,” shared Julie Davenson, executive director of Stonewall Farm. “For over 27 years, people have been able to use the trails, visit with the animals and learn about agriculture first hand when visiting the farm.” Discover more about Stonewall Farm.
During its two-year pilot phase, TLC Monadnock will launch campaigns that support businesses, organizations and community initiatives based in Keene, Chesterfield, Hinsdale, Swanzey and Winchester. If successful, we’ll expand access to enterprises throughout the region. Any individual can become a supporter (it doesn’t matter where you live) -- this limit is only for campaign creators. TLC Monadnock is a collective effort of the Greater Keene Chamber of Commerce, Southwest Region Planning Commission, New Hampshire Small Business Development Center, Monadnock Buy Local, Hannah Grimes Center and Monadnock Economic Development Corporation. Learn more and sign up for updates from TLC Monadnock. Join the crowd – The Local Crowd Monadnock!
Stonewall Farm in Keene will host The Local Crowd Monadnock’s Launch Party on Saturday, March 18, 2017 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The event includes food samples, children’s activity stations and hayrides. Also, this event is free and open to the public. The Local Crowd (TLC) Monadnock is a locally based crowdfunding platform that empowers individuals to support the businesses, organizations and initiatives that grow wealthier and healthier communities in the region. Crowdfunding, or the practice of raising funds to support a project from a large number of people, is a viable alternative to recruiting businesses from outside the region to boost economic activity. This project is part of a two-year research study funded by a USDA Small Business Innovation Research grant to gauge this platform's effectiveness in rural areas. During its pilot phase, TLC Monadnock will only accept campaign proposals from businesses, organizations or community initiatives based in Keene, Chesterfield, Hinsdale, Swanzey or Winchester. TLC Monadnock will give preference to campaigns from these communities that also align with their respective city or town’s master plan and contribute to a local, green and fair economy. TLC Monadnock will officially launch online on March 15, 2017 with two campaigns focused on sustainable agriculture: Archway Farm’s “Farm to Table on Wheels” project and Stonewall Farm’s “Barn Raising” project. Supporting sustainable agriculture is a prominent part of Keene’s Comprehensive Master Plan. “TLC Monadnock is about us -- our region, our community -- and the goals we've created around economic development and prosperity,” said Jen Risley, Monadnock Buy Local Executive Director. “We invite everyone to become a campaign supporter -- it doesn’t matter where you live.” TLC Monadnock is a collaboration of regional economic development organizations working to cultivate a stronger ecosystem of investors, service providers and local economy champions. A team of community leaders from Southwest Region Planning Commission, Monadnock Buy Local, New Hampshire Small Business Development Center, Greater Keene Chamber of Commerce, Monadnock Economic Development Corporation and Hannah Grimes Center manages this crowdfunding platform. Discover more details and updates at monadnocklocal.org/tlclaunch or contact Jen Risley at jen@monadnocklocal.org or 603-499-7950.
The Local Crowd Monadnock is proud (and inspired) to be part of The Local Crowd -- a group of rural communities across the country who are leveraging the power of crowdfunding to help start-up ventures, early-growth stage companies and community-based projects find access to capital.
Here are a sample of projects that received funding through The Local Crowd -- which of these crowdfunding campaigns resonate most with you in the Monadnock Region?
The Local Crowd Monadnock - Keene, NH
