Last week I mentioned the remarkable conference we attended in Chicago, hosted by Neighborhood Economics. We made many great connections that will turn into collaborations —more on this in the next couple of months. While we were introduced to some amazing people, we were also introduced to some amazing ideas.

One of those ideas was the Financial Activist Movement. As a small business educator and coach, I’m very familiar with financial literacy. You know—or perhaps you don’t know—utilizing the right tools and understanding to master budgets, cash flow, investing and really seeing what your financial reports are showing you.

But a Financial Activist is a completely different level of not just understanding community economics, but being proactive in closing the wealth gap by democratizing access to capital, empowering communities to raise, circulate, and control wealth on their own terms. The Financial Activist Movement goes beyond small business to build a thriving community from within. By leveraging investment crowdfunding, local investing and community capital, we can put economic power directly into the hands of residents and local stakeholders, enabling us to support small businesses, build affordable housing, invest in green solutions, and strengthen community spaces. In other words, we fund each other.

Reclaiming Economic Power

Community-based financial activism begins with the recognition that mainstream financial systems have often prioritized profit over people and perpetuated economic inequities. In response, many neighborhoods and groups—especially those historically marginalized—are building local economic models that emphasize ownership, self-determination, and shared prosperity. These efforts are fueled by the desire to create resilient communities where decisions about investments, development, and wealth stay in the hands of residents rather than external investors.

Through the Financial Activist Movement, communities can invest in real estate, local businesses, and infrastructure projects that reflect their needs and values, reclaiming financial agency while building generational wealth.

But it all starts with a different way of thinking. You’ve long heard the term Local First. Take that thought to the next level and start conversations with your neighbors, colleagues and community organizations about investing in your community. Build awareness. Think differently. Build a thriving community from within. Invest in your own community first.

In the coming weeks, we’ll share as we learn about tools to accomplish this. In the meantime, watch our Power of Local Podcast with special guest Steve Shaff, Co-founder and President of the Community Finance Academy. You’ll find it quite enlightening.