Upcoming Events

Local Return is hosting economist and author Michael H. Shuman to deliver a workshop on community investing and the growing number of ways to shift financial investments for a more local impact. Community investing is one strategy to nurture resilient neighborhoods, businesses, and shared prosperity.

Shuman will lead a 2-hour virtual session for current or potential investors, community officials, and anyone who cares about the local economy. In 2021, nearly 60 people registered for Local Return’s 4-workshop series with Shuman. Since then, we have launched the Rhode Island Community Investment Cooperative and Local Return Diversified Community Investment Fund.

According to Shuman, “Americans now have about $56 trillion in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, pension funds, and insurance funds, nearly all of it invested in global corporations. If we could shift even a small amount of that capital from Wall Street to Main Street, local economies could flourish.”

Michael H. Shuman is an economist, attorney, author, and entrepreneur, and a leading visionary on community economics.  He’s Director of Local Economy Programs for Neighborhood Associates Corporation, and an Adjunct Professor at Bard Business School in New York City.  He is also a Senior Researcher for Council Fire and Local Analytics, where he performed economic-development analyses for states, local governments, and businesses around North America.

Shuman is credited with being one of the architects of the 2012 JOBS Act and dozens of state laws overhauling securities regulation of crowdfunding. He has authored, coauthored, or edited ten books.  His three most recent books are Put Your Money Where Your Life Is: How to Invest Locally Using Solo 401ks and Self-Directed IRAs; The Local Economy Solution:  How Innovative, Self-Financing Pollinator Enterprises Can Grow Jobs and Prosperity; and Local Dollars, Local Sense:  How to Shift Your Money from Wall Street to Main Street.