This is the 2^nd installment of a week-long blog retrospective at the year that was for SLF & the Local Movement in 2010, and a glimpse into what 2011 may hold.  Please add feel free to comment with your thoughts throughout the week.

What a year.

We’ve participated in (and added to?) an ever growing national movement to build local living economies and at the same time worked to build a SLF into a robust and sustainable organization.

It’s an interesting intersection, to be sure.

The ‘buzz’ around local is growing ever prominent, and I am glad for the role that SLF has played in that.  I am also grateful for the leadership of all those who came before us and are working hand in hand with us today across the country.  Together, we are articulating vision for a new economy that works for people.

And at the same time, 2010 was a maturation year for SLF and our fledgling organization.  We’ve accomplished so much but yet have taken but just first few steps in our path.

Throughout the year, we at SLF focused on the task at hand, attempted to generate and manage cash flow, and provided value to our members.  In our current environment, it’s the only way we can survive.  But with each program, campaign & event, we weave together a story that we hope will create our mission and vision for our community and the world:

To build a sustainable community and an economy that is local, green and fair.

So, as we recap the year that was and look toward the future, it feels to me like we’ve accomplished a lot, though I am acutely aware of the many miles ahead on our path.  I’m a fan of ‘go big or go home’, as a turn of phrase and as an organizational Modus Operandi.  If we do what we must do in 2011, that will be the title of this post next year.

So with no further ado, here’s the story of SLF in 2010, a year marked by collaboration.

A Local’s Guide to Somerville

By the time this project was done, I had a whole new level of respect for the publishing people in my life (lookin’ at you Somerville Scout, Weekly Dig).  Putting together a magazine, from the proverbial soup to nuts, is quite a task.  When I say that I didn’t want to even look at the Guide until it was out for a month, I do not exaggerate.

Luckily, this project set the stage for what was an emerging theme for us this year:  collaboration.  I’m incredibly proud of the construction and design of the project, and that has everything to do with one of one of our MVPs  for 2010 ~ Wendy Friedman of GRAND.   Here’s what I wrote and included in the guide about her:

Wendy Friedman holds the title of Designer for this publication, but really, she is our partner.  We think her design and aesthetic added tremendously to the project. You wouldn’t be reading this, were it not for her talents and efforts.

And the support didn’t stop with Wendy.  We assembled, in my opinion, some of the most talented writers in Greater Boston.  David Day became the Editor of Alt Weekly, the Weekly Dig this year…he wrote about the Somerville Arts scene in our guide before that.  Jessie Rogers (and her partner Gabrielle Petraglia) founded Teaparty Boston and went on to launch Time Out Boston this year….she wrote for our locals guide first.  Christine Liu & Liana Peterson have local and national street cred…they wrote for us too.

One of the best parts of the year was the love, belief and support I felt and SLF received this year.  Whatever we did accomplish, none of it would have happened without the kindness and contributions of our partners, supporters and friends.

SLF Events ~ SomerFun & Harvest Fest

When reflecting on our two major events this year, I think its safe to say they are responsible for my highest and lowest moments.

Let’s start with the good.  Harvest Fest 2010 was pretty much awesome in all directions.  Here’s our short video recap of the event if you didn’t make it (or even if you did, its pretty awesome):

We like to think that we learn a lot from first year endeavors at SLF.  In fact, the theme for this year internally was:  Replicate and improve what we did last year.  At Harvest Fest, we made it happen.

Harvest Fest established itself as one of Greater Boston’s best annual tasting (food/beverage/entertainment) events this year.  I think we’re right up there with WineRiot, eatBoston events and the rest.  But what struck me most, from Harvest Fest was the feeling in the room.  From my reflections blog post about the event:

But if there’s one thing I’ll take away from Harvest Fest 2010, it will be the ubiquitous vibe of happiness that permeated the Armory.  Everyone that I talked to at Harvest Fest was just really happy to be there.

For one day, for a few hours, we brought together hundreds of people to eat, drink and be merry together.  We showed our guests and participants that the community surrounding ‘local’ looks better, tastes better and is just more fun.

Its been said many times in the movement, by leaders with far more experience and wisdom than me, that in order to take our movement to a tipping point, we have to make our work “a better party”.  By the end of Harvest Fest 2010, at least for a day, it was apparent to me that ‘local’ can be one of the best parties out there and that community, far from a dirty word, is in fact what most of us are seeking.

Oh, and the event, intended to be a fundraiser…actually raised funds!  Second year FTW!

Onto the not-so-great….

SomerFun was a first year event, it rained (a lot) and put us in a bind financially (read the recap here).  But we did it.  And we got through the resulting challenges.  And we’re stronger for it.

But man, sometimes learning lessons can be painful.

Going weeks without pay, seeing disappointment from our vendors and feeling like we failed was one of the most significant professional challenges I’ve gone through…but go through it I did, and SLF emerged a stronger organization, and I a better professional,  in the end because of it.

We do, however, strive to accentuate the positive at SLF (note how much we talk about what we’re for and how little we talk about what we’re against).  And there were many positives to be found from this experience.  The most significant of which was the developing leadership on our Board.

Sidenote ~ This video by Paper Fortress was a donation of services…and is a great capture of the good side of not so great events.

Somerville Somerfun 2010 Event from Paper Fortress on Vimeo.

The SLF Board of Directors

Having spent ½ a decade in the nonprofit world now, I think its safe to say that having an engaged, active and productive board is more exception than rule.  At a recent informal gathering of Somerville nonprofit directors Groundwork Somerville and SLF hosted at our office space, I joked that if any of the EDs had boards that under-delivered, it was their fault.  Laughter rang out through the room.

We are blessed to have the board members we have had in our short existence and with the little time these busy entrepreneurs have, they have contributed dramatically to our development.   But as with most things, we’ve still got a ways to go to get to where we want to be.

As we go forward in 2011, I have more faith than ever that the SLF board will not only be engaged but will become a shining example for our sister organizations across the country.  That belief is based on three things:

1. We have 3 Sloan MIT Grad Students (part of the NetImpact program) working on Board Development with SLF for 1 calendar year.  This group of emerging leaders will take the SLF board to new heights.
2. Our other board officer is Jen Lawrence, executive director of Groundwork Somerville, is on a short list of professionals I most respect.  I talk about Groundwork as my shining example of the right way to do environmental organizing – in a positive, action oriented and enthusiastic light.  That’s Jen.  Having her experience and leadership on our board has been nothing short of transformational.
3. And finally, our new Board President, Dan Parsons, is probably the most active and engaged board member we’ve ever had.  His commitment and willingness to build the SLF board has been touching and inspiring this year.

Diversity (or a lack thereof)

At the founding meeting of SLF, the then Steering Committee and I talked about being an organization for all businesses, not just some.  Two + years later, we’ve pretty much failed.

Today, we represent a mere fraction of businesses owned by immigrants, non-whites and non-english speakers.  We’re also lacking in ‘Old Somerville’ businesses.  While there are a number of reasons for this (most prominent is my cold-calling membership recruitment burnout), it is not the end of the story.

Earlier this year, we were awarded our first Tisch Scholar from Tufts University, Tomas Valdes.  Tomas will be working with SLF through May to conduct research and outreach to diverse communities.  Tomas will help identify ways for SLF to effectively engage and support these communities, and help us make good on the commitment we made upon our founding.

Again, support from the community (Tufts and Tomas in this case) is helping us accomplish our goals.  2010 was collaboration.

And you all have my word, if this doesn’t work, we’ll try something else and we’ll keep trying until I can look you in the eye and say we represent the whole of the Somerville business community.

SLF on the Interwebs

At the end of the day (or year, if you will), our work ultimately comes back to supporting our local economy and our members through educating our community.  This year, we continued to embrace the web and social media to tell our story and strengthen our community.

By launching our new website and blog (thanks to Truly Good Design) and committing to our social media outlets on Facebook and Twitter, we shared a lot of ideas and information and created a lot of constructive dialogue.

At the apex of this effort, our SHIFT YOUR SHOPPING holiday campaign, launched by Twitter Trending Plaid Friday, sparked a dialogue across Greater Boston and New England.

And for the first time in our history, we had an opportunity to measure our work.

And the results left me more than encouraged.  Some of the highlights:

• Over the course of one month, we generated 500,000 impressions with SLF facebook posts.
• In 6 months, over 17,500 individuals visited the SLF website

And then we asked our followers to do a survey….

The SLF Follower survey was our best proof yet that local is sinking in around the ‘ville.

With over 50 responses, our followers reported an average increase in local purchasing of almost 20% to just shy of 50% of their total purchases, which rests above the national average.  These individuals have made the 10% Shift…twice.

And this is just the beginning.

Tomorrow, I’ll go through some of the happenings around our region and our nation, and give a glimpse into how far ‘Local’ has come this year….and how much further it still must go. (and will try to reign in this massive word count…what can i say, it’s been a busy year!)

Finally, did I miss anything?  Feel free to add your favorite (or not so favorite) SLF moments from the year that was.