SOME LINK RESOURCES ON CREATING  LOCAL MONEY
by C. Paprocki

Keeping Money Local New Money for Healthy Communities
http://www.ic.org/market/money/index.html
Thomas H. Greco Jr., one of the leading thinkers on self-reliance, has put
his "How to" manual for local trading systems on the net. It demonstrates
how voluntary groups can revitalize local economies. Go to the Table of
Contents and click on it. Thereafter click on each chapter. You can download
the entire book for free or find out how to get a hardcopy. Great for
getting your thoughts in order about money. If you need money for your
project and cant raise it from outside, do like the bankers do and make it
yourself.

The Virtual Library on Microcredit
http://www.soc.titech.ac.jp/icm/
This homepage is intended to be a repository of information on
alternative/non-conventional financial systems and informal credit markets
(ICM). Microcredit approaches, community mobilization and enviro-economic
development are also covered. The site has an international orientation but
some examples are applicable to development in the US.

Ithaca Money Home Page
http://www.lightlink.com/ithacahours/
This site provides information on how to create your own community currency:
A brief explanation . Retailers List . Articles . Currency Samples . Success
Stories . Starter Kit Ordering Info . Other Internet Barter Resources.

LETSystems - the Home Page
http://www.gmlets.u-net.com/
This is an excellent resources for those interested in the Local Employment
Trading System (LETS) - a local currency managed out of a PC. LETSystems
have been set up in communities around the world with great success. Here
you will find info on the theory and practice, along with downloadable
software to set up your own system. You can also get in discussions with
practitioners about those technical questions. Have fun making your own
money. Its all legal.

The Community Reinvestment Fund
http://www.crfusa.com/
CRF is a nonprofit organization that provides a secondary market for
economic development loans. They buy loans from economic development
organizations and use them as collateral to sell bonds to private investors.
They tailor each loan purchase to the needs of the client, and also provide
loan servicing, portfolio management, and training. If you are an economic
development organization or government agency that operates a loan fund,
their "securitization" service gives you a new source of capital to invest
in your community. The site includes links to dozens of other economic
development resources on the Internet.

Community Development Banking Archive
http://www.lightlink.com/cdb-l/
This list serves practitioners including Community Development Credit
Unions, CD Banks, CDCs, CD Loan Funds, and non-profits involved in support.
The discussions have ranged from the practical (construction, mortgage, and
small business lending; job opportunities, conferences, fundraising) to
legislative (CRA, HMDA, and CDFI) to the cutting edge (micro-loan funds,
peer ending, local currency, targeting social impact). You may subscribe.

Municipal Bonds
http://www.e-analytics.com/bonds/bond14.htm
State and local governments frequently have to answer the question of how to
finance expensive projects like construction of new roads, schools, airports
or water and sewer systems. In addition to internally generated revenues,
grants and other forms of intergovernmental government revenues, government
often looks to the municipal bond market to assist in the financing of
expensive capital projects. This site contains information on municipal
bonds.

Earth Rights Documents
http://www.envirolink.org/orgs/earthrights/docs/index.html
There are three articles at this site for local planners interested in land
taxes as a means of generating local income. See "Pennsylvania Success with
Local Tax Reform", Privatizing Land without Giveaway" and "Land Rent in a
Tax Free Society."



 

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