We teamed up with Foot Future WNY, EForAll Buffalo, and Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus to host a Train the Trainer event in Buffalo's Innovation Center!

This event was to discuss crowdfunding for farmers, food business owners, economic development professionals, and anyone who supports local farm and food businesses.

Investment crowdfunding is an excellent tool for these businesses (and others) to raise capital. The average successful crowdfunding business now raises over $300,000 and the most successful businesses have been those run by women or BIPOC CEOs. During the interactive event we discussed the basics of crowdfunding, and how it can be used to make a huge impact for these local businesses.

Key Speakers:
Michael Shuman, Senior Economist

Over the last 25 years, Michael has focused on the relationship between the local and the global by helping communities create economies that can take advantage of the world economy–and not be whipsawed by it. He promotes “local economic development” grounded in local ownership, self-reliance, high social standards, and entrepreneurship.

Michael has authored ten books and hundreds of papers and articles that have made him one of the world’s top experts on local economy building. He is also credited with being a key architect of the federal and state laws legalizing investment crowdfunding. He has worked with hundreds of local governments, businesses, and nonprofits.

Rich Rogers, local Attorney, and CEO of Common Owner, a funding portal based in Buffalo, NY. Rich has extensive experience with legal structure around business and real estate financing. Rich has experience crowdfunding his own real estate project, and has helped others with multiple aspects of crowdfunding.