Context: New England has a strong regional identity rooted in its geography, deep cultural history, and strong economic ties. Individually the New England states are some of the smallest in the country, which is why it is important for the states that make up the region to work together to share ideas and best practices. New England is home to over 1.3 million small businesses who face a unique set of challenges as well as opportunities.

Mission: The New England Local Economies Coalition is a collaborative of state and local organizations working together to support and empower local businesses across the region through education, advocacy, and collaboration. We accomplish this by working together, sharing information and resources, communicating the importance of local businesses to consumers, and engaging in the public policy process.

Vision: Local businesses are economic drivers vital to thriving local communities across New England. NELEC aims to strengthen relationships and connections between like-minded organizations across New England, empower one another to be vehicles of change, and ensure small, local businesses have an authentic voice with policy makers and elected officials. Our vision is for New England to become the leader in small business support and advocacy and in strengthening local economies, which will lead to job creation, additional state and local tax revenue, and a stronger regional economy overall.