Lowcountry Local First

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Charleston, SC
Lowcountry Local First

Advancing economic prosperity and local ownership through innovative and inclusive initiatives. Collectively, our choices have great power. A business. A city.

As lovers of the Lowcountry, we understand that we have a choice in what we buy and from whom we buy it. We have a choice in what we eat – and from where and by whom it’s grown. To build or break a life. An economy. A culture. The people of Lowcountry Local First offer a simple solution: Choose The Lowcountry. It’s an understanding that if we choose to neglect the Lowcountry, something beautiful,

meaningful, and unique fades away. Lowcountry Local First is a way of life that celebrates and supports what we love most: the local, independent businesses and farmers who reﬂect the unique character, ﬂavor, and culture of the place we call home. You have a choice. To choose the Lowcountry with your dollars. Your vote. Your voice. Your heart. So, choose – with everything you’ve got.

09/01/2026

🍂We’re ready to welcome fall and, hopefully, some cooler temperatures! September is packed with opportunities to connect, get involved and support local across the Lowcountry.

📣 Make your voice heard: During this first week of September, we’re hosting two conversations about the long-term plans shaping the Peninsula and North Charleston, including what they could mean for local businesses.

🏦 Find funding for your business
Join us at the City of Charleston Business Finance Resource Fair on September 15. Swing by our booth to learn how a 0% interest loan through the Lowcountry Kiva Hub could help you start or grow your business.

🎉 Connect and have some fun
Come hang at our Local Social at Lillian's Petite Market on September 17 — then bring your Localist Card to two special pop-ups at the end of the month!

Plus plenty more LLF member and community events all month long. Explore the full calendar and RSVP at https://poln8.pollensocial.com/hPhyX1

08/31/2026

Where you bank matters more than you might think. 🤔

Choosing a locally headquartered bank or credit union helps keep more money circulating right here in the Lowcountry, providing the capital local businesses need to grow, creating jobs, and strengthening the communities we call home.

During Move Your Money Week (August 31 - September 4), we invite you to take these simple steps that have a big local impact:

🏦 Move your personal or business banking to a local financial institution.

📈 Choose local financial professionals, from accountants and tax advisors to wealth managers and financial planners.

🤝 Encourage people in your circle to bank locally too!

Not sure where to start? We'd be happy to connect you with a locally rooted bank, credit union, or trusted financial professional. Just let us know!

Together, we can stop money wandering and keep it with those who live and work here.

Learn more: https://poln8.pollensocial.com/xfoq38

08/27/2026

Lend your Voice!
Shape Charleston's Future
Friday, September 4 | 8–9:30 a.m. | 📍Local Works

The Charleston Peninsula Plan and the new “Charleston Standard” tourism plan will guide how the Peninsula grows over the decades ahead — shaping everything from transportation and public spaces to housing, tourism, and quality of life. That means it’ll shape your business's foot traffic, your customers, your commute, and your commercial rent too.

Join us to ask questions and talk with city staff about the proposed plan and take the city’s official survey.

Coffee’s on us! ☕️

Register: https://poln8.pollensocial.com/XFlhV1

08/26/2026

Help roll out Summerville’s new mobile biscuit kitchen! 👩‍🍳

Lauren is raising $15,000 through Kiva to finish outfitting the mobile trailer that will bring Busha’s Biscuits to the Summerville community and beyond. Inspired by her husband’s grandmother and her beloved family biscuit recipe, Lauren is transforming a treasured tradition into a new local business.

Kiva loans start at just $25, and every community-backed loan brings Busha’s Biscuits one step closer to serving its first customer.

Support Lauren’s campaign: https://poln8.pollensocial.com/WfUm1a

08/24/2026

Ready to move past AI curiosity and actually put it to work in your business? 🤖

Join us this Saturday for the AI Implementation Bootcamp for Small Business Owners, presented by Lowcountry Local First and GCM.

Saturday, August 29, 2026
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Berkeley Electric Cooperative Office, Goose Creek

This hands-on session will show you how to use tools like ChatGPT and Claude (plus newer agentic AI tools) to build real workflows for sales, customer retention, follow-up, and day-to-day operations.

You'll leave with reusable prompt templates, a business context profile, and workflows you can put to use immediately. Delivered in English with live Spanish translation available.

FREE for LLF members | $40/person for non-members

Spots are limited — save yours now! 👇
🔗 lowcountrylocalfirst.org/events/ai-bootcamp

08/19/2026

📣 Local business owners: we’re hosting two important opportunities in the first week of September where you can hear directly from city staff and weigh in on decisions that’ll shape our region for years to come.

Both events are free and open to all, but space is limited, so register now.

Swipe to learn more. ➡️

SHAPE NORTH CHARLESTON’S FUTURE

Tuesday, September 1 | 5:30–7 p.m. | 📍Wit’s End Charleston

North Charleston is rewriting its zoning rulebook (the Unified Development Ordinance) — the code that decides your signage, hours, parking, outdoor seating, home-based biz status, and more. Come ask questions and share how these policies impact your business. Plus, we’ll kick off with a little comedy from Nameless Numberhead.

Light bites provided + cash bar available. 🍻

City of North Charleston

SHAPE CHARLESTON’S FUTURE

Friday, September 4 | 8–9:30 a.m. | 📍Local Works

The Charleston Peninsula Plan and the new “Charleston Standard” tourism plan will guide how the Peninsula grows over the decades ahead — shaping everything from transportation and public spaces to housing, tourism, and quality of life. That means it’ll shape your foot traffic, your customers, your commute, and your commercial rent too. Join us to ask questions and talk with city staff about the proposed plan and take the city’s official survey.

Coffee’s on us! ☕️

City of Charleston

08/12/2026

Your business. Your city. Your voice.

Two major city planning processes are underway right now that will shape how small businesses operate in the Lowcountry for years to come. As small business leaders, you need to be in the room and guiding the conversations!

🥐 Coffee & Conversation: Shape Charleston’s Future
📅 Friday, Sept 4 | 8:00–9:30 AM
📍 Local Works Coworking, 1859 Summerville Ave, Charleston
Learn about the City of Charleston’s Peninsula Plan + the Charleston Standard tourism management plan.

🍸 Cocktails/Mocktails & Conversation: Shape North Charleston’s Future
📅 Tuesday, Sept 1 | 5:30–7:00 PM
📍 Wit’s End Comedy Lounge, 3320 Rivers Ave, North Charleston
Learn about North Charleston’s Unified Development Ordinance — the rulebook shaping how the city grows and functions for years to come — with comedy from Nameless Numberhead and bites from Drizzled Pear Catering.

Both events are free and open to all, but seats are limited.

Register via link in bio.

ZoningMatters SupportLocalCHS CHSbiz PlanningAndZoning SmallBizVoice

08/06/2026

An everyday idea is getting closer to becoming a market-ready product. 💡

Trayster is a versatile, lightweight lap tray designed to keep food, drinks, phones, tablets, and other essentials comfortably within reach. Its specially shaped cutouts help hold everything securely, whether you’re watching a game, working from the sofa, traveling, camping, or spending the day on the boat.

A Kiva loan will help Trayster move from prototype to production by funding patent revisions, inventory, and the next steps needed to bring the product to market.

You can be part of that journey by lending as little as $25 through the Lowcountry Kiva Hub. As the loan is repaid, you can use those same dollars to support another entrepreneur and another promising idea.

🔗 Help bring Trayster to life at https://poln8.pollensocial.com/wa1dkJ

08/04/2026

Help Jameshia create a permanent home for dance in North Charleston. 💚
pinkdance is preparing to open its first studio, allowing the program to welcome more students, offer additional classes, and provide a lasting home for youth arts education.

A Kiva loan will help equip the new space with dance flooring, mirrors, ballet barres, sound equipment, storage, and other essentials needed to create a safe, professional learning environment.

By lending as little as $25, you can help more young people access culturally responsive dance education, mentorship, performance opportunities, and the life skills that dance inspires.

Support J. Pink at https://poln8.pollensocial.com/wioONE

08/01/2026

August is here, and it's peak Invest Local Season. Here are five ways to get involved this month:

💡 Explore 0% interest funding — Attend the Lowcountry Kiva Hub Info Session on August 3 to learn how a Kiva loan could help you start or expand your business.

🤖 Invest in your business growth — Join our AI Bootcamp on August 29 for actionable ways to use AI to streamline your daily operations. FREE for LLF members!

🏦 Move your money — Move Your Money Week kicks off August 29 where we encourage you to switch to a locally headquartered bank or credit union to keep your dollars circulating right here at home.

💸 Fund a local entrepreneur — Watch for stories throughout the month featuring business owners crowdfunding loans, and learn how you can invest directly in their growth.

📣 Invest in the future of Charleston — During the first week of September, we’re hosting two gatherings focused on the long-term plans shaping the future of the Peninsula and North Charleston and what they could mean for small businesses. Join us and make your voice heard.

Plus, explore more ways to connect this month with LLF member and community events happening across the Lowcountry.

Find event details at https://poln8.pollensocial.com/hPhyX1

Address

1859 Summerville Avenue, #800
Charleston, SC
29405

Telephone

+18438013390

Website

https://lowcountrylocalfirst.org/

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