Business Membership
Business Application PDF Business Application Fillable PDF
In recognition of the integral role of local, sustainable businesses, Simply Living established a Business Membership class in January 2012. The business membership is intended to be an ongoing commitment to partner and promote to our members and friends the goods and services provided by local, independent businesses that contribute to the sustainability of neighborhoods and communities in central Ohio.
Charter Members – Each sponsor of the 2011 Gift to Be Simple fund raising event was granted Charter Member status (renewable in September 2012). Those 21 businesses are: TongDa Import Direct Auto & Auto Body; Randall Loop, LMT, LSH, OM; AlternativesPlus Integrative Nursing Services; Bexley Natural Market; Brothers Drake Meadery; Clintonville Community Market; EcoAssist Consulting; EcoFlora; Ecohouse; Global Gallery; Go Sustainable Energy; Gruber’s Columbus Agency – Insurance; Keller Chiropractic; KEMBA Financial Credit Union; North Market; Northstar Café; Protect Money Investments; Support Our Local Economy; Transformative Consulting; Via Vecchia Winery; and Worthington Dental Alternatives.
Business Membership Applications – We encourage you to apply for Business Membership in Simply Living. Our members, and the community at large, refer to Simply Living for relevant and current resources. Join us as we build a vibrant local economy and supportive community for a resilient future.
Membership Levels
$125 Basic - see below for detailed description of benefits
$250 Idea Launcher - includes annual Gift to Be Simple sponsorship
$500 Community Builder – all of the above plus business card ad in newsletters, table exhibit at Annual Meeting, business card ad in Directory
$1,000 Cultural Innovator - all of the above plus website banner ads, interviews, quarter page ad in Directory
$2,500 Change Agent - all of the above plus half page ad in the Business Member Directory
$5,000 Paradigm Shifter – all of the above plus full page ad in the Business Member Directory, exclusive video interview and press release, recognition and signage at all Simply Living sponsored events
The following promotional activities are offered exclusively to Simply Living business members:
Promotion of business member events/announcements may be included on Simply Living weekly email distribution, Facebook page, and calendar of events as appropriate.
Recognition on Simply Living Website includes Logo/Contacts + separate linked web page that “tells the members' story,” with pictures. (file formats accepted: jpeg, png, or tif)
Publication of Annotated Directory of Business Members (15-20 page pamphlet updated annually by July 15th) distributed in online HTML/PDF and print versions. Text includes membership and special offers, other affiliations, and content from the Simply Living website (see above - sustainable practices, special offers to Simply Living members, etc.)
o Distribution of Business Member Directory in PDF format to all Simply Living members via eblast
o Distribution of Business Member Directory in print format at Simply Living events (meetings, conferences, workshops, film screenings, etc.)
o Business card ad for $500 business membership and above.
o Quarter page ad for $1,000 business membership and above.
o Half page ad for $2,500 business membership and above.
o Full page ad for $5,000 business membership and above.
Simply Living will distribute “Buy Local” Business Cards to all SL members (to give to business members as a way to let them know our members are supporting them)
Literature Display in Simply Living office - display space in the Simply Living office for business cards and literature. Accessible by anyone coming to meetings in that space.
Opportunity to Distribute Literature at Simply Living events – monthly meetings, film screenings, etc.
Annual Gift to Be Simple sponsorship includes the opportunity to distribute literature to 300+ attendees and invite up to nine friends and colleagues to a luncheon table with company name displayed (Included with $250 business membership and above) annually in October
Opportunity for Business Card Ads in Simply Living print newsletters (fee: $50; waived for $500 business membership and above) min. three issues per year
Opportunity for Table Exhibit at Simply Living’s annual meeting (fee: $25; waived for $500 business membership and above) annually in February
Special banner ad on website in addition to web listing above.
One Interview, Web Blog Story, Press Release (fee: $100; waived for $1,000 business membership and above)
Exclusive Video Interview, Youtube Distribution, and Press Release (fee: $300; waived for $2,500 business membership and above)
In order to qualify, businesses should meet at least one of the following standards:
- SBB Member. Simply Living, through its partnership with the Small Business Beanstalk (SBB) in the Support Our Local Economy (SOLE) coalition, recognizes that local, independently owned businesses offer stable jobs, help keep money in the community through the multiplier effect, and reduce our ecological footprint by lessening the need for transportation and energy use. SBB members are all eligible to purchase a business membership in Simply Living.
- Sustainable Business Practices. Businesses committed to sustainable practices in their operations – from building infrastructure and utilities to production and distribution of their goods and services – are eligible to participate.
- Triple Bottom Line Company. Businesses that are committed to the “triple bottom line” - Profit, People, and the Planet – are encouraged to become business partners.
Contact Mary Cunnyngham, Executive Director, at (614) 447-0296 or maryc@simplyliving.org.
