Nestled between Baltimore and Washington, D.C., Howard County, Maryland, occupies a remarkable position—both geographically and economically. Home to approximately 340,000 residents, it consistently ranks among the wealthiest and most educated counties in the United States. Its communities—Columbia, Ellicott City, Fulton, and others—blend suburban livability with a dynamic, diverse economy built in large part on the strength of its small business community. As with many other

Nestled at the base of the Rocky Mountains, just south of Denver, Littleton, Colorado, is a vibrant community that beautifully balances its historic roots with modern suburban appeal. With a population of around 44,451, Littleton boasts a rich history spanning back to the 1859 Pikes Peak gold rush. The city is celebrated for its historic downtown—featuring over 250 locally owned shops, cafes, and boutiques—and its abundant outdoor recreation, including the picturesque Chatfie

Englewood, Colorado is a vibrant city with a rich history dating back to the 1858 gold rush. But like many established communities, Englewood's continuous progress comes with a necessary hurdle: major infrastructure projects that are vital for the city's long-term health, yet often spell frustration for local businesses dealing with disrupted roadways and shrinking foot traffic. For Englewood, this current hurdle is the massive Old Hampden project . Designed to transform the

When deciding how to support local businesses, city leaders face a common challenge: how to design a program that is both highly effective and easy to administer. For the City of North Richland Hills, TX, the answer was a modern, digital-first approach to the traditional shop-local campaign. By leveraging the Open Rewards platform, the city of North Richland Hills has successfully motivated residents to choose North Richland Hills, driving extraordinary economic resilience

Discover how four Colorado communities leverage econ dev tools and good habits to maximize impact with limited resources.

In this article, we discover how the Indio Shop Local Rewards Program has boosted the local economy and supported small businesses.

Learn how El Paso and Orange are driving growth with successful shop local programs, boosting small businesses and community engagement.

In this article, we hear from the team at San Joaquin County on their incredibly successful, award-winning Shop San Joaquin program.

In this webinar, we learn how Colorado communities are boosting their BR&E impact, attracting projects and strengthening local businesses.

In this case study, we dive into how Southlake, TX delivered $1.5M in revenue to businesses with Bludot's Open Rewards program.

In this article, we learn how Lancaster partnered with Bludot to launch an innovative shop local app to support the local community.

In this video case study and accompanying blog we hear how Arlington County, VA is building a strong business community with Open Rewards.

We spoke with Val Hoxie about how a shop local program is key to the Hermiston, OR Chamber of Commerce's economic development strategy.

The city of Las Vegas has partnered with Bludot to roll out an innovative shop local campaign to help impacted small businesses.

In this Q+A with the Economic Development Team in Lancaster, CA we explore how they're using Open Rewards to promote shopping local.