Local Investor Questionnaire This survey is published by Invest Here Now, a loosely organized group of people working together to help build the local investing movement and invest securely but creatively in locally owned businesses located primarily in the Pioneer Valley and Western Massachusetts. We would like to know more about local investors in the area so we can better address the issues that face us. All information is being collected anonymously and will be used only in aggregation. However, please complete only the questions you are comfortable with. Question Title * 1. Please enter your zip code. ZIP: Question Title * 2. Why are you interested in making local investments? (check all that apply) Support the local economy Support family and friends’ businesses Support socially responsible, common good enterprises Support community energy / clean tech projects Know who has my money and what they are doing with it Withdraw support from Wall Street, big corporations, and big banks Other or Comments Question Title * 3. How much are you considering to invest locally? Initially ($): Once you build confidence ($): Question Title * 4. What geographical region do you consider "local"? (check all that apply) My town/city Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden Counties Western Massachusetts New England Northeast United States Any locally owned and controlled enterprise, anywhere Other or Comments Question Title * 5. Indicate your interest in the following investment sectors: not interested neutral somewhat interested very interested Agriculture and food businesses Agriculture and food businesses not interested Agriculture and food businesses neutral Agriculture and food businesses somewhat interested Agriculture and food businesses very interested Services Services not interested Services neutral Services somewhat interested Services very interested Health Health not interested Health neutral Health somewhat interested Health very interested Manufacturing Manufacturing not interested Manufacturing neutral Manufacturing somewhat interested Manufacturing very interested Transportation Transportation not interested Transportation neutral Transportation somewhat interested Transportation very interested Energy generation Energy generation not interested Energy generation neutral Energy generation somewhat interested Energy generation very interested Energy efficiency Energy efficiency not interested Energy efficiency neutral Energy efficiency somewhat interested Energy efficiency very interested Clean tech Clean tech not interested Clean tech neutral Clean tech somewhat interested Clean tech very interested Technology Technology not interested Technology neutral Technology somewhat interested Technology very interested Affordable housing Affordable housing not interested Affordable housing neutral Affordable housing somewhat interested Affordable housing very interested Co-housing Co-housing not interested Co-housing neutral Co-housing somewhat interested Co-housing very interested Alternative residential construction Alternative residential construction not interested Alternative residential construction neutral Alternative residential construction somewhat interested Alternative residential construction very interested Urban redevelopment Urban redevelopment not interested Urban redevelopment neutral Urban redevelopment somewhat interested Urban redevelopment very interested Other or Comments Question Title * 6. Indicate your interest in the following types of investments: not interested neutral somewhat interested very interested Direct loans Direct loans not interested Direct loans neutral Direct loans somewhat interested Direct loans very interested Indirect loans through a professionally managed loan fund Indirect loans through a professionally managed loan fund not interested Indirect loans through a professionally managed loan fund neutral Indirect loans through a professionally managed loan fund somewhat interested Indirect loans through a professionally managed loan fund very interested Partnerships (with trusted partners) Partnerships (with trusted partners) not interested Partnerships (with trusted partners) neutral Partnerships (with trusted partners) somewhat interested Partnerships (with trusted partners) very interested Share purchases Share purchases not interested Share purchases neutral Share purchases somewhat interested Share purchases very interested Active investments involving participation in an enterprise Active investments involving participation in an enterprise not interested Active investments involving participation in an enterprise neutral Active investments involving participation in an enterprise somewhat interested Active investments involving participation in an enterprise very interested Other or Comments Question Title * 7. What lending requirements do you have? Loan Term (years): Rate (%): Other: Question Title * 8. What kinds of returns do want to see? 0% 1% Keep up with inflation (approx 2%) 1-2% over inflation 3-5% over inflation Other or Comment Question Title * 9. What level of risk are you willing to entertain? Little risk (only thoroughly secured loans, few if any business loans fall in this category) Some risk (many business loans) High risk (most start-up loans and equity investments) Other or Comment Question Title * 10. Would you accept more risk when it is proportionate to returns, e.g. a high-risk loan with a high interest rate? Yes No Comment Question Title * 11. Would you accept more risk if the investment had high community benefit potential? Yes No Comment Question Title * 12. Would you accept lower returns if the investment had high community benefit potential? Yes No Comment Question Title * 13. What obstacles to making local investments do you foresee? (check all that apply) Low returns High risks Lack of information about investment opportunities Lack of business knowledge and lack of expertise to evaluate opportunities Lack of time to evaluate investment opportunities Lack of communications mechanisms to stay appraised of a business' status Other or Comment Question Title * 14. Rate the importance of the following features in deciding whether to make a particular local investment? not important important very important Business track record Business track record not important Business track record important Business track record very important Social mission Social mission not important Social mission important Social mission very important Acquaintance with owners and operators Acquaintance with owners and operators not important Acquaintance with owners and operators important Acquaintance with owners and operators very important Familiarity with the business or business sector Familiarity with the business or business sector not important Familiarity with the business or business sector important Familiarity with the business or business sector very important Good business plan Good business plan not important Good business plan important Good business plan very important Recommendations by knowledgeable business and investment advisors Recommendations by knowledgeable business and investment advisors not important Recommendations by knowledgeable business and investment advisors important Recommendations by knowledgeable business and investment advisors very important Other or Comment Question Title * 15. Rate the importance of the following resources for building your confidence in making local investments? not important important very important Professionally-managed, reserve-funded community loan funds Professionally-managed, reserve-funded community loan funds not important Professionally-managed, reserve-funded community loan funds important Professionally-managed, reserve-funded community loan funds very important Professionally-managed local investment mutual fund Professionally-managed local investment mutual fund not important Professionally-managed local investment mutual fund important Professionally-managed local investment mutual fund very important Professional investment advisors Professional investment advisors not important Professional investment advisors important Professional investment advisors very important Investment training Investment training not important Investment training important Investment training very important Investor peer-support Investor peer-support not important Investor peer-support important Investor peer-support very important Other or Comment Question Title * 16. Do you manage or have you managed your own investments? Yes No Question Title * 17. What percentage of your total investment would you be willing to pay for investment services (advice and management)? 0% 1% 2% 3% 4% Other (please specify) Question Title * 18. Do you subscribe to any financial newsletters that would be helpful for local investors? Yes No If so, which ones? Question Title * 19. How much time are you able to spend in making local investments? (answer only one of the options) Hours per week: Hours per month: Hours per year: Question Title * 20. How much time are you willing to spend in participating in/helping this group? (answer only one of the options) Hours per week: Hours per month: Hours per year: Question Title * 21. Are you considering investing your retirement funds locally? Yes No Other (please specify) Question Title * 22. How do you think Invest Here Now can best help develop a resilient local economy? Question Title * 23. Are you interested in helping develop a local investing movement in our area? Yes No Comments Question Title * 24. Other comments and questions: Done