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Why Become a Certified ReallyLocal! Business?

Becoming a certified ReallyLocal! business offers a wealth of advantages. Gain enhanced visibility and credibility within your local community, attracting customers who prioritize supporting local enterprises. Demonstrate your commitment to the community's economic health and ensure your business is recognized as a legitimate, trustworthy, and community-focused organization.

ReallyLocal! certification not only helps build trust with your customers but also fosters stronger connections within your community, leading to increased customer loyalty and business growth.

Join the movement of hundreds of businesses and owners proving their commitment to being ReallyLocal! and take part in this revolutionary approach to your local community's success. All the while, you'll be supporting charitable organizations (they join free!) to ensure that locally spent money stays where it belongs – in YOUR COMMUNITY! Whether it's through business transactions, volunteer work, charitable donations, or just knowing that a business or charity is keeping its money local, ReallyLocal! is a skyrocketing revolution!

Is my business eligible?

Click here to view the list of business unable to join
  • Publicly traded companies
  • Private equity-owned companies
  • Businesses owned by publicly traded or private equity groups through shell corporations or other means
  • Businesses where the owners live more than 30 miles away from any of the business's branch offices. Only the branch offices within 30 miles of the owner's residence can be listed; branch offices beyond this distance cannot be included.
  • Businesses where the owner lives in a different state or country
  • Virtual or online-only businesses without a significant local presence
  • Temporary or transient businesses

Detailed Criteria for Really Local! Certification

We make sure the business, its owners, and its employees are ReallyLocal!

Check State & Federal Filings to ensure all owners, the business, and the employees of the business are legitimate real people and they actually live and work in the ReallyLocal! region that they are registering for.

Things we check:

  • Secretary of state filings for the business address and the registered owners.
  • Examine documents like Drivers Licenses, Vehicle Registrations, and Utility Bills from all owners to ensure that they reside within the same region as the business.
  • Federal Tax Filings to view how many employees the business employs.
  • Ask for at least 50% of the W2's and drivers licenses from these employees to ensure they also live and work within the same region as the business.

Why:

We want to ensure that the owners and the employees are Real People and that they're ReallyLocal! to you! That way your hard-earned money stays within the community you live and work within!

Owners Legally Reside In The United States

Business owners do not have to be citizens, but they must reside in the United States legally.

Things we check:

  • Proof of legal residency status (e.g., Green Card, Work Visa, etc.).
  • Driver's license with correct address.
  • Vehicle registration.
  • Utility bill showing the owner's name and address.

Why:

At ReallyLocal! we believe that the United States is a melting pot of immigrants who come here for a better life, to grow and prosper while also having a positive impact on the country and their local communities. At the same time, we want to ensure that everyone plays by the same rules and that we're on a fair playing field. We also want to ensure that businesses and their owners are contributing to paying taxes and legally operating their businesses to ensure that the community they operate within, the people they employ, and the customers are truly contributing for the better.

Properly Classified Workers

Things we check:

  • Business tax filings.
  • W2 or W3 forms.

Why:

Properly classifying workers is crucial for ensuring fair treatment and legal compliance. For employees, proper classification means they receive appropriate benefits, protections, and wages, contributing to their overall well-being and job satisfaction. For consumers, it ensures that the businesses they support operate ethically and sustainably, fostering trust and reliability. Proper classification also ensures businesses contribute to social security and other essential services, strengthening the community's economic foundation.

Community Engagement and Financial Contribution

Businesses must actively participate in community service or charitable activities at least once a year. Additionally, we review financial records to confirm that businesses are financially supporting other local entities.

Things we check:

  • Records of community service or charitable activities.
  • Financial statements showing contributions to local entities.

Why:

Active community engagement and financial contributions to local entities are essential for fostering a sense of solidarity and mutual support within the community. By participating in these activities, businesses demonstrate their commitment to the welfare and development of the local area, building trust and strengthening relationships with residents and other local businesses. This contributes to a vibrant, interconnected, and resilient community where everyone benefits from shared growth and prosperity.

Tax Filings

Things we check:

  • Federal tax filings.
  • State tax filings.

Why:

We want to ensure that the business is genuinely operating like a business and that it is paying its fair share of taxes on a yearly basis. Just because a business filed once or twice doesn't always mean that they will continue to file. Tax filings are checked on an annual basis to ensure that the business did actually file its taxes and that it continues to do so. Regular tax filings demonstrate a commitment to legal compliance and financial responsibility, ensuring that businesses contribute to the public services and infrastructure that support their operations and the community.

Annual Re-Certification

Businesses must undergo yearly reviews to maintain their certification status.

Things we check:

  • Compliance with ReallyLocal! certification criteria.
  • Updated documentation for residency, worker classification, tax filings, and community engagement.

Why:

Annual re-certification ensures that businesses remain in compliance with ReallyLocal! standards over time. It helps maintain the integrity and reliability of the certification, providing consumers with confidence that certified businesses continue to operate ethically, legally, and in alignment with community values. Regular reviews and updates also encourage businesses to stay engaged with their local communities and uphold high standards of operation, contributing to the overall well-being and economic health of the area.

What Information is Shared and Used to Power the Search Engine

Information That is Shared
  • The business is within a certain region and the owner lives within that same region, based on zip codes and/or the user's current location.
  • The business is legitimate, based on information provided at the time of screening and that they regularly file taxes.
  • The owner of the business legally resides in the United States.
  • The business's physical address, phone number, and contact information along with other information the business would like us to share such as About them, Menu's, Services Offered, etc.
  • The category the business operates in (Restaurant, Retail, Home Services, Etc).
  • How many local employees the business employs.
  • What charitable organizations that have been registered with ReallyLocal! the business interacts with on an annual basis.
Information That is Not Shared
  • The business owners and employees' physical addresses, phone numbers, social security numbers, and other personal information about the owner or the employees.
  • Whether or not the business owner or its employees are citizens of the United States (All we care about is that they legally reside in the USA).
  • The business's sensitive information, such as the actual tax filings, legal documents, financial documents, and other information. We use this information for screening and approval only.
Business Owners, Join Now!