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Local Exchange Network

Local Exchange Research

How we use research information

Before you take part, you should know exactly what we collect, how it is used, and what you control. This page explains it in plain language.

Version 2026.1, effective October 9, 2026. Local Exchange Network is an initiative of Velez Advisory Partners, LLC.

Why we do this research

Local Exchange documents the experiences of independent and neighborhood business owners across Chicagoland: what is working, what is getting in the way, and where help is hard to find. We use what owners tell us to connect them with resources and to produce research that can strengthen the local business ecosystem.

What taking part involves

  • A conversation with a Local Exchange researcher about your business, in your own words.
  • A short structured questionnaire, completed together, about business conditions, barriers, and where you have looked for help.
  • You choose your own top priorities, and you review them before anything is recorded as verified.
  • If you agree, short check-ins at about 30 days, 90 days, and six months.

Taking part is voluntary. You can skip any question, stop at any time, and change your choices later. Saying no to research does not affect whether we try to help you or whether you can appear in Business on the Block.

Your choices

Each permission is a separate yes or no. Saying yes to one does not mean yes to any other.

Research use
Your answers are combined with other businesses' answers to find patterns. Findings never identify you.
Follow-up contact
About 30 days, 90 days, and six months later, to learn what happened with the needs you identified.
Anonymous quotes
For example, in a research report: “A restaurant owner on the South Side said …”.
Quotes with your name
By default we check each named quote with you before it is used.
Referrals to partners
We share only what a partner needs to respond, and only for the needs you choose.
Business on the Block media
This is separate from the research. Saying yes here does not join you to the research, and saying no to research does not affect this.

What we collect

  • Business details: name, type, neighborhood, years in business, approximate size.
  • How you describe your business's ownership (for example, minority-owned or woman-owned) and any business certifications, such as MBE or WBE. These questions are optional: you can skip them or answer "prefer not to say."
  • Loans, grants, certifications, permits, contracts, or programs you applied for, and whether they were approved.
  • Contact details for the owner or a contact person.
  • Your answers to the questionnaire and, if you allow it, what you said in the conversation.
  • Needs you identify, referrals we make for you, and what happened afterward.

How we use it

  • To help you. If you allow referrals, we share only the details a partner organization needs to respond to the need you chose.
  • For research. Findings are reported as totals and patterns across many businesses, always with how many businesses they are based on. Each business gets a research ID that contains no name or location.
  • Quotes and media. We quote you or show you in media only as your permissions allow. Attributed quotes are checked with you first unless you tell us otherwise.

What we never do

  • We never sell your information.
  • We never publish your name, your business's name, or your contact details without your permission.
  • We never score you, rank you, or decide whether you deserve help.
  • We never share research data that identifies you outside the Local Exchange team without your permission.

Use of AI tools

Our researchers may use an AI service to help draft summaries or suggest research codes. Names, addresses, emails, and phone numbers are removed before any text is sent, and the AI does not decide anything. A person reviews everything, and AI never changes what you said.

How we protect it

Information is kept in a secure database. Only authorized Local Exchange team members can see it, each with access limited to their role, and important actions are recorded in an audit log. Research files shared for analysis leave out names, contact details, exact addresses, social media accounts, and open-ended answers.

Changing your mind

You can change or withdraw any permission at any time by contacting us. We record the change and follow it from that day forward. You can also ask us to remove the details that identify you. Findings already published as totals cannot be un-published, but they never identify you.

Questions

Ask the researcher you are working with, or send us a message. You can read more about our methods on the methodology page.