The Rhode Island Foundation has launched a statewide campaign to encourage Rhode Islanders to shop at locally owned businesses during the holiday shopping season.

“Buy Local RI” offers businesses and consumers a central website at buylocalri.org where merchants can market their products and services and shoppers can find locally sold products, see a calendar of holiday-related events and promotions and even sign up for email about discounts and special offers.

“Patronizing local shops and restaurants has the potential to payoff in a big way. We are talking about money that each one of us is already spending, so no additional investment is required. The return can be spectacular as the cash circulates through our economy,” said Neil Steinberg, the Foundation’s president and CEO. “As these companies prosper, they will grow and put people back to work.”

Shifting just 10 percent of the purchasing that Rhode Island shoppers do from chains to independent, locally owned businesses has the potential to add $373 million to the state’s economy, according to a study commissioned by the Foundation. The study estimates that 57 percent of spending with locally owned retailers stays in the state’s economy compared to just 13.6 percent of spending at major national chains.

The campaign kicked off at Ocean State Job Lot, where small business owners gathered to support the effort to promote buying local.

“Shopping local helps keep our neighborhoods strong,” said David Sarlitto of Ocean State Job Lot, the North Kingstown-headquartered retailer that has 15 stores in Rhode Island. “Job Lot employs hundreds of Rhode Islanders, is owned by partners who live in the state, works with many local suppliers, and has a philanthropic Charitable Foundation which gives back to numerous worthwhile community organizations. Buying local is the foundation for keeping our neighborhoods economically vibrant and healthy.”

Only locally owned, Rhode Island businesses can list their companies on the Buy Local RI website. Consumers can search by a number of fields including location, product or service and company name. There is no cost for businesses or consumers to use the website.

The Rhode Island Foundation is the largest and most comprehensive funder of non-profit organizations in Rhode Island. In 2014, the Foundation awarded $34.8 million in grants to organizations addressing the state’s most pressing issues and needs of diverse communities. Through leadership, fundraising and grant-making activities, often in partnership with individuals and organizations, the Foundation is helping Rhode Island reach its true potential. For more information, visit www.rifoundation.org.