Go Local Asheville opens 2026 card preorders, boosts support for nonprofits

Go Local Asheville began taking preorders on November 29 for the 2026 Go Local Card, a seasonal program designed to steer consumer purchases toward locally owned businesses and to direct money back to nonprofit partners. The card is accepted at dozens of locally owned shops, restaurants and service businesses across Asheville and Buncombe County, and this year the organization is emphasizing stronger support for nonprofit partners through card purchases and related donations.

Organizers say the program intends to retain a larger share of consumer spending within the local economy while providing additional funding to community organizations that either accept the card or receive donations tied to the program. For Buncombe County residents, the card offers a way to align everyday spending with local economic and social goals, supporting neighborhood employers, keeping sales tax receipts circulating locally, and increasing patronage at independent businesses that face competition from national chains and online platforms.

Economically, the initiative seeks to amplify the local multiplier effect by redirecting household expenditures to businesses that are more likely to rehire locally, source from other local suppliers, and invest earnings back into the community. The nonprofit emphasis this year means purchases could also translate into direct program support for social services, arts groups, and other mission driven organizations that participate.

Participation requires purchasing the Go Local Card during the preorder window. Once activated, cardholders can use it at participating local merchants throughout 2026. For nonprofit partners, the program offers a new revenue channel tied to consumer choices, potentially smoothing funding cycles that many small community organizations experience.

As Buncombe County heads into the holiday season and the new year, the 2026 Go Local Card represents a practical lever for residents who want to support the local economy and community institutions with their spending decisions. Preorders that opened on November 29 make it possible for consumers to plan purchases that benefit both independent businesses and nonprofit partners throughout the coming year.