As the number of credit unions supporting small businessesthrough cash mobs continues to grow, the industry's interest may bein line with communities that favor patronizing local shops.

According to a survey of 2,602 small business owners conducted by the Institute for LocalSelf-Reliance, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit researchand educational organization, the “buy local” message boostedcustomer traffic and improved economic outlooks for more than 75%of the respondents.

More than 75% reported sales growth of 7.0% on average in2013 and 5.3% on average in revenue growth.

Over the holiday season, the retailers surveyed experienceda 1.4% increase in same-store holiday sales, comparable tomany competing chains, according to the ILSR and the Advocatesfor Independent Business, a coalition group, which also conductedthe survey.

Despite local support in their respective communities, of thosebusinesses that applied for a bank loanin the last two years, 42% either failed to obtain a loanor received a loan for less than the amount they needed, thedata showed.

Besides access to credit, the survey's respondents said otherchallenges include competition from large Internet companies,followed by supplier pricing that favors theirbig competitors, high costs for health insurance andescalating commercial rents.

Among independent retailers, the top policy prioritiescited were extending the requirement to collect sales taxto large online retailers, eliminating public subsidies andtax breaks for big companies and regulating interchangefees. More than three-quarters of independent retailers said thatthe fact that many online companies are not required tocollect sales tax had negatively impacted their sales, with41% describing the level of impact on their salesas significant.

Over the past few years, credit unions have coordinated cash mobs in an effort to support local businesses and toinvite the community to become more aware of their financialproducts and services.