In 2008, after a successful lobbying effort to pass the local retail store size cap, Preserve Portsmouth received funding to help form a Buy Local Campaign that includes the neighboring towns of Middletown and Newport to persuade large retailers to choose not to locate in the region. In addition funding was used towards the groups effort to get one lot in town rezoned from commercial to residential.

In 2007 Preserve Portsmouth received funding to aid in a community effort to discourage the retail store Target from building a 136,000 sq. foot store in the Rhode Island Town on Aquidneck Island. A successful local lobbying effort enabled a 45,000 sq. foot retail store size cap to pass a town vote in February 2008. Funding was used to educate citizens about the negative effects sprawl development can have on a rural community.