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In Cincinnati, where do non-profits go to find the materials they need? They turn to the Community Resource Center, Inc. (CRC). Founded in 1986, CRC provides Greater Cincinnati area non-profit organizations with access to affordable, quality materials (such as office furniture, computers, office equipment, and overstocks) donated by local businesses.
CRCs primary purpose is to serve the needs of charitable, tax-exempt organizations by soliciting in-kind donations of materials and making these items available to non-profit members. As the only "thrift shop" for non-profits, CRC has placed millions of dollars worth of equipment. The organization is staffed by 5.25 full-time-equivalent employees and dozens of volunteers.
Over 600 area non-profit agencies have used CRC since it opened its doors 13 years ago. By saving non-profits significant operating and capital expenses, CRC is able to directly impact an agencys bottom line, thus allowing more money to serve its targeted audience.
CRC serves any 501c3 charitable tax-exempt non-profit, school or religious entity, especially the smaller non-profits that have very limited budgets.
Forty-six percent of CRCs member organizations have operating budgets under $100,000, 28 percent have budgets between 100,001 and $500,000; and 10 percent are between $500,001 and $1 million. Only 14 percent of CRC members have annual budgets exceeding $1 million.
During 1998, CRC served a total of 328 non-profit member organizations, an increase of 28 percent over previous years. In addition, their in-kind donor base increased 64 percent. At the same time, earned income increased from 50 percent to 57 percent each year. CRC attributes such tremendous growth to their new marketing strategy. They are working to more agressively seek material donations through an 8,500-piece quarterly mailer. Non-profit contacts are made primarily through word of mouth.
Growth in both areas necessitated the expansion of the warehouse to a 12,000-square-foot building last year. CRC prescreens donations carefully to insure good donations that are useful to the local non-profit recipients. On some occasions, the donation can be readily utilized by a local organization.
The success of this program is demonstrated when Proctor & Gamble recently donated 56 module workstations complete with a floorplan layout and setup instructions. At that same time Lighthouse Youth Services, a local group serving housing, counseling and other needs of at-risk youth, was relocating into new facilities and able to utilize all 56 workstations immediately.
CRC has its own truck and picks up the prescreened donations at no cost to the donor. In occasions of very large donations, CRC even places a trailer on the donors site.
In addition to local donations, the center also serves as a distribution center for Gifts In Kind International and Kids in Distressed Situations.
CRC offers quarterly training for non-profit development. Classes are held on issues, such as market/public relations, grantwriting, fundraising, and human resources, which are in demand by their non-profit clients.
All of these programs and services add up to a successful program in Cincinnati. CRC was 80 percent financially sustainable in 1998. The remainder of their budget comes from corporate sponsorships ranging from $500 to $5,000.
For more information, contact Molly Lohr at CRC: 513/554-4944; or e-mail at comre@one.net |
