Are you looking to refresh your nonprofit’s workspace without tapping into your precious budget? Green Standards offers a unique way to acquire high-quality, gently used furniture, fixtures, and equipment from Fortune 500 companies at no cost, allowing you to focus your resources on what truly matters: your mission.
From our headquarters in Toronto, Green Standards has helped major corporations and governments donate surplus furnishings to nonprofits in their communities since 2009. We now operate in more than 40 countries and have helped donate over $40M worth of items to charities, school boards, associations, cultural groups, food banks, museums, foundations, and more. That includes more than 1,000 schools, hundreds of chapters of Habitat for Humanity, and more than 100 chapters of The Salvation Army. More than 20,000 nonprofits have enrolled in the Green Standards Charitable Network, making them eligible for donations in their areas.
From a food bank in Calgary to a middle school in Toronto to an educational foundation in Quebec to the Canada-wide social enterprise Textbooks for Change, we are proud to support nonprofits of every size and shape across the country and beyond. Here’s how it works:
Step 1: Understand the opportunity
Green Standards connects nonprofits with companies looking to donate surplus furniture and equipment. This not only aids your organization in upgrading its facilities but supports the circular economy by extending the useful lifecycle of quality items. All registered nonprofits are eligible to join our network and place requests.
Step 2: Assess your needs
Before diving in, take stock of what your nonprofit really needs. Do you need new desks for your office, chairs for your meeting rooms, or perhaps some tech upgrades? Knowing what you need will help you make the most of the donations available.
Step 3: Sign up with Green Standards
Visit GreenStandards.com and sign up for the Green Standards Charitable Network. The sign-up process is straightforward and will take less than a minute.
Step 4: Watch your email
Once you’re signed up, Green Standards will notify your organization via email when there’s a project in your area. Simply follow the links to our inventory site and select the items you’d most like. Donation recipients are selected based on several factors, including client preference, distance from the project site, size of request, and overall need for items.
Step 5: Coordinate delivery
When a match is made, Green Standards will help coordinate the free delivery of the donated items to your location. The furnishings will be delivered directly to your facility and unloaded outside, tailgate style. You will be required to provide volunteers or staff on site to receive the donation, carry the items into your facility and set it up.
Step 6: Transform your space
With the donated items, you can now transform your workspace. Whether it’s creating a more inviting reception area, equipping a new community program room, or simply providing your team with better working conditions, the impact can be significant.
Step 7: Share your story
By participating in this program, your nonprofit not only benefits from new-to-you items but also contributes to a larger movement of sustainability. You’re helping to keep good quality items out of landfills and demonstrating your commitment to environmental stewardship. We ask that beneficiaries provide feedback, photos and testimonials regarding the donation and experience. This material will be used in Impact Reports for our client donors. This report showcases exactly how their donation was able to benefit the community and provides you with an opportunity to share your story and say thanks to the donor.
By following these steps, your nonprofit can enjoy a refreshed workspace, underscore its commitment to the circular economy, and continue making a meaningful impact without straining your budget.
About the Author
Sarah Aronsberg is the Head of Community Impact with Green Standards, a sustainable project management firm with the goal of diverting safe, usable assets from landfill, and donating back to the community. As Green Standards continues to grow, we invite non-profits to connect with us and take advantage of this program to receive furniture and assets – and put their funding back into their services. Please connect with us to learn more or contact saronsberg@greenstandards.com.
