Thanks to funding provided by the NYS Pollution Prevention Institute (NYSP2I) through a grant from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Finger Lakes ReUse (FLR) is developing an easy-to-follow guide and business plan template for New York State communities interested in developing Community ReUse Centers in their cities and towns in partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County (CCETC). The interactive, online template will assist communities in replicating the successful nonprofit Community ReUse Center model established by Finger Lakes ReUse in 2008. The template will be free of charge and designed and distributed as a tool for communities to transform liabilities into assets by reducing solid waste generation, creating quality “green” jobs, and developing a skilled workforce through the creation of nonprofit Community ReUse Centers.
The interactive template will provide specific information essential to starting and growing a successful reuse operation and will include guidelines for:
- Generating community buy-in
- Conducting market research on consumers and generators of reusable materials
- Understanding and developing the components of a business plan
- Operating a nonprofit organization according to New York State rules and regulations
This project is being taken on in partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County (CCETC) and will be online in summer 2014. The guide will include links to resources that will help users write their own business plans from beginning to end. In addition, funds are available for Finger Lakes ReUse staff to travel to NYS communities creating their own Community ReUse Centers for in-person consultations with local stakeholders.
