ReNew Salvage has big plans for the next couple years. Having proved that recycling construction materials is a valid business model and making that model a success as a non-profit business, ReNew is ready to expand. To do that, they need a new warehouse. And to pay for that, they're going to have to raise money — $600,000 to be exact — by this time next year when founder Erich Kruger firmly hopes to be starting construction.

In addition to gaining more protected storage space, ReNew wants to expand the kinds of recyclables it offers to include more home appliances and furniture, for which there is increased demand. They would also like to better display the inventory they have now. As Kruger points out, if customers can't see it on the shelves, they're not likely to buy it.

A big part of ReNew's mission is education, and another benefit of the new building would be space to conduct job skills and home repair classes. They currently offer such classes but space is limited and there is no defined area for this purpose. The new building will include a permanent workshop, with the tools and equipment necessary to teach home maintenance and repair.

But there is another urgent reason why ReNew needs a new building. As part of the terms of the original $1 million USDA grant that Kruger used to buy the existing building and land, ReNew must occupy 75% of the property purchased. Currently, they are under 75% but the new building would satisfy this requirement.

ReNew reserved $200,000 of the grant money to put toward new construction, and recently, they put the project design out to bid with quotes expected this week. ReNew has gotten informal estimates from a couple companies already, one local, one further afield. The local estimate put the price of the new building at about $875,000, which is what Kruger expects to pay. But assuming that is the price, there is still another $600,000 to be raised.

Kruger says ReNew is writing grants to every grant-giving entity they can, and hope to raise significant funds that way. But he says they are going to need donations from the community too to be able to reach their goal. Moreover, the timeline is brief. To break ground by next fall, they will need all their funding in place by the end of summer 2009. Folks interested in contributing are encouraged to visit ReNew's web site for more information about how to help.

ReNew's mission since its founding three years ago has been "to contribute to and encourage the preservation and renewal of the Earth's natural resources and to support low-income families to build, remodel and repair their homes." They are part of a growing national trend toward re-use and renewal of construction materials. Here in Vermont, Recycle North in Burlington and ReCover in White River both offer similar services.

The bulk of ReNew's inventory and revenue comes from "deconstructing" homes slated for demolition. Their staff carefully take apart older structures and reuse any and all salvageable fixtures, windows, wood, and other materials by reselling them in the ReNew store. Homeowners and builders come to the store to find deals on a wide range of pieces and parts. Professional builders and architects are also customers, finding unique elements they know provide value to their customers. Larger builders even work with ReNew to bring additional materials to the store.

In these waste-conscious times, ReNew performs a valuable service by keeping still useful materials out of the landfill and making them available to people who need them. But like most socially responsible businesses, obtaining sufficient capital remains challenging.

Due to the difficulty in getting funding, Kruger says they're going to have to get creative to be able to afford the building they need. One way to reduce costs, he says, is for ReNew to provide a lot of the construction labor themselves, something they plan to do. But it will probably take more than that. In addition to seeking cash contributions from both private and corporate donors in the area, they will also be soliciting volunteers for everything from office work to helping out with construction. Whatever your skill, ReNew can use you.

For those interested in sending a donation, the ReNew website has a special donations page that allows you to give to the organization in general, or target your gift for a specific purpose, such as the new building.  You can make a one time payment or have a certain amount donated automatically each month. Since ReNew is a non-profit, donations are tax-deductible.

Either way, expect to hear more from ReNew in the coming months as their fundraising efforts shift into high gear. With luck, construction will be underway by this time next year.

Plans for the new bulding