Cascade Alliance Questionnaire
Is Cascade Alliance a good fit for your non-profit?  Take our questionnaire to find out.

Cascade Alliance, a project of St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County, provides consulting services to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations interested in setting up a waste-based business as a way to create permanent jobs for people from vulnerable populations and strengthen nonprofits with sustainable revenue generation.

Waste-based business is broadly defined as any business that uses items diverted from the waste stream as a resource for meeting a nonprofit's mission.  These enterprises typically meet a triple bottom line:
  • generate revenue that can be used to fund the managing organization's charitable services
  • create jobs for the organization's client base
  • do something good for the planet by responsibly reusing or recycling materials
Items are diverted from several sources, including dumps, transfer stations, corporate contracts, or individual donations, and are utilized for reuse.,. remanufacture, or recycling. 
  • Reuse is using a product as-is (example- selling books online or in a retail thrift store)
  • Re-manufacture is taking an item and turning it into something else (example- clean materials from a second-hand mattress are used to make a dog bed)
  • Recycling is sending a large quantity of material to a secondary market for remanufacturing (example - gathering soda cans and selling them to an aluminum smelter)
One of the goals of this program is to use waste-based business to create jobs for people from vulnerable populations, which is defined as people who typically struggle to find employment within the mainstream workforce.  They may be formerly incarcerated, people experiencing homelessness, victims of domestic violence, and/or people with low education and skill levels.  Jobs created through this program should be permanent and full0time whenever possible.  Ideally, they also provide people with access to health care and other health services such as wellness programs.

The other goal of this program is to help strengthen nonprofits to become anchor organizations for their community.

Program Benefits
If your organization is admitted to the Cascade Alliance you can expect to receive the following benefits:
  • Consulting services to help you establish a waste-based business
  • Access to resources including sample business plans, budgets, information on commodity markets, and best practices
  • Networking opportunities with other nonprofits involved in the network
Together, we can help you open a viable waste-based business, tailored to the scope and capacity of your organization.  This business will be sustainable without subsidy over the long term, reduce your reliance on grant funds, and provide a stable source of income for your charitable programs.  You will learn enough through the experience to to develop other waste-based businesses should you so choose. 

About the Questionnaire
Waste-based businesses will not work at every organization due to a variety of factors.  In order to determine if your nonprofit is a good fit for this program, we're asking all potential partners to submit the following 30 questions.  There is no 'passing' or 'failing' grade, this is just our chance to get to know you better.

Once you submit the completed questionnaire, we will follow up with the results. 
Email *
Cascade Alliance Mountain logo and name
Organization Name *
2. Organization location and service area *
3. Mission Statement *
4. Are you interested in a certain kind of business (i.e., mattress recycling)? What is that business? *
5. How did you find out about St. Vincent de Paul and/or Cascade Alliance?
6. Why are you interested in starting a waste-based business?  (check all that apply) *
Required
7. Is your organization involved in any kind of earned income venture already? *
8. Has your organization ever started an earned income venture that failed? *
9. Do any of the following people in your organization have experience starting a business? (check all that apply) *
Required
10. Do any of the following people in your organization have experience running a business? (check all that apply) *
Required
11. What population does your organization serve? (check all that apply) *
Required
12. Is it your intention to create permanent, full-time jobs with this business venture? *
13. Will more than 50% of the jobs available through this program be temporary and intended for the purpose of job training? *
14. Will the permanent, full-time jobs offer health insurance or any type of health benefit to employees? *
15. 90% of businesses fail within the first 5 years.  On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being low and 10 being high, rate your willingness to take on this type of risk.  *
not willing
very willing
16. Many businesses lose money for the first several years.  Are you willing to support an unprofitable business for some period of time? *
17. Has your organization ever taken out a loan? *
18. If the answer is no to question 17, are you willing to take out a loan? *
19. Do you have a relationship with the public agency in your community that handles garbage and/or recycling? *
20. Are you currently involved in any of the following ctivities? (check all that apply) *
Required
21. Are you willing to engage in a business that may involve handling dirty mattresses, furniture, clothing, and other items on a daily basis? *
22. Is your potential workforce willing to engage in a business that may involve handling dirty mattresses, furniture, clothing, and other items on a daily basis? *
23. Do you own or lease a facility that could house the business venture? *
24. Has your Board of Directors given approval to explore the feasibility of an earned income venture? *
25. Do you have any resources (i.e. grants or donations) to invest in this project?  Funds can be for feasibility studies, business plans, set-up, or any aspect of project development. *
26. What is your annual budget? *
27. How many individuals do you currently employ? *
28. When was your organization founded? *
29. In 250 words or less, describe what you know about waste management, reuse, and recycling in your community.  *
30. Is there anything else you would like us to know about you?
31. Contact Information (Name, Email Address, and Phone Number) *
A copy of your responses will be emailed to .
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