Recycling for Charities

What Recycling for Charities does

Recycling for Charities (RFC) is a Boulder, Colorado-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1999 that operates a donation intermediation platform for wireless electronic waste. The organization accepts donated cell phones, iPods, iPads, PDAs, digital cameras, and laptops from individuals, corporations, and institutional donors, routes these devices through The Wireless Alliance for processing, and directs the resulting recycling proceeds to a network of over 800 registered beneficiary charities selected by the donor. The underlying technology is a web-based donation portal paired with a charity registry and search interface; no proprietary IP, patents, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed.

RFC's business model is donation-based: donors do not pay a fee, and the organization derives revenue from a transaction-fee spread on the resale or scrap value of recycled devices, with the majority of proceeds passed through to beneficiary charities. Go-to-market relies on event-driven collection (Earth Day campus events, music tour eco-villages via REVERB), content marketing (blog, podcast), and organic social media (Twitter, Facebook). Corporate and organizational fundraising programs extend the model into B2B CSR and institutional channels. The organization operates with 1-10 employees from Boulder, CO, with no disclosed funding, investors, or institutional backing, and is classified as a small-scale operating nonprofit rather than a growth-stage enterprise.

Name

Recycling for Charities

Legal name

Recycling for Charities

Website

https://recyclingforcharities.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Recycling for Charities is a Boulder, Colorado-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1999 that accepts donated wireless electronics and routes recycling proceeds to a network of over 800 registered charities, serving individual donors, corporations, and universities through its donation platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

E-Waste Recycling and Charity Fundraising Services

NAICS

Waste Collection (56211), Materials Recovery Facilities (562920), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Mobile Device (Smartphone/Tablet) Trade-in & Recycling (BPALAIAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

E-Waste (WEEE) Collection, Refurbishment & Recycling (IMAIAFAH), Consumer E-waste Collection & Take-Back Programs (EUAIAIAA)

Keywords

• E-waste recycling services
• Wireless device donation
• Charity fundraising platform
• Electronic waste collection
• Nonprofit recycling services

Headquarters

HQ city

Boulder

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. E-waste Recycling Proceeds: Recycling for Charities accepts donated wireless electronics, recycles them through their vendor network, and donates the proceeds to registered 501(c)(3) charities. The organization facilitates fundraising for over 800 charities nationwide by serving as an intermediary that collects e-waste and routes funds to beneficiary organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Recycling for Charities accepts donated wireless electronics (cell phones, iPods, iPads, PDAs, digital cameras, laptops) from individuals and organizations, processes them through partner The Wireless Alliance, and donates the resulting proceeds to one of more than 800 registered 501(c)(3) charities selected by the donor. The service is provided at no monetary cost to donors, combining electronic-waste diversion from landfills with fundraising for charitable causes.

Product overview

Recycling for Charities operates as a platform connecting individuals and organizations seeking to recycle wireless electronics with a network of over 800 registered charities. The core service allows users to donate their old cell phones, iPods, iPads, digital cameras, PDAs, and laptops, with proceeds from the recycling going to their chosen charitable organization. The platform offers both personal donation options and organizational/corporate fundraising programs. As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the organization ensures proper disposal of electronics in accordance with EPA guidelines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wireless Electronics Recycling (Personal Online Donation) Donation-based e-waste recycling service that accepts used cell phones, iPods, iPads, digital cameras, PDAs, and laptops from individual donors. Donors select a recipient charity and ship or drop off the device; proceeds from recycling are routed to the selected 501(c)(3) charity. Intended for individual consumers with obsolete wireless electronics.
• Charity Fundraising Platform Online platform connecting donors with more than 800 registered 501(c)(3) charities. Users select a charity to receive proceeds from their donated electronics, and the charity signs up to be listed in the directory.
• Corporate Donation Programs Fundraising program for businesses to collect and donate old wireless devices, with proceeds benefiting a corporate-selected charitable organization. Designed for CSR, sustainability, and employee engagement initiatives.
• Organizational Fundraising Programs Custom fundraising programs for schools, nonprofits, and other organizations to collect e-waste and raise funds for their causes. The organization provides fundraising supplies and event support to participating groups.

Quantifiable outcome

• Keeps 50 tons of e-waste out of landfills at major events
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• REVERBcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 June 2013Partnership with REVERB for the Last Summer on Earth tour to collect old cell phones, iPods, and digital cameras at Eco Village collection stations at every tour stop. REVERB is a Portland, ME based non-profit founded in 2004 by Lauren Sullivan and Adam Gardner of Guster, providing greening programs for music tours.
• Sustaining Our Planet Earth (SOPE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 April 2010Partnership with Oakland University's SOPE organization to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day with e-waste collection events on campus.
• The Wireless AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Wireless Alliance is shown as a partner logo on the RFC homepage. They appear to be a key vendor partner for processing wireless device recycling and donations.
• The Salvation ArmyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner organization that receives donated items and clothing during RFC collection events.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Gazelle: Gazelle is an online device trade-in service that buys used smartphones, tablets, and laptops and pays cash. It targets the same donor pool as RFC but offers direct monetary compensation rather than charitable proceeds.
• ecoATM: ecoATM operates automated kiosks that buy used cell phones, tablets, and MP3 players for cash. It is the most direct competitor in the wireless device trade-in space, differentiated by instant cash vs. RFC's charity-only model.
• ReCellular: ReCellular processes used cell phones and wireless devices for reuse, refurbishment, and recycling, serving carriers, retailers, and charities. It is a direct comparable in the wireless device processing and reuse supply chain.
• Call2Recycle: Call2Recycle is a nonprofit stewardship organization that runs consumer drop-off programs for rechargeable batteries, cell phones, and related e-waste. It is the closest nonprofit peer to RFC in mission and collection model.
• SellCell: SellCell is a price-comparison marketplace for selling used cell phones and tablets to a network of buyback vendors. It overlaps with RFC by aggregating demand for the same pool of used wireless devices.

Emerging players

• Hippo Recycling: Hippo Recycling is a certified IT asset disposition (ITAD) provider that buys, recycles, and refurbishes used electronics including phones and laptops. It overlaps with RFC in the e-waste collection and recovery category.
• The Wireless Alliance: The Wireless Alliance is both RFC's stated processing partner and an operator in the wireless device reuse/recycling space. It is comparable because it sits directly in RFC's value chain and processes the same class of devices.

Broad incumbents

• Best Buy Electronics Recycling: Best Buy operates a national consumer electronics trade-in and recycling program accepting many of the same device categories as RFC. It is a broad incumbent alternative for consumer e-waste drop-off.
• Verizon HopeLine: Verizon's HopeLine program collects used cell phones and accessories to support domestic violence survivors. It is a comparable carrier-backed donation program serving the same wireless device donor segment.
• Apple Trade In: Apple's Trade In program accepts used iPhones, iPads, and other devices in exchange for credit toward new purchases. It is a broad incumbent that competes for the same device donation/sale pool RFC targets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/donateyourphone
• Facebookfacebook.com/recycling.charities
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/recycling-for-charities

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Recycling for Charities