Turnip Green Creative Reuse

What Turnip Green Creative Reuse does

Turnip Green Creative Reuse is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating a creative reuse center, education programs, workshops, and an artist marketplace from a single facility at 1014 3rd Ave S. in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in the mid-2010s and operational for over 10 years, the organization diverts an average of 1,500 pounds per day of donated hard-to-recycle materials from landfill, redistributing them through a 'pay what you can' retail storefront and to community makers, schools, and artists. Education and outreach programming — including Turnip Sprouts weekly clubs, in-class workshops, creativity kits, and field trips — is delivered in partnership with Metro Nashville Public Schools, Nashville Public Library, and other community organizations, with curriculum centered on STEAM-based sustainability learning.

The organization's revenue model is hybrid and nonprofit-typical: pay-what-you-can retail and workshop fees, a 30% commission on Artist Marketplace sales (artists retain 70%), Kid's Camp registrations at $200/student/week, studio rental and private workshop bookings, a tiered Sustainable Supporters monthly donation program ($5–$100/month), annual fundraising events, and corporate sponsorship. Corporate support spans a diversified roster including Southwest Airlines (which, through its Repurpose with Purpose program, has contributed 247,219 pounds of diverted airline seat materials since May 2021), Nissan, Kroger, Blue Cross Blue Shield, HCA, FlyteVu, and Piedmont Gas. The commercial 'Materials for Partners Program' extends the donation pipeline into a B2B service for organizations requiring curated reuse materials. The organization has no proprietary technology platform; operations rely on Webflow for web presence, Neon CRM for donor management, Square for merchandise e-commerce, and Acuity-based scheduling for workshops and camps. The leadership team comprises approximately 9 full-time staff headed by Executive Director Erin Boddy (since 2024), with governance from a board including President Robin Alberts-Marigza, Treasurer Jennifer Knight, and Secretary Sarah Saeed.

Name

Turnip Green Creative Reuse

Legal name

Turnip Green Creative Reuse

Website

https://turnipgreencreativereuse.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Turnip Green Creative Reuse is a Nashville-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit creative reuse center that diverts hard-to-recycle materials from landfill through a pay-what-you-can retail storefront, school and community education programs, artist workshops, and corporate material partnerships serving makers, students, and local artists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Reuse and Arts Education

akta.pro primary industry

Material Reuse & Upcycling Services (Non-recycling Transformation) (EUAIANAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Crafts & Maker Arts (Ceramics, Textiles, Jewelry, Mixed Media) (EDAMAAAD), Crafts & DIY (Paper, Fiber, Wood, Resin, DIY Projects) (EDAAAGAB)

Keywords

• Creative reuse center
• Nonprofit arts education
• Material reuse programs
• Community art workshops
• Sustainable craft retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Creative Reuse Center Retail Sales: Physical retail storefront selling donated creative materials with a 'pay what you can' pricing model. Materials donated by community and businesses are sorted, processed, and redistributed for creative purposes.
2. Workshops and Classes: Skill-based art workshops led by local artists, offered as both series and one-off sessions. Also includes private workshops for teams and events, and studio rental opportunities.
3. Kid's Camp Registration: Week-long half-day summer camps for youth grades K-5, priced at $200/student per week. Includes materials, snacks, and hands-on art projects. Financial assistance available.
4. Artist Marketplace Commission: Artists sell handmade goods made from reuse materials at the marketplace. TGCR takes 30% commission on sales; artists receive 70%.
5. Sustainable Supporters Monthly Donations: Recurring monthly donor program with tiered perks ranging from $5/month to $100/month. Provides 'Surprise Orbs', artisan bundles, workshop access, exclusive shopping events, and annual fundraiser tickets based on tier.
6. Annual Fundraiser: Annual 'Reduce. Reuse. Repeat.' fundraiser at Lane Motor Museum. 10th annual event scheduled for September 23, 2026. Includes food, drinks, silent auction, and curated gallery.
7. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support the organization, including Southwest Airlines (Repurpose with Purpose program), Nissan, Kroger, Blue Cross Blue Shield, HCA, and others. Sponsorships support both operations and events.
8. Commercial Material Donations: Business partners pay for material waste management services through the Materials for Partners program, where TGCR collects specially requested reuse materials for organizations' events, programs, or projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Turnip Green Creative Reuse is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates a Creative Reuse Center where donated hard-to-recycle materials are sorted, processed, and redistributed to community members through a "pay what you can" retail model. Surrounding this core, it offers STEAM-based Education & Outreach programming (Turnip Sprouts clubs, in-class workshops, field trips, creativity kits), skill-based art Workshops & Studio sessions led by local artists, an Artist Marketplace where third-party artists sell reuse-material handmade goods on a 70/30 commission split, week-long Kid's Camps, a Materials for Partners commercial donation program, studio rentals, and private workshops.

Product overview

Turnip Green Creative Reuse is a nonprofit organization operating as a single, unified program rather than a platform. The core offering is the Creative Reuse Center — a shopping center with a 'pay what you can' pricing model that diverts usable materials from landfills. Surrounding this core are several interconnected program services: Education & Outreach (school programs, field trips, outreach initiatives), Workshops & Studio (skill-based workshops led by local artists), Artist Marketplace (gallery showcasing reuse-material art), Kid's Camp (summer camps for youth), and the Materials for Partners Program. Together, these programs serve students, teachers, artists, and community members while advancing the mission of sustainability through creative reuse.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Creative Reuse Center Physical retail shopping center where donated reusable hard-to-recycle materials are sorted, organized, processed, and redistributed to community members using a "pay what you can" pricing model. Operates Tuesday-Sunday at the Nashville location and accepts an average of 1,500 pounds of donated materials daily. Open to the general community, artists, teachers, and under-resourced members.
• Education & Outreach Educational programs and outreach initiatives delivered to K-12 schools, libraries, and community groups. Includes Turnip Sprouts weekly club programs, in-class workshops, creativity kits, and field trips with hands-on reuse projects promoting sustainability and STEAM learning. Primary educational partner is Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS).
• Workshops & Studio Skill-based art workshops led by local artists in TGCR's studio space. Offers both series and one-off workshop sessions, including free workshops for low-vision individuals in partnership with TN Disability Coalition. Workshop pricing varies by session and is listed on the scheduling system at tgcR-workshops.as.me.
• Artist Marketplace A gallery and marketplace showcasing handmade works made from reuse materials by local and regional artists. Artists receive a 70% commission on sales while TGCR retains 30%.
• Kid's Camp Week-long, half-day summer camps for youth grades K-5 held in the Studio. Campers explore various art mediums through hands-on projects focused on reuse and recycling. Priced at $200/student per week with financial assistance available; includes materials, snack, and finished art projects.
• Materials for Partners Program A program where Turnip Green collects specially requested reuse materials for partner organizations based on their materials list for events, programs, or projects. Business partners pay for material waste management services through this program; commercial dropoff scheduling is available for large donations.
• Studio Rental Private studio bookings hosted by Turnip Green staff for personalized events such as birthday parties, friend gatherings, or special occasions.
• Private Workshops Customizable team-building workshops and service projects including sculptural scavenger hunts, postcard-making, and virtual/in-person sustainability presentations, delivered for corporate and group clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,500 pounds of donated hard-to-recycle materials diverted from landfill daily
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Southwest AirlinescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2021Launched in May 2021 through Southwest Airlines' Repurpose with Purpose program. 247,219 pounds of airline seats have been diverted from landfill and used by students and community members for creative purposes. TGCR creates and sells items made from Southwest Airlines' E-Leather at the Artist Marketplace.
• Tennessee Justice CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurrent community partner organization working alongside TGCR to advance sustainability and reuse efforts in Middle Tennessee.
• TN Disability CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to host free workshops for low-vision individuals, taught by trained staff on new teaching techniques with specialized tools and equipment for accessible workshops.
• Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary educational partner delivering dynamic STEAM-based programming that sparks creativity and promotes sustainability. Programs include Turnip Sprouts weekly clubs, in-class workshops, and creativity kits.
• Nashville Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOutreach partner providing hands-on activities and educational enrichment supporting TGCR's mission of creativity and sustainability.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Recreative: Denver-area creative reuse nonprofit offering low-cost art supplies, workshops, and education. Operates an essentially identical 'donate-sort-resell-educate' model to Turnip Green Creative Reuse.
• The Scrap Exchange: Durham, NC nonprofit creative reuse center diverting materials from landfill through retail, education, and arts programming. Closely comparable in operating model, mission, and programming mix to TGCR.
• Materials for the Arts: NYC-based nonprofit reuse program providing donated materials to artists, educators, and community organizations. Comparable nonprofit creative reuse model with strong education and artist support programming.
• SCRAP Creative Reuse (Portland): Portland-based nonprofit creative reuse center that accepts donated materials and resells them to educators, artists, and community members. Operates a similar donation-sorting-retail-education model with comparable scale and program structure.
• The Loading Dock: Baltimore-based nonprofit providing low-cost used building materials and reuse programming. Comparable in operating a reuse retail operation as a nonprofit with educational and community programming.

Broad incumbents

• Habitat for Humanity ReStore: National nonprofit reuse retail network operated by Habitat for Humanity, reselling donated furniture, appliances, and building materials. Operates a similar donation-to-resale model but at vastly larger scale and focused on home goods rather than creative/art supplies.
• Goodwill Industries International: Large national nonprofit operating donated-goods retail stores and workforce development programs. Shares the donation-collection and reuse-retail model but operates across all donated goods categories with much larger scale and broader mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/turnip-green-creative-reuse

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 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 Turnip Green Creative Reuse