Humble Design
Humble Design is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit furniture bank that provides donated furniture and home-design services to families transitioning out of homelessness across four U.S. metros (Detroit, Chicago, San Diego, Cleveland), serving 12,885+ people cumulatively with a UC San Diego-validated 97.7% housing retention rate.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersSouthfield, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Humble Design does
Humble Design is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2009 in Detroit that operates as a regional furniture bank serving families transitioning out of homelessness, domestic violence, and crisis displacement. Its core service is end-to-end home furnishing: case managers at partner social-service agencies refer incoming families, Humble Design assigns a designer to plan the home layout, and a volunteer-led delivery crew installs donated furniture and household goods—typically within 48 hours of move-in. There is no commercial product, software platform, or proprietary technology in the offering; the "product" is the furnished home itself, assembled from donated inventory.
The business model is donation-driven and non-commercial. Revenue is generated from monetary contributions by individuals, corporate giving programs, and foundation grants, while the primary input—furniture, décor, and housewares—is sourced as in-kind donations from households and corporate donors, supplemented by direct purchases. Volunteer labor offsets operating costs, and the organization runs a Corporate Volunteer Engagement Program that sells structured team-building shifts to companies as a CSR product. There is no fee charged to beneficiary families; families are referred through vetted agency partnerships in each metro.
The organization currently operates in four U.S. cities (Detroit 2009, Chicago 2012, San Diego 2018, Cleveland 2020) and reports cumulative impact of 12,885+ people served, 4,425+ homes designed, and 7,896+ children transitioned off floors. A UC San Diego study validated a 97.7-98% one-year housing retention rate among clients. Humble Design is a founding member of the Furnish Together coalition, a 1% for the Planet member, and a 2025 recipient of the Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency.
Humble Design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Humble Design
- Legal name
- Humble Design, Inc.
- Website
- https://humbledesign.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Humble Design is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit furniture bank that provides donated furniture and home-design services to families transitioning out of homelessness across four U.S. metros (Detroit, Chicago, San Diego, Cleveland), serving 12,885+ people cumulatively with a UC San Diego-validated 97.7% housing retention rate.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Humble Design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Furniture Bank / Homeless Support Services
- NAICS
- Interior Design Services (54141)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Flat-Pack & Modular Furniture Assembly (IKEA, Wayfair, etc.) (HSAGAHAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Closet & Wardrobe Organization (HSAFAAAB), Home Accessibility Assessment & Design (HSAPANAA)
Keywords
Where Humble Design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Southfield
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Humble Design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Monetary Donations: Individual and corporate donors make financial contributions through the website, PayPal, credit card, bank transfer, and Donor Advised Funds. Donations support operational costs and home furnishing programs.
- Furniture and Household Donations: Individuals and businesses donate gently used or new furniture and household items which are then used to furnish homes for families in need.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors provide financial support to sustain programs and initiatives, including Day of Joy event sponsorships and general program sponsorships.
- Estate Planning / Legacy Gifts: Donors can include Humble Design in their estate plans, ensuring lasting impact beyond their lifetime.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Humble Design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Humble Design is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit furniture bank that collects donated furniture and household items, identifies families and individuals transitioning out of homelessness through partner social-service agencies, and transforms empty houses into fully furnished, professionally designed homes. The organization operates through four city chapters (Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, and San Diego) with warehouses that receive, sort, and store donations, then deploy volunteer teams to deliver and set up homes for referred families.
Product overview
Humble Design is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that transforms lives by furnishing homes for families and individuals transitioning out of homelessness. The organization operates as a single service offering focused on collecting donated furniture and household items, identifying families with the greatest need through partnering agencies, and transforming empty houses into welcoming homes. Services include individual and corporate volunteering programs, Day of Service team-building events, and furniture donations. The organization operates through four city chapters: Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, and San Diego.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Home Furnishing Program
- Day of Service / Day of Joy Corporate Volunteer Events
- Furniture and Household Item Donation Collection
- Estate Planning / Legacy Gift Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 97.7-98% housing retention rate among families served (validated by UC San Diego study)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Humble Design
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Humble Design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Humble Design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- Furnish TogetherflagshipHumble Design is a Founding Member of Furnish Together, a national coalition of nonprofit furniture banks committed to addressing and ending furniture poverty. The coalition brings furniture banks from across the country together to share best practices and expand collective impact.
- Partner Agencies (Shelters and Human Services Organizations)coreHumble Design works with partner agencies including shelters and human services organizations who refer families in need. These agencies authorize and guide the referral process, helping families secure housing before referring them for furnishing assistance.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Humble Design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Goodwill Industries International: Goodwill is one of the largest nonprofit social enterprises in the U.S., operating donation-based retail stores that sell donated furniture, household goods, and clothing to fund workforce development programs. Comparable as a donation-funded nonprofit handling furniture and household items, though Goodwill's mission and scale are far broader.
- The Salvation Army: The Salvation Army operates donation-driven thrift stores and provides direct social services including homeless services, disaster relief, and furniture/household assistance to families in need. Comparable as a donation-funded nonprofit that handles furniture redistribution and serves families transitioning out of hardship, though at significantly greater scale and broader mission scope.
- Habitat for Humanity ReStores: Habitat for Humanity operates ReStores, a national network of donated furniture and home goods resale stores that fund homebuilding for low-income families. Comparable as a large nonprofit furniture/home goods redistribution and reuse organization, though Habitat's mission centers on home construction rather than furnishing.
Others
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul: SVdP is a national Catholic nonprofit that provides direct aid including furniture, household goods, and home setup assistance to families in need through parish-based conferences. Comparable as a nonprofit providing donated furniture and household items to families in transition, though delivered through a parish volunteer network rather than a centralized warehouse model.
- Catholic Charities USA: Catholic Charities is a national network of social service agencies that, among many other services, often provide furniture, household goods, and housing transition support to families emerging from homelessness. Comparable as a referral and social services partner ecosystem that intersects with Humble Design's partner-agency referral model.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Humble Design social profiles
Digital presenceHumble Design financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Humble Design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Humble Design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Humble Design M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Humble Design
What does Humble Design do?
Humble Design is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit furniture bank that collects donated furniture and household items, identifies families and individuals transitioning out of homelessness through partner social-service agencies, and transforms empty houses into fully furnished, professionally designed homes. The organization operates through four city chapters (Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, and San Diego) with warehouses that receive, sort, and store donations, then deploy volunteer teams to deliver and set up homes for referred families.
Is Humble Design a public or private company?
Humble Design is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Humble Design founded?
Humble Design was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Humble Design based?
Humble Design is headquartered in Southfield, United States, in the North America region.
How does Humble Design make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Monetary Donations are the primary driver. The others are furniture and Household Donations, corporate Sponsorships and estate Planning / Legacy Gifts.
Who are Humble Design's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Goodwill Industries International, The Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity ReStores. Others are Society of St. Vincent de Paul and Catholic Charities USA.
Does Humble Design have an API?
No public API is recorded for Humble Design.
What industry is Humble Design in?
Humble Design's product category is Nonprofit Furniture Bank / Homeless Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSAGAHAA, Flat-Pack & Modular Furniture Assembly (IKEA, Wayfair, etc.), with a secondary code of HSAFAAAB, Closet & Wardrobe Organization. Its NAICS code is 54141.