Goodwill Industries Of Northern Wisconsin And Upper Michigan, Inc.

What Goodwill Industries Of Northern Wisconsin And Upper Michigan, Inc. does

Goodwill Industries of Northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in October 1965 and headquartered in Marquette, Michigan. It is one of 155 independent Goodwill entities operating in the United States and serves a rural, sparsely populated region spanning Northern Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The organization runs five operational thrift retail stores, with a sixth planned for Iron Mountain, and supports a workforce of 200+ employees. CEO Jim Borowski leads the organization, bringing prior executive experience from Square D and Life Fitness.

The company operates a four-pillar service portfolio: (1) thrift retail stores processing donated goods (164,341 items in 2023); (2) workforce development including the Possibilities Program for individuals with disabilities and the broader training pipeline (39,385 training hours in 2023); (3) Industrial/Business Services providing staffing and operational support to regional manufacturers such as Caterpillar, Johnson Controls, Marinette Marine, Lloyd Flanders, NUVU Foodservice, Quality Assembly and Logistics, Christensen Machine, and Anchor Coupling; and (4) electronics recycling operated through a joint venture with Comprenew established in April 2018. The organization holds CARF Gold Seal Accreditation for its employment programs and diverted 2,883,088 pounds of material from landfill in 2023.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid nonprofit model combining thrift retail sales, B2B industrial staffing contracts, government and private workforce-development grants, electronics-recycling fees, and community donations. The Round-Up community-giving program distributed $38,766 in 2023. The 2023 payroll totaled $4,812,276, and the organization measures impact across donations, training hours, wages paid, and landfill diversion rather than as a for-profit revenue figure.

Name

Goodwill Industries Of Northern Wisconsin And Upper Michigan, Inc.

Legal name

Goodwill Industries of Northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, Inc.

Website

https://gwnwup.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Goodwill Industries of Northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1965 operating thrift retail stores, workforce development programs, industrial staffing services for manufacturers, and electronics recycling across Northern Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Thrift Retail and Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Used Merchandise Retailers (459510), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (458110)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Retail-Miscellaneous Shopping Goods Stores (5940)

akta.pro primary industry

Donation, Resale & Textile Recycling Coordination (HSAFABAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Donation, Resale & Disposal Coordination (HSAFAAAK), Textile & Apparel Sorting/Recovery Facilities (EUAIADAJ)

Keywords

• Thrift retail stores
• Workforce development services
• Electronics recycling services
• Disability employment programs
• Nonprofit social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Marquette

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Thrift Store Sales: Revenue generated from selling donated goods in 5 physical retail stores across Northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. Items include clothing, furniture, household goods, electronics. The organization does not use e-commerce - all sales are in-store only.
2. Monetary Donations: Accepts monetary donations from the public to support mission services and employment training programs.
3. Industrial/Business Services: Provides contract manufacturing and assembly services to businesses (Caterpillar, Johnson Controls, etc.). Creates jobs for individuals with barriers to employment through these business partnerships.
4. Electronics Recycling Partnership: Joint venture with Comprenew for electronics recycling services. Provides proper e-waste disposal for the community while generating revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Goodwill Industries of Northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan operates five thrift retail stores that sell donated clothing, household items, furniture, and electronics to individual shoppers. The retail revenue funds employment, training, and support services for individuals with barriers to work. Complementary offerings include the Possibilities program for adults with disabilities, business/industrial contract services (assembly, packaging, machining) for manufacturers, and electronics recycling via a joint venture with Comprenew.

Product overview

Goodwill Industries of Northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization operating retail thrift stores alongside workforce development and employment services. The organization runs a network of retail stores selling donated goods (clothing, furniture, electronics, household items) with no e-commerce operations. The core service portfolio includes workforce development and job training programs, the Goodwill Possibilities Program for individuals with disabilities, Business/Industrial Services providing contract manufacturing, and electronics recycling through a joint venture with Comprenew. Supporting programs include the Color of the Week sales promotion, Loyalty Rewards program, and Round-Up Change community fundraising events. The organization serves Northern Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Goodwill Retail Stores Physical thrift retail stores selling donated clothing, household items, furniture, games, books, housewares, and electronics to community members. All merchandise is sold only in physical stores with no e-commerce. Locations include Houghton, Marquette, Escanaba, Sault Ste. Marie (Michigan), and Marinette (Wisconsin), with a sixth Iron Mountain location coming soon.
• Workforce Development Services Employment services including education, training, career services, job skills development, and placement assistance for individuals seeking meaningful employment in Northern Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
• Goodwill Possibilities Program Programming for people with disabilities providing day services, community access, job exploration, leisure and recreation, health and wellness, and functional social skills training for adults 18 and older.
• Business/Industrial Services Contract manufacturing and assembly services for businesses, providing work opportunities for individuals with barriers to employment. Services include assembly, packaging, light machining, mailings, shredding, and sorting. Industrial partners include Caterpillar (Anchor Coupling), Johnson Controls, Marinette Marine, NUVU Foodservice, Quality Assembly and Logistics, Lloyd Flanders, and Christensen Machine.
• Electronics and Tech Recycling Electronics recycling services provided through a joint venture with Comprenew, accepting cell phones, computers, monitors, printers, televisions, and other electronic devices for certified e-Stewards and R2 compliant recycling.
• Mission Services Rehabilitation and employment services for individuals with disabilities and other barriers including supported employment, job development, trial work experience, work evaluation, and assessment services. CARF Gold Seal Accredited.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 8 million pounds recycled in 2020; 2.88 million pounds diverted from landfills in 2023
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Knights of ColumbusminorOthersCommunity partner organization listed on Goodwill's partner page
• United Way of Marquette CountycoreOthersMajor community partner supporting local initiatives and community programs
• Bonifas Arts CenterminorOthersArts center partnership in Escanaba supporting community engagement
• Teaching Family HomescoreOthersPartnership supporting youth and family services in Marquette County
• Superior Housing SolutionsminorOthersHousing solutions partner in Marquette County
• Special Olympics Area 36coreOthersPartnership supporting Special Olympics athletes and winter games in the Upper Peninsula
• ComprenewcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture with Comprenew of Grand Rapids, Michigan to provide proper electronics recycling services in the Upper Peninsula and Northern Wisconsin. Goodwill provides retail locations and collection infrastructure; Comprenew provides certified e-Stewards and R2 electronics recycling.
• Big Brothers Big SisterscoreOthersMentorship organization partnership supporting youth in Marquette and Alger County
• Sault Area Chamber of CommerceminorOthersChamber of commerce partnership supporting business community in Sault Ste. Marie
• Marinette-Menominee Chamber of CommerceminorOthersChamber of commerce partnership supporting business community in Marinette, WI
• mediaBrew CommunicationsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing and communications partner providing website and media services
• Anchor Coupling (Caterpillar)coreOthersIndustrial services partner - provides contract manufacturing and assembly work for Caterpillar products through Anchor Coupling
• Johnson ControlscoreOthersIndustrial services partner (formerly Ansul/Tyco) providing contract manufacturing opportunities
• Marinette MarinecoreOthersIndustrial services partner providing shipbuilding assembly work
• NUVU FoodserviceminorOthersIndustrial services partner providing foodservice-related assembly work
• Quality Assembly and LogisticsminorOthersIndustrial services partner providing assembly and logistics work
• Lloyd FlandersminorOthersIndustrial services partner - furniture manufacturing
• Christensen MachineminorOthersIndustrial services partner - machining work
• Stephenson National Bank and TrustminorOthersLocal banking partner supporting the community
• Michigan Technological UniversityminorOthersUniversity partnership providing educational and training opportunities
• Superior Watershed PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for environmental initiatives including electronics recycling events. Great Lakes non-profit serving Upper Peninsula communities.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Savers / Value Village: Largest for-profit thrift operator in North America, with hundreds of stores purchasing donated goods from nonprofit partners. Comparable in donation-sourced thrift retail; key competitor for donated-goods supply chain.

Direct peers

• ARC Thrift Stores: Nonprofit thrift chain funding programs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Directly comparable in donation-funded retail and disability-focused mission programs.
• Salvation Army Thrift Stores: Competing nonprofit thrift retailer operating donation-based retail stores and adult-rehabilitation programs across the U.S. Directly comparable in thrift retail, donation model, and social-mission workforce programs.
• Habitat for Humanity ReStores: Nonprofit home-furnishings resale stores funded by donated goods, with proceeds funding housing programs. Comparable in donation-funded retail model and nonprofit mission orientation.
• Goodwill Industries of Wisconsin: Another regional Goodwill affiliate operating thrift retail stores and workforce-development programs in Wisconsin. Closest direct peer given overlapping Wisconsin geography, shared Goodwill brand, and parallel mission/business model.
• Goodwill of Greater Detroit and Southeast Michigan: Regional Michigan Goodwill affiliate offering thrift retail and employment services. Comparable in mission, store-based model, and workforce-development focus; relevant for benchmarking against another in-state Michigan Goodwill.
• St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores: Catholic-mission nonprofit thrift chain operating stores that fund social services including workforce and housing programs. Comparable in donation-funded thrift retail and integrated human-services mission.

Emerging players

• ThredUp: Online resale marketplace for secondhand apparel. Comparable in second-hand apparel resale category; illustrates the e-commerce resale channel Goodwill NWUP has explicitly avoided.

Others

• Comprenew: Michigan-based certified e-Stewards/R2 electronics recycler and Goodwill NWUP's joint venture partner. Comparable as e-waste recycling operator and direct JV counterparty in electronics-recycling services.
• Disabled Peoples Protection Coalition / Disability Service Providers (regional): CARF-accredited regional disability and workforce-development service providers in the Upper Midwest. Comparable in CARF-accredited disability employment services and supported-employment programs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@goodwillnwup3339
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=100090475549049
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/goodwill-industries-of-northern-wisconsin-and-upper-michigan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Goodwill Industries Of Northern Wisconsin And Upper Michigan, Inc.