So you’re a nonprofit hoping to do some grounds maintenance work in your community. Have you got the tools you need? As in, say, wheelbarrows? Rakes? Shovels?

If not, don’t worry. Portland Community ToolBank – which opened its doors in 2015 – probably has everything you need.

The Portland branch of a national tool-supplying organization, the ToolBank provides fellow nonprofits access to its array of 150 different tools. It’s ever braced for big projects with a 10,000 foot warehouse storing more than enough equipment duplicates to supply hundreds of volunteers at a time. And all of them can be rented for as little as 3 percent of the retail value of each tool.

While Portland’s ToolBank just opened, ToolBank USA has nine chapters throughout the nation, each locally funded. The goal of the organization is to be more than a great tool-lending service – it seeks to build community by offering people the resources they need to get good work done. By being a tool-hub with a low lending rate, many nonprofits and communities can accomplish team projects they couldn’t otherwise fit in their budgets.

Additionally, ToolBank collaborates with disaster-relief organizations and local governments to provide communities who needs tools urgently with the items they need. Lack of tools for volunteers can slow down disaster response and cleanup. With their mobile tool unit, Community ToolBank can literally drive in and solve the tool shortage.

This week at PRP we feature Portland Community ToolBank as part of our award-winning Community Voices series. You can hear interviews with key members of the organization, below:

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