Dalianis House

NH First - Quality of Life Stores

NH First

Your Buy Local Connection

The NH First initiative is dedicated to connecting the dots to positive experiences that improve the local quality of life. By connecting local people to local products and services, they will have easy access to get assistance, buy local and donate local in New Hampshire communities first.

We promote practical solutions using current technology to help break down internal silos and get groups collaborating. We create open channels of communication to form a front line that cuts across the barriers to successful outcomes and connect the dots to economic recovery and empowerment for the future.

NH First - Quality of Life Stores

Mission: To provide a fund raising mechanism that can become self sustaining, support training and education missions and address issues of unemployment, underemployment and homelessness. Social enterprising such as a computer and electronics store can provide practical experience, on the job training and volunteering opportunities as well as support ongoing programs for homelessness, supported employment and the Homeless Veterans Reintegration.  

Launching social enterprises can support nonprofit organizations' missions and support clients with opportunities to train, volunteer or get experience for employment. The Salvation Army, Goodwill Industries, Cause for Paws, and the Junior League are a few whose social enterprises of thrift stores are well-know nationally. 

In New Hampshire Families in Transition owns and operates two nonprofit thrift stores in Manchester and Concord, NH. Outfitters Thrift Store in Manchester sells new and gently used furniture, housewares, books, and clothing for the whole family. Outfitters Thrift Store Boutique in Concord specializes in new and gently used upscale women’s clothing and accessories.

 The thrift stores are a revenue stream for Families in Transition, with 100% of store proceeds benefiting the agency. Together, the stores generate over $500,000 in sales revenue annually to support FIT housing and services for the homeless in Manchester and Concord. 

Additionally, participants at Families in Transition are given vouchers to the store upon entering FIT housing so that they can purchase basic living necessities.  

In our case the nonprofit already exists and the enterprise can be a project of the nonprofit. The key to starting a nonprofit enterprise is to organize it as a nonprofit organization. The enterprise must have a charitable purpose and cannot be operated for profit.

Steps to proceed

1. Determine the charitable purpose. What is the mission, the purpose of the non profit's effort? What need is the organization addressing? Perhaps the proceeds from the thrift store will benefit the HVRP, or support other quality of life initiatives.
2. Find a facility that can house a thrift store considering parking, affordability, and utilities.
3. Make sure we have appropriate insurance and ask about discounted rent or shared space at least to get started.
4. We will ask for donations and board members to help find donors. We will check with businesses that might have surplus items to donate. Check state surplus warehouses for equipment such as cash registers, computers, shopping carts, and display cases or racks.
5. Have a grand opening. Get the word out by sending out announcements to local newspapers and periodicals, and community segments of local news shows. Place fliers in area businesses and get listed in local directories. Let people know what your mission is -- what they are supporting with their donation or their purchase.
6. We would contact the NH Secretary of State office. To set up a nonprofit corporation and the state Department of Revenue if need be, to obtain tax-exempt status at the state level, create articles of incorporation and put together a board to govern the nonprofit.
7. Contact the city, county offices and the state Department of Commerce for information about business licenses. The requirements vary, but you will need to know what the laws are for operating a business. Apply for tax-exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service. Donors receive tax deductions for donations to a nonprofit.
8.  Thrift stores rely on donations they can sell. Visit a few thrift stores to see how they operate and how they publicize their mission.

Entrepreneurship Program

Supporting the growth of the community's start-up, emerging, and already established entrepreneurs and assisting local small businesses to compete in the information age to improve their bottom line and allow them to employ more local people and improve the local business climate now and in the future.

Connect the Dots

Engage folks to get easy access to services, participate in local events, join local groups and buy local products but also to be able to have a free and open exchange of ideas and discourse structured around issues that relate to local people's quality of life. Connecting the dots means helping our citizens have better access to local products and services when they need them