Launching a Non-Profit Partnership Program

Introduction

As I prepare to launch the Non-Profit Partnership Program at FASTSIGNS in the coming weeks, the vision is clear: to align my business practices with my commitment to fostering the common good. I know that nonprofit organizations play a crucial role in advancing human flourishing, often serving the most vulnerable and marginalized among us. By supporting these organizations, I hope to help cultivate a thriving community where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.

The structure of the program is intentional. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all discount, the program provides tailored pricing support based on organizational size and signage needs. Smaller nonprofits often face real financial constraints, and this structure helps lower the barrier to access without compromising sustainability. At the same time, providing preferred pricing for larger orders encourages thoughtful planning and maximizes their ability to make an impact.

Ultimately, this program is about more than pricing—it’s about partnership. It reflects my belief that a community flourishes when everyone, especially the most vulnerable, is uplifted. I’m excited to take this step and look forward to seeing how it helps nurture the common good.

Program Structure

The Non-Profit Partnership Program is built around two key dimensions: organization size and order volume. This helps ensure support is thoughtful, proportional, and rooted in relationship.

Organization Size: Smaller nonprofits often operate with limited budgets and resources. By offering more significant pricing support to these organizations, I hope to help them stretch their funds further, enabling them to focus more on their mission and less on operational constraints. Supporting the smallest players can have an outsized impact on community well-being.

Order Volume: Preferred pricing for larger or recurring orders encourages nonprofits to plan ahead and maximize their investment. It also allows us to structure the program in a way that remains viable for the business while still generous in intent.

By balancing these two dimensions, I aim to create a practical, sustainable program that meets nonprofits where they are and helps them grow.

Balancing Support with Sustainability

While generosity is core to this program, so is sustainability. I can’t offer meaningful support if the business itself becomes unstable. That’s why the program is structured—not arbitrary. It’s designed to be generous where it matters most, but also mindful of our costs and margins. The goal is a long-term commitment, not a short-term gesture. By building this into the economics of how the shop operates, I hope to make it possible to keep saying yes—to today’s nonprofits and tomorrow’s, too.

This commitment also includes dedicating a member of my team to focus primarily on growing and operating the program. It’s an investment not just in the program’s success, but in the growth of the person I’m entrusting with it. I believe this kind of responsibility—built around service, learning, and relationship-building—can be deeply meaningful work. It’s also a way I can invest in people who are rebuilding, re-rooting, or simply looking for purposeful work in a new chapter of life.

What I’m Hoping For

At its core, this program is an experiment in values-in-action. I hope it makes nonprofits feel like they’re not an afterthought—but a meaningful part of the local business ecosystem. I want smaller organizations to feel seen. I want pricing to feel fair, not like a barrier. And I want my team to understand that the work they do helps fuel missions far beyond the shop.

If it works, it will make relationships with these organizations stronger. Not just more frequent, but more mutual—built on trust, transparency, and shared investment in our community’s well-being.

How I’ll Know It’s Working

I won’t judge success solely by revenue, though sustainability matters. I’ll pay attention to other signs:

• Are organizations coming back because they feel supported?
• Are team members proud to offer this program?
• Do I hear that it made someone’s project possible—or even just easier?
• Can I keep offering it six months from now, a year from now, without compromising the business?

These are the kinds of signals I’ll look for. Not as metrics on a dashboard, but as feedback loops. As clues that this small act of pricing differently is helping me do business a little more like the world I want to live in.