History
The Coalition began as a conference of like-minded organizations seeking ways to share wisdom, resources, and best practices within the home repair and rehab community. Out of that was born a national trade association and a foundation that brought together organizations from across the country to make our collective stronger. Today, we're a coalition of nonprofits, local governments, and churches who repair homes and partner with businesses, sponsors, other nonprofits and individuals to make a bigger impact.
2011 - First Conference
It all began in November 2011 with our first annual ReFrame Conference in Johnson City, Tennessee, for organizations concentrated in central Appalachia. The event was organized by Becca Davis, an employee of Appalachia Service Project.
2012 - Growth
The second ReFrame Conference grew to include about 100 participants and expanded to involve guest speakers and exhibitors. Attendees started to ask about connecting with each other year-round.
2013 - Association Founded
ReFrame Association officially formed as a 501(c)(6) on November 14 – also the first full day of our annual conference – with nine founding member organizations. Becca Davis left Appalachia Service Project and became the executive director of ReFrame. Chris Manley, co-founder, was instrumental in the incorporation process, and served as the first chair of the Board of Directors.
2014 - Nationwide Focus
What began in the smoky hills of the Appalachian mountains grew to represent home repair programs across the nation. Our fourth ReFrame Conference included representatives from 14 states, and we also offered educational webinar throughout the year.
2015 - Visioning
Our Board refined our strategic plan and created a ten-year vision, and our members repaired homes in 32 states. The momentum and excitement for our shared work was growing!
2016 - More Growth
Our 6th annual ReFrame Conference was held at a new location, and our membership grew! New membership benefits such as discounts and free resources were added.
2017 - Membership Tools
We launched a new online members' portal with a video library, job board, and more. This allowed us to provide more support and opportunities for our members to connect.
2018 - Foundation Formed
We incorporated ReFrame Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so that we could apply for grants, accept tax-deductible donations, and position ourselves to be able to offer pass-through funding to members.
2019 - Regional Events
We hosted our first regional events in Pennsylvania and South Carolina and organized an advocacy event in Washington, DC. Our impact grew significantly because of the connections we made through these programs.
2020 - Virtual Presence
Due to the coronavirus, we canceled 4 regional events and hosted a virtual spring summit. We also organized dozens of webinars to help our members navigate the challenges of repairing homes during the pandemic. Our 10th ReFrame Conference was held online and we hired our second staff person, a part-time Membership Development & Engagement Coordinator.
2021 - Rebranding
ReFrame Association and ReFrame Foundation were merged into one 501(c)(3) and rebranded as the Coalition for Home Repair. We hired our third staff person, an Administrative Assistant, and our Executive Director became a full-time employee. We launched our first advocacy campaign and provided grants to members for the first time. We also launched a new program - intensive cohorts designed to help nonprofits innovate and refine funding and program models to ensure their sustainability so more homes can be repaired during and after the pandemic.
2022 - Our Shared Future
We have exciting plans for our future! We look forward to expanding our educational programs, advocacy efforts, and membership benefits and resources.
2023 - Year of Transition & Growth
The Coalition welcomed a new executive Director, Freyja Harris, in February 2023. We were awarded a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Grant to grow our staff and increase our impact. We hired 6 new part-time employees to expand our educational programs, advocacy efforts, and membership benefits and resources.
If you aren't a member yet, it's a great time to join as a Coalition Member, Nonprofit Partner, Coalition Sponsor, Business Partner, or Individual. Join now!