Partnership architecture
Three pillars determine whether this model works.
Who gives us machines, who connects us to households, and who builds our capability. Supply is secured first — without confirmed intake volume the workshop cannot be scheduled and no commitment to a housing partner is credible.
Pillar 01
Supply — inflow
Councils and transfer stations, appliance retailers and installers, real estate and body corporate managers, and direct household collection.
Pillar 02
Distribution — outflow
Community housing providers, crisis and transitional accommodation, case managers and community service agencies, plus direct retail.
Pillar 03
Enablers — capability
RTOs and TAFE, employment service providers, philanthropic funders, government circular-economy programs, and an insurance broker.
Sequencing
Supply is secured first — without confirmed intake volume the workshop cannot be scheduled and no commitment to a housing partner is credible. Distribution agreements follow immediately, since demand certainty is what makes the production mix rule achievable. Training partnerships are established last, once the workshop can reliably supervise trainees without compromising output.
The offer to each partner
What we ask for, and what you get.
Stated plainly, partner by partner. If a partnership does not leave you better off than what you are doing now, it is not a partnership worth signing.
| Partner | What we ask for | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Local councils & transfer stations | A designated whitegoods recovery bay and permission to triage units before compaction | Reduced landfill volume and disposal cost, a local circular-economy program to report against, and diversion data they can publish |
| Appliance retailers | Trade-in and old-unit collection at point of delivery, routed to us instead of to disposal | Lower waste handling cost, a credible ESG and product-stewardship story, and a customer-facing responsible-disposal offer |
| Community housing providers | Bulk supply agreements and tenant referral pathways | Faster tenancy fit-out at contracted prices, maintenance cover, and fewer tenancies failing over an unaffordable essential |
| Crisis services & case managers | Referral of eligible households and verification of concession eligibility | A dependable, dignified answer for a client need they currently cannot meet, without exposing clients to rent-to-own products |
| RTOs / TAFE | Structured off-the-job delivery and apprenticeship pathway agreements | A real workplace with supervised placements and completions in a trade with genuine local shortage |
| Funders & government programs | Setup capital: workshop fit-out, testing equipment, vehicle and initial wage subsidy | Measurable environmental and employment outcomes from a model designed to become self-funding rather than perpetually grant-dependent |
What we are asking partners for now
Three specific things, not a general expression of support.
Supply
A trial agreement to release 50 repairable units from a transfer station or retailer collection stream
Demand
An expression of interest from a community housing provider for tenant fit-out supply
Capability
A pathway conversation with an RTO and an employment services provider
Immediate next steps
Where this goes from here.
- 1
Approve the blueprint
Founding directors adopt this framework and settle the legal structure with advisers
- 2
Validate demand
Structured conversations with local housing providers and case managers to size quarterly demand
- 3
Run the pilot
50 units end to end; replace every modelled figure in this document with observed data
- 4
Submit funding
Line-item budget and evidence-backed proposal to circular-economy and social impact funders
The next version of our framework document will be materially stronger in one specific way: every number in it will have come from a machine that was actually collected, actually repaired, and actually sold. That is what the pilot is for, and it is the difference between a plan and a proposition.
For funders & government programs
We are seeking capability capital, not an operating subsidy.
Grant capital is sought for setup and capability — workshop, testing equipment, vehicle, initial wage subsidy — not for ongoing operating subsidy. Retail and commercial margin funds concession access after that.
| Investment area | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Workshop fit-out | Lease establishment, benches, storage racking, power and lighting works, security |
| Safety & testing equipment | Test-and-tag equipment, diagnostic tools, PPE, first-aid and fire compliance |
| Collection vehicle | Van or light truck with tail lift, appliance trolleys and restraints |
| Initial wage support | Licensed supervisor engagement and first-cohort trainee wages through the pilot period |
| Working capital | Parts inventory, insurance premiums and operating buffer through to positive contribution |
| Establishment costs | Incorporation, legal review of sale and rental terms, accounting setup, brand and web presence |
Quantum to be finalised. The total seed requirement will be stated as a specific figure with a line-item budget once a site has been identified and quoted, and once the 50-unit pilot has established actual labour and parts costs. Presenting a number before then would be a guess, and funders are right to discount guesses.
Start a partnership conversation
Mark Della Casa Alberighi handles partnership and funding conversations and will reply directly.
Get involved
There is a version of this partnership that costs you less than what you are doing now.
If you manage a waste stream, a housing portfolio, a training pathway or a funding program, the conversation is short and specific. We know what we are asking for and what we can commit to.