Plantory executive director, Angela BaldridgePhoto by Sarah Jane Sanders
Some of Lexington’s nonprofit agencies now have a lot more space to grow ideas, work together and share experiences, all while making their money stretch just a bit further.
The Plantory, Lexington’s nonprofit center for incubation, co-working and cross-sector collaboration, is expanding from its previous offices at 560 E. Third St., where it housed about 15 to 20 full-time members and countless part-timers.
On July 1 the organization moves into a new space above West Sixth Brewery at Sixth and Jefferson streets, commonly known as the Bread Box. The new offices are the cornerstone of a $1.1 million capital campaign to expand the Plantory and help local nonprofits thrive in the community.
Having started as an initiative of the Kentucky Council for Community and Justice nearly three years ago, the Plantory grew faster than most expected. In 2013 the organization provided space for about 2,000 meetings related to nonprofit initiatives. This year the organization is expected to provide space for nearly 4,000 meetings, which is one of many reasons the new facilities were needed.
The new space at the Bread Box includes room for more than 100 organizations and offers a kind of one-stop shop for nonprofits in the area. The space is divided into three bays, two of which are reserved for quiet, members-only workspaces. The remaining area includes a community kitchen, conference rooms, and the Loft, an innovative workspace designed to stimulate creativity and encourage a relaxed atmosphere.
Though a business does not have to formally be a nonprofit in order to become a member of the Plantory, the business must advocate for some sort of services that are needed in the city, according to Plantory Executive Director Angela Baldridge.
“Basically we’re willing to offer assistance to anyone who wants to promote some type of civic engagement or public good, because ultimately that is going to help everyone,” Baldridge said. “This is a major expansion for us, so we’re hoping to get the word out that we are looking for new members to help us continue to grow and expand, just as we’ve been doing over the last few years.”
On the surface, the Plantory simply offers a creative way to pool fixed costs for local nonprofits, including Internet and wi-fi services, receptionists, meeting rooms and workspaces. But members say the Plantory provides so much more in ways that go beyond saving a few dollars.
Sarabeth Brownrobie of Lexington United talks with Rashmi Adi-Brown of CHES Solutions Group and Kaelyn Query of LexEffect at the Plantory.Photo by Sarah Jane Sanders
Because many of the nonprofits involved with the Plantory perform the same types of tasks — membership recruitment, pledge drives, grant writing, capital campaigns, etc. — those shared experiences can prove invaluable to organizations whose funds and experience are limited and whose members are looking to make every dollar count.
CHES Solutions Group, an organization that provides training, evaluation, curriculum development, strategic development, program monitoring and professional facilitation for various groups, was one of the first organizations to begin operating out of the Plantory.
Rashmi Adi-Brown, director of the division of youth and family services for CHES, said the opportunity to be surrounded by so many other nonprofits and businesses has proven invaluable to her organization.
“The other day I was working on a proposal, and I really need to have someone look it over and give me some feedback,” Adi-Brown said. “In less than a minute, I had access to several people who do similar-type work who were able to give me feedback. You just can’t put a price on something like that.”
Another group, Lexington United, which uses games and other methods to teach the finer points of conflict resolution in an effort to deal with social problems such as racism, also maintains space in the Plantory offices.
Gail Koehler, lead trainer and research director with Lexington United, said it is unlikely her group could afford to keep decent office space anywhere else in the city because of the cost.
“There is always a chance you might find some church or some organization that might give you some space in their broom closet,” Koehler said. “But what the Plantory does is so much more than just provide space. They’ve created this thriving community for nonprofit workers that gives you motivation to carry out whatever your mission is.”
Sarabeth Brownrobie, another volunteer with Lexington United who also works out of the Plantory, said it is amazing what type of things can emerge from like-minded people sharing the same space.
“It is definitely one of those cases where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” Brownrobie said. “Sometimes you may get a really great idea from someone who does something totally different than you. Other times it could be something as simple as some unknown person stopping by to put a doughnut on your desk. When you are rubbing elbows with people who are passionate like you, it just makes you want to work that much harder. It’s definitely way better than toiling away on a grant in some dingy basement all by yourself.”
Baldridge said a bulk of the Plantory expansion came courtesy of an $800,000 donation from the owners of the Bread Box, as well as several other local and national organizations, including contributions from the Knight Foundation via Blue Grass Community Foundation donor-advised funds. She said the Plantory still needs to raise about $150,000 to reach its goal.
“We’re trying to get the word out, and we think the exposure in the new offices is going to help a lot with that,” Baldridge said. “Our goal is to make this the central agency for nonprofits in Lexington. We think we’re well on our way to making that happen.”