Apply for a membership today!
Complete applications are usually approved in less than 24 hours! Once your application is approved, your agency is immediately eligible to borrow tools.
Members can submit a tool order at any time by clicking the ‘Place Tool Order’ button in the top right corner or on the Borrow Tools page. It’s fast and easy and ToolBank staff will contact you as soon as possible to confirm your order and pickup appointment.
To learn more about how our memberships work, who can apply, and our policies, keep scrolling down on this page!
Tools in Four Easy Steps
Become a ToolBank Member
First time borrowers must complete our brief online membership application before they can borrow tools. There is no membership fee. This process captures documentation of their not-for-profit status and creates a user account for the agency contact in our online tool ordering system.
Submit a Tool Order
Log into your ToolBank account and submit a tool order online. Get all the tools you need for your project!
Pick Up Tools
Schedule your pick up time and pick up your tool order at the ToolBank at the scheduled pickup time. ToolBank staff and volunteers will have already prepared the order in advance and will help load the tools and equipment into their vehicle. ToolBank staff will also provide usage and care guidelines and, as well as an itemized receipt.
Return Tools
Schedule your return time. After the completion of the project, the agency returns borrowed tools at the scheduled return time. ToolBank staff and volunteers assist agency in unloading tools and check tools back into inventory.
Who can apply for a membership?
The ToolBank is the not-for-profit sector’s one-stop-shop to access over 10,000 tools that are being used all across RVA every day! ToolBank tools are only available to community-based organizations, such as:
- Nonprofit, Charitable & Tax exempt organizations
- Schools and PTAs/PTOs
- Neighborhood Associations
- Faith-Based Groups
- Civic Organizations
- Government Agencies
ToolBank tools are affordable, easily accessible, and top of the line. Our tools maximize your financial and human resources by empowering you to complete awesome community projects quickly, easily, and cheaply.
Simple, Standardized Pricing
Members are required to pay a tool handling fee to borrow ToolBank tools and equipment. The Tool Handling Fee is 3% of the retail value of each tool borrowed multiplied by the number of weeks borrowed.
For example, a member borrows 30 rakes for one week. Rakes are valued in our tool ordering system at $9.98 each. At 3%, our tool handling fee for one rake is $0.30 per week. For this project, the total tool handling fee would be $8.98.
Quick Math: 0.03 x $9.98 x 30 x 1 = $8.98
In addition to tool handling fees, members may also incur late fees, replacement fees, and cleaning fees – all of which are easily avoidable. To learn more about our fees and other policies specific to our tool lending program, check out our Tools & Fees page.
ToolBank Member Policies
Tool Handling Fees
Member agencies pay a tool handling fee equal to 3% of the total retail value of the tools borrowed per week. Tools may be borrowed from one to eight weeks at a time. Tool Handling fees will be invoiced and paid via credit card. Lost tools and tools that are broken due to misuse will be charged a replacement fee amounting to the tool’s retail value. No cash is accepted for tool orders at any time.
Late Fees
Overdue tools accrue late fees at 6% of their retail value every week until the tool is returned, replaced, or its replacement cost is paid in full. Avoid late fees by returning borrowed tools on time. If your project takes longer than expected, please contact gillian@toolbankrichmond.org ASAP to avoid late fees.
Cleaning Fees
Member Agencies will be charged a $25 per tool cleaning fee if tools are returned extremely dirty or returned with dried paint, caulk, mud, or other substances. If your tools are returned with concrete hardened onto the tool you may be charged a replacement fee. Avoid cleaning fees by removing excess dirt and other substances before returning them.
Tool Order Scheduling
All tool orders must be made at least 48 hours prior to the desired pickup time. All too order pickups and returns must be scheduled at least 48 hours in advance, no exceptions. Once we review and accept your tool order, we will confirm the pickup time and send a pickup time via Google Calendar invite. Return times will be scheduled the same way.
