What Is the CO+OP ?
The CO+OP is a non-profit Group Purchasing Organization.
(GPO's) leverage the collective buying power of its members to obtain significant discounts on desired products and services. We focus on service industries such as faith-based nonprofits, schools, and churches.
How is a GPO structured?
The basic elements of a GPO are members, vendors, and GPO staff. Members are consumers of products and services, vendors are providers of those products and services, and the GPO staff is a team of individuals who facilitates mutually beneficial relationships between them.
As a dedicated GPO, the CO+OP staff strives to keep in touch with its member base and convey their needs and feedback to its vendors. Likewise, the CO+OP staff maintains open communication with its vendors, staying abreast of new offerings and specials, and relaying this information back to its members.
“We are all about ministry. Since administration prices stack up quickly, we believe in saving you money on administration so you can put your money back into ministry.”
What are the advantages of joining a GPO?
First, members save money. The more members are participating in a GPO, the more vendors are motivated to drive down costs. Therefore, the more vendors a member uses, the more they save.
Second, members save time. Approved vendors have already been thoroughly vetted by GPO staff, so members do not have to spend hours conducting research and reading reviews.
Third, members enjoy additional benefits such as coupons, discounts on educational conferences, and access to free resources.
Finally, members have opportunities to network by attending luncheons, trade shows, and training sessions. Here they can share their experiences and recommendations with like-minded individuals.
Being part of a strong, healthy GPO is an important support system for your organization because it ensures that you are being a good steward of the resources available to you.