Updated on May 28, 2025
In a landmark step toward strengthening the short-term rental industry nationwide, a new nonprofit has launched with the goal of funding and fortifying statewide advocacy from coast to coast.
The Right to Rent Collaborative (R2RC), a 501(c)(6)-pending nonprofit, officially debuted on May 21, 2025, during the RR Summit: Trailblazing to 2030.
The organization’s mission is to provide much-needed financial support to short-term rental associations that advocate for protecting property rights and fair STR regulations. Julie Marks, founder of the Vermont Short-Term Rental Alliance and a longtime industry advocate, is R2RC’s founding President and oversees a four-member Board of Directors comprised of herself, Vice President Scott Leggat, Treasurer Amber Knight, and Secretary Margot Schmorak.
“This has been an initiative of love and urgency and need that’s been developing over the past six months or so,” Julie said in the launch announcement. “I am just over the moon to introduce this concept – this initiative that will see vacation rental advocacy, finally, well-funded.”
R2RC’s vision is to build and sustain a national network of 50 state associations, each fully staffed, well-connected, and actively advocating for fair STR policies in their respective communities. To get there, the organization will begin issuing grants of up to $20,000 to help launch new associations and up to $50,000 to support existing ones with capacity-building funds for essential hires, including executive directors, development leads, and lobbyists. Grants will also be available to cover legal fees and other special projects.
Existing STR associations can prequalify for future grants and become a Member Association at no cost by filling out this form. Those interested in starting a new group can book a call to learn about how R2RC partner Rent Responsibly can help you get a group started.
In its first six months, R2RC has raised more than $188,000 from a group of founding donors, including companies and partners, that saw the urgent need and stepped up with contributions. Founding donors include Airbnb, Vrbo, Proper Insurance, Inhabit, Avalara, Breezeway, Hostfully, Hospitable, OwnerRez, TechTape, CanMonkey, PriceLabs, Truvi, Evolve, Boostly, HostGPO, and BookingsCloud.
R2RC will also launch an automatic donation program through property management software providers. Property managers using participating software can collect and donate $2 per reservation to R2RC through the program, providing a simple, scalable path for ongoing support. The program will soon be available on most property management systems, including Guesty, Hostfully, Hospitable, and OwnerRez. Property managers can sign up here for a notification when their PMS activates the program.
The funding will allow STR association leaders to be agile and focused on advocacy instead of scrambling for basic resources, Julie said.
Rent Responsibly, the national education and community-building platform for STR stakeholders, played a critical role in bringing the vision to life. The company will provide administrative support but has no decision-making authority in the organization.
“We try to make this as easy as possible, not just for the donors, the owners, the hosts, but all these collaborating entities, making sure the left and the right hand are talking to each other,” said Rent Responsibly Co-Founder and CEO Dave Krauss.
Grant approvals and other decisions will be advised by R2RC’s seven-member Advisory Committee. R2RC is accepting applications for future board and Advisory Committee positions here.
The announcement comes as an increasing number of communities across the country grapple with new regulations coming from cities, counties, and even state legislatures. In many cases, volunteers run STR associations. While passionate about their cause, these volunteers are often overextended as they find themselves on the front lines of policy fights without the financial and professional support they need.
That’s the gap the Right to Rent Collaborative hopes to fill.
Julie, who spearheaded and leads Vermont’s statewide STR alliance, knows firsthand how hard it is to sustain momentum without financial stability.
“I’ve been dreaming of a centralized source of funding for associations and the people,” she said, “and I’m just incredibly thankful to Rent Responsibly for really helping us make this happen.”
The goal for this year is $250,000, with a long-term aim of reaching $5 million annually by 2030. That would provide $100,000 in secure, recurring funding to every state STR association in the country.
Julie encouraged everyone – hosts, managers, vendors, and individuals – to contribute what they can.
“Even $10 a month will go a long way and make you a part of this collaborative,” she said.
For more information, updates, or to get involved, visit r2rcollaborative.org.
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