So far on the Nottinghack meet-up site there are 38 members if you include the members of LAB who aren't also members of Nottinghack you can bump this number up to about 50. The membership varies (though it's early days yet) in a number of key respects.
- Some have joined, but not posted or attended a meet-up as yet.
- Some have attended one meet-up but not engaged with the meet-up page or returned for later meet-ups.
- Some have been very active on the page but don't attend meet-ups so far.
- A smaller number are absent from the meet-up page but attend meet-ups.
- The rest are both active and attend meet-ups.
Of these pocket groups (each of which alone is only a handful) could Nottinghack expect a regular membership payment monthly? What's more in the early days, if we had a Hackspace membership costs would be "lost" on covering administration, rent, rates, utilities and other sundries before a penny could be spent on tools, kit and visiting speakers. What would keep them coming back?
So the question is how to raise funds? There is a chance, though I know not how, of applying for grants, sponsorships and other "free money". I don't think there is much spare money about in Nottingham at the moment. Enquires with Nottingham "Science City" have confirmed that they have no budget at all to speak of. To gain a corporate sponsor I'd assume we'd need a greater number of consumers. Many I've spoken to are will to help in various ways short of providing things or money.
I've had a number of models for cost in my head for a while and I want to in a very loose way capture those.
First I want to describe the Hackspace.
Imagine a large open plan room with plenty of natural light and lots of workbenches. The workbenches have stools or chairs and lots of power points as well as good lighting. Various folk are sat at different workbenches. Some are working alone of small projects listening to music on headphones, others are working in small groups.
Around the room are longer workbenches and smaller anti-rooms. The anti-rooms have larger tools in them. One is dedicated to wood and metal working kit and another has an AV suite. One room near the entrance has a small kiosk and behind the kiosk are consumables like wood, electronic components, a pick-n-mix of screws, nails, bolts, nuts, washer and other ironmongery. In a small walk-in cupboard you see shelves lined with boxes marked with "Soldering Kit", "Glue Gun Kit" and "Dremel Multi-tool" and some of the folks are at the counter collecting boxes of tools.
At the far end of the room are a few big colourful sofas and some home-made bean-bag chairs where a couple of hackers are drinking coffee and drawing a plan on a white board. Next to them is a long shelf with lots of books and magazines. You notice this includes all the back issues of Make Magazine amongst other instructive and informative periodicals and books.
So to dig out a few bits from the above little story this includes:
- Large tools and equipment - e.g. laser cutter, printers, lathe, pillar drill, band-saw, CNC mill, silk screen, AV kit and so on (get up and go to kit)
- Small tools to check out and use - e.g. soldering irons, hot air blowers, Dremel tools, glue guns, small tool kits, sewing machines, bench-top power supplies, multi-meters and so on (pick-up and take kit)
- Consumables to buy - e.g. wood, rod stock, ironmongery, components, glue etc (which can't just be given away - or can they?)
- Books and magazines
- Coffee and tea etc
- Workbenches with power
All ideas assume we are about to or do have a real Hackspace.
They are (in no order of preference) a mix and match of the following ideas:
- Pay-Per-Use
Premium - gives you either unlimited access to all tools, Wifi, tea & coffee, consumables (with some limits) and a workbench.
Standard - gives you access to smaller tools, tea & coffee, no consumables and a workbench.
Economy - just gives you access and a workbench (you'd probably bring your own tools).
Pay-As-You-Use - just like the car wash you get a ticket and use the bits you want
- Pro Membership
- Guru Level (or the rumoured Jedi members)
This gives all the same benefits as Pro Membership but with a couple of very important and distinct differences. The guru member pays less (maybe nothing), but with great privileges comes a code of honour. Guru level members will be responsible for coordinating a major project (like building a robot), providing workshops and teaching as well as helping members learn to use the tools. Guru members are NOT self electing. Any member may apply to be a Guru level member but acceptance to the order... I mean level will be by pier selection. In the first instance this will be identified by the leadership team based on experience, professional background and general attitude.
- Open Events & Workshops
It's NOT evil to generate income
I feel certain that there are other ways to generate income for the Hackspace. This would likely include some or all of the following:
- The making and selling of kits
- The making and selling of TShirts
- Open days and special projects
- Rapid prototyping work
- Product reviews
- Art installations
- Special boffin work for paying customers
- Sponsorship
- Grants
- Provision of training or education
- Provision of meeting rooms or conferencing
We've had a survey (or Poll) on the meet-up page for a while here. Which only 7 so far have completed. If you are reading this blog and are a member and haven't completed it please consider doing so. It's very important to know what the group want to do.
Anyway enough ramblings for one day... Please fill in the comments section below!
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