[hackerspaces] Bucketworks needs help

[Lisha Sterling]

I think that we are in a "special time" right now, because we've had two
very successful hackerspaces turn to the community for help in a way that
they never have needed to before. Both Bucketworks and Noisebridge have
been self-sustaining for over 10 years. Both of these spaces have vibrant
communities, businesses that have grown out of them, and many people near
and far who love them.

I can't help but wonder why it is that *now* they are having troubles. It's
been a long hard recession. I would have expected troubles a few years ago
maybe. Was it just that they had enough momentum to make it through these
difficult times, but the momentum is finally being slowed by the continued
economic pressures we're facing? Is it that too many people and companies
have had to tighten up the belts for too long and just finally had to let
go of paying memberships and sponsorships to organizations like these? Or
is there something else at work here?

Because, frankly, before this year, I would have told anyone who wanted to
figure out how to make a hackerspace sustainable to look at Noisebridge and
at Bucketworks. They have very different income models, and yet they've
both done well, survived and thrived for years now. But this year, both
found themselves in dire trouble. That's worrisome.

What can we do, beyond just pitching in some dollars *right now*, to help
our hackerspaces continue to thrive?

- Lisha


On Fri, May 31, 2013 at 10:28 PM, Al Billings <albill at openbuddha.com> wrote:

>  This is a great lead in to discuss hackerspaces and how to make them
> sustainable. I find it sad that so many hackerspaces seem to need to have
> "rent parties" or ask for donations from the general public from time to
> time instead of having a sustainable model that keeps enough money coming
> in. Why isn't this more of a priority? If hackerspaces are cash negative,
> there is going to come a time where they'll just fail (when people get
> tired of giving cash).
>
> --
> Al Billings
> http://www.openbuddha.com
> http://makehacklearn.org
>
> On Friday, May 31, 2013 at 1:56 PM, Mitch Altman wrote:
>
>  Bucketworks is one of the oldest hackerspaces in the world.  They have
> helped lots of hackerspaces to form over the last few years.  They now need
> help to pay rent!  Please consider helping.
> http://bucketworks.org/
>
> Thanks,
> Mitch.
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Discuss mailing list
> Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org
> http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>
>


-- 
http://www.alwayssababa.com/
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