[hackerspaces] Governance questions

[Edward L Platt]

Weighing in for i3 Detroit (from my perspective at least).

1. For practical purposes, the organization is tied to a single space, but
that space has changed at times.  We've considered adding a nearby location
with more "soft space" for classes.
2. Board members are elected by the membership.
3. Assuming you're talking about the informal maker community and not Make
Magazine.  We're a local hub for people who are a member of that community.
 The members talk to and visit members from other spaces, so we informally
cultivate connections between local makers and the greater maker community.
4. Being grassroots is not a problem for sponsorship.  We run off dues and
sponsor money is gravy for cool projects, competitions, classes, etc.
 Getting 501(c)3 status really did help with donations.  Being grassroots
is more of an obstacle to organization.  There are a lot of skills that
other types of cooperative organizations use to great effect (facilitation,
consensus, etc.), and these skills haven't really reached the hacker/maker
community in many places.

-Ed


On Wed, Oct 16, 2013 at 5:11 PM, Randall G. Arnold <
randall.arnold at texrat.net> wrote:

> **
>
>  Sorry to be so active on the list today... but one of my recent questions
> about operating philosophies is still an issue and I'm looking for data.
>
>  For those of you run as nonprofits, I'm hoping you can answer some
> questions for me:
>
>  1) Is your foundation tied specifically to a space, or operating in
> support of one or more spaces in an area?
>  2) How are your Board members elected/selected?
>  3) What are your thoughts on your connection to the Make community-- are
> you a representative body?  Corporate-styled authority? Separate but
> supporting?
>  4) If you take a bottom-up, grassroots, community-first approach to
> governance, have you found that to be a hindrance for sponsorships and
> donations?
>
>  Thanks to any and all respondents.
>
>  Randy
>  Tarrant Makers
>
> _______________________________________________
> Discuss mailing list
> Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org
> http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>
>


-- 
Edward L. Platt
http://elplatt.com
http://civic.mit.edu/users/elplatt
http://i3detroit.com
@EdwardLPlatt <http://twitter.com/EdwardLPlatt>
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