[hackerspaces] Discuss Digest, Vol 76, Issue 5

[Randall Arnold]

I really like the concept of having dinners at restaurants that donate to the
nonprofit holding the event.  For one, it reduces the risk and overhead for the
nonprofit-- no need to load up on goods that may go unused.  For another, it
helps make the event more generic, and thus attractive to others outside the
immediate maker community (family, friends, coworkers, et al).  Finally, in some
cases the restaurant will help promote the event.


What I had proposed to our body was for certain leaders to focus on
participating restaurants near their work or home and "own" them for the sake of
fundraising.  That helps with coverage and can make logistics easier for some.


You're correct Phil that these aren't necessarily stable income streams and so
organizations need to keep their options open.  My personal goal is start with
the premise of a completely free membership (not saying it's very practical,
just a philosophical starting point) and see what other revenue sources exist.
 That's how I stumbled across low-hanging fruit like Amazon Smile (which is VERY
underused in my experience) and the fact that companies like Wells Fargo have
huge budgets for donating to organizations that contribute in some fashion to
their general communities.  maker orgs with a focus on education, for instance,
should easily be able to satisfy such requirements.


Randy

> On December 8, 2014 at 2:44 PM Enabrin Tain <enabrintain at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
>     We sometimes do a $5, all you can eat food event on our public nights. Its
> targeted to members, in that our open nights start officially after dinnertime
> and the Tuesday Night Feast starts earlier than that, but its basically a
> "feed people until the food runs out" thing. We usually make around $30 or $40
> and it goes into the Facilities fund. The Facilities committee uses that money
> to buy toilet paper, lightbulbs, paper towels, and do improvement projects
> like running new lights and fixing doors. Also it helps to foster a good
> relationship with our landlord.
> 
>     But I agree, I wouldn't suggest it as an alternative for a stable income
> stream.
> 
>      
>      Phil Showers
>     My Projects <https://256.makerslocal.org/wiki/User:Enabrintain>
> 
> 
>     Message: 1
>     Date: Sun, 7 Dec 2014 18:11:28 -0600
>     From: "Randall Arnold" < randall.arnold at texrat.net
> <mailto:randall.arnold at texrat.net> >
>     To: "'Hackerspaces General Discussion List'"
>         < discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org
> <mailto:discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org> >
>     Subject: Re: [hackerspaces] How to make money to sustain a hackerspace
>     Message-ID: <062e01d0127b$85261fd0$8f725f70$@texrat.net>
>     Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
> 
>     Here are some I?ve seen used and some that just make sense:
> 
>     *    silent auctions (typically held in conjunction with meetups and/or
> other fundraisers)
>     *    donation jar at retail and other supporting establishments
>     *    community events (bowlathons, et al)
>     *    dinner nights (example: one local restaurant near me provides 15% of
> night's take when you hold a dinner gathering)
>     *    swag sales (Etsy, Cafepress, Zazzle, et al)
>     *    ?garage? sales
>     *    Sponsors
>     *    Grants (in the US there are a LOT of federal, state and corporate
> grant opportunities)
>     *    One-time corporate donations (provide a community service, get free
> money from interested companies)
>     *    Partnerships (quid pro quo activities)
>     *    Amazon Smile (Amazon contributes money to your nonprofit with each
> purchase when you register and people use http://smile.amazon.com
> <http://smile.amazon.com/> for purchase url
>     *    various best practices:
> http://www.bing.com/search?q=nonprofit+fundraising
> <http://www.bing.com/search?q=nonprofit+fundraising> <
> http://www.bing.com/search?q=nonprofit+fundraising&qs=n&form=QBLH&pq=nonprofit+fundraising&sc=8-16&sp=-1&sk=&cvid=81bf0599e6d24ab18850dfcf5a5a3553
> <http://www.bing.com/search?q=nonprofit+fundraising&qs=n&form=QBLH&pq=nonprofit+fundraising&sc=8-16&sp=-1&sk=&cvid=81bf0599e6d24ab18850dfcf5a5a3553>
> >
> &qs=n&form=QBLH&pq=nonprofit+fundraising&sc=8-16&sp=-1&sk=&cvid=81bf0599e6d24ab18850dfcf5a5a3553
> 
>     Randy
> 
> 
> 


 

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