[hackerspaces] Classes and costs

[Pete Prodoehl]

There are no 1099s involved. We are a 501(c)3 with no employees, 
completely volunteer run. If you teach a class you can choose to charge 
for it, and then encouraged to donate to the space, but it is not 
required. (We use donations to cover equipment maintenance and 
consumables.)

Pete


On 7/21/16 11:40 AM, Silence Dogood wrote:
> I can't imagine this is really a huge issue for most classes.  Waivers 
> help.  Binding arbitration for the lulz. But I am pretty sure that if 
> you are filing 1099s for your teachers there is a corporate veil in 
> place, so they shouldn't be personally liable... of course such a 
> situation would be a huge hassle and likely cost some cash for 
> personal counsel, if something truly terrible did occur.
>
> On Thu, Jul 21, 2016 at 12:00 PM, Pete Prodoehl <raster at gmail.com 
> <mailto:raster at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
>
>     Because my space sometimes has gloom and doom people, someone
>     brought up the idea that if you charge for a class, you could be
>     held responsible if someone in the class gets injured. This would
>     be different than if you did *not* charge for a class because
>     there is no (or less?) expectation of responsibility if you are
>     not charging for your services/expertise.
>
>     I think the thought is that a student would try to sue you
>     personally versus the space, and there was a suggestion that
>     individuals who teach should get their own personal insurance that
>     would cover the teaching they do. (The space has its own insurance
>     and waiver/disclaimer forms that everyone signs.)
>
>     I am definitely not a lawyer, but I'd love to hear what others
>     think of that idea. (And yes, I am in the overly-litigious United
>     States.)
>
>     Pete
>
>
>     On 7/21/16 10:42 AM, Silence Dogood wrote:
>>     one side benefit of charging for classes is allowing the class
>>     teachers to profit.  this can be particularly important for space
>>     members who need supplemental income to afford their dues or to
>>     get them by between contracts / gigs / what have you.
>>
>>
>>     On Thu, Jul 21, 2016 at 6:24 AM, webmind <webmind at puscii.nl
>>     <mailto:webmind at puscii.nl>> wrote:
>>
>>         On 20/07/16 17:48, Chad Elish wrote:
>>         > Here’s a question for everyone,
>>         >
>>         > What do you normally charge for your classes?
>>         > I know its a big cash cow for spaces to make up income.
>>
>>         Hmm, not here. I think most Dutch spaces mostly run on
>>         membership-income.
>>
>>         Both spaces in Amsterdam do not have a set price, LAG
>>         generally asks
>>         donation Technologia Incognita mostly the same or people ask
>>         cost-price.
>>         IJHack (a "space" without a space) has been doing workshops
>>         to generate
>>         some income, I think they did twice the cost price to have a
>>         buffer of
>>         components or be able to share kits.
>>
>>         > We’re currently at $40.00 for a learn to solder class which
>>         you take
>>         > home an arduino you soldered together. We recently noticed
>>         tech shop
>>         > charging $99 for soldering a blinking badge together.
>>
>>         Do a lot of spaces elsewhere use workshops/services as a way of
>>         providing basic-income for the space? Do spaces have other models
>>         outside of services or membership to generate base-income?
>>
>>         At LAG we're currently looking at alternative ways of
>>         generating income
>>         for the rent/etc.
>>
>>         Thanks!
>>
>>         webmind
>>
>

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