MakeICT January News
Dear members: This month your leadership was very focused on approving the 2018 budget. As a new president this was an eye-opening experience and I wanted to pass on some of the things I learned.Our budget this year is based on having 300 members, because we are confident we will stay above that number all year. Each of you pays $25 a month just like me so it might help to break down what your dues are for. Nearly $20 of your dues are for the basics – rent, utilities, insurance, and of course $1 for paypal fees if you’re on the automatic month-to-month payments. The rest is split up among the various makerspace areas, first for “core expenses”, aka what it takes to keep running. Screenprinting screens, saw blades, repairs, small tools, and new tools. When it comes to funding new equipment we were very conservative, knowing that we have not only limited funds but space. There will be fundraising efforts throughout the year for equipment, you might have already seen talk of a second laser cutter in the the forum. In key areas we allocated budget to match these efforts. Fundraising has many benefits – it gives the community a chance to take part in MakeICT’s mission, ensures that our dues stay very low, and it tells us what we’re really willing to gather together and work for. If new equipment is important to you, talk to your area lead about what it will take.I said we budgeted for 300 members – we currently have more than that. Most of our costs are fixed, so additional members provide a safety margin in case our membership decreases. We also have an important task ahead of us of evaluating possible new locations for future years. Our makerspace is amazing and I will keep working to make it better, and we’ve appointed founder Jens Torell as chair of our new building committee. This way if a fantastic space opens up, we know our requirements and we’re ready to move on it.It’s very important to me for us to have a budget that we stick to and take seriously. By doing this we convey a message to our community and potential grantors that we are serious about using our funds wisely. If you have questions about the budget or our plans for this year please reach out to me or our treasurer, David Springs. Board meetings are always open to everyone and we take suggestions for our agenda with the google group.I’m very proud to be the president of an organization that’s maintaining financial stability while achieving so much success. We couldn’t do it without each and every one of you: members, area leads, and donors who contribute so generously of their time, expertise, and money. Thank you for all that you have done to so we can keep planning our bright future.- Kim |
