Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by Grae 1420 days ago
I strongly second the suggestion to explore operating as a non-profit if you continue.

My local incarnation, BARN[0][1] is a financially sustainable nonprofit. However, we wouldn't be sustainable as a for-profit company, certainly not if we had investors chasing a return.

[0] bainbridgebarn.org

[1] Disclosure: I'm the executive director and deeply in love with this place. Happy to connect to share our experiences with anyone seriously considering a similar path.
2 comments
javawizard 1420 days ago
Small world - I'm the (as of 4 days ago former) board chair of a makerspace in Salt Lake City[0]. Our former shop manager is from Port Townsend and couldn't say enough about you guys.

We are also a financially sustainable nonprofit. I'm convinced that's the only long term viable way to do a makerspace that targets hobbyists and small businesses/craftspeople.

[0] https://makesaltlake.org

link
Grae 1420 days ago
That's awesome, small world indeed. Make Salt Lake looks great.

Yeah I share that conviction. This space is less about creating value and capturing a part of it than creating community (though done well the value created by a thriving community _is_ substantial). And for reasons I've only partially grokked, many people are willing to contribute to a community backed by a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) corporation but not a regular corporation.

link
wrycoder 1420 days ago
1. They get a substantial tax deduction- as much as half the donation, and the foundation pays no tax.

2. It makes them feel that they have done something good by donating to an educational foundation.

Note that not all tax-exempt nonprofits are 501(c)(3) educational foundations. You need that for the donation to be deductible for the donor.

link
ryukafalz 1420 days ago
Likewise, I'm currently on the management team at Hive76 in Philadelphia, and yeah - we couldn't operate as a for-profit company. We're a nonprofit, we're all volunteers, and while that means things move (sometimes a lot) more slowly, we can operate on razor-thin margins. We couldn't afford to pay one person's salary, but as a volunteer org we can keep going so long as we can afford rent/utilities/tools/consumables.
link