Member Meeting Tomorrow. KPIs and Participation
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J.R. Logan
Feb 23, 2026, 8:15:34 PMFeb 23
to bo...@makehaven.org, Staff, Finance-Committee, Governance Committee, Development Committee, Outreach-Committee, Facility Committee, Diversity-Equity-Inclusion-Comittee, Education Committee
Dear Board, Committee members, and Staff,
I look forward to seeing you at the annual meeting tomorrow. As organizational leaders, your participation in the breakout sessions will be especially valuable. If you have not yet registered, please do so here:
https://www.makehaven.org/civicrm/event/info?id=814&reset=1
I will be seeking volunteers from each committee to help facilitate breakout group discussions. Printed guidance will be provided.
To support data-informed discussions aligned with our strategic plan, I have prioritized updating our Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). The KPI dashboard is now largely integrated with live website data, allowing figures to update automatically. My goal is to make this information accessible so we can more effectively engage members in tracking progress and advancing our strategic plan.
You can review the KPIs here:
https://www.makehaven.org/makerspace-dashboard
Beyond the KPIs you may dive deeper using the deeper datat tabs. Please note that those sections remain under development. If errors are idenfied in the group breakout, I ask that you note so they can be corrected. You may also find it helpful to revisit the strategic plan for your area:
https://www.makehaven.org/plan/2030
J.R. Logan
Executive Director
MakeHaven
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We can help you become a paid or volunteer instructor at MakeHaven. Let us know you are interested at: https://www.makehaven.org/instructor
We can help you become a paid or volunteer instructor at MakeHaven. Let us know you are interested at: https://www.makehaven.org/instructor
J.R. Logan
Feb 24, 2026, 10:22:43 AMFeb 24
to bo...@makehaven.org, Staff, Finance-Committee, Governance Committee, Development Committee, Outreach-Committee, Facility Committee, Diversity-Equity-Inclusion-Comittee, Education Committee
Due to the recent snowstorm and the ongoing parking ban, we are rescheduling the Annual Member Meeting to: Thursday, March 5th
While an online option had been arranged, feedback indicated that members strongly preferred the opportunity to participate in person. To support full engagement and discussion, we are moving the meeting back by one week.
All other details will remain the same. If you haven't already, please take a moment to complete the survey: https://makehaven.org/survey (your data and feedback will inform the meeting).
We look forward to seeing you there.
While an online option had been arranged, feedback indicated that members strongly preferred the opportunity to participate in person. To support full engagement and discussion, we are moving the meeting back by one week.
All other details will remain the same. If you haven't already, please take a moment to complete the survey: https://makehaven.org/survey (your data and feedback will inform the meeting).
We look forward to seeing you there.
--
J.R. Logan
Mar 5, 2026, 11:10:31 AM (9 days ago) Mar 5
to bo...@makehaven.org, Staff, Finance-Committee, Governance Committee, Development Committee, Outreach-Committee, Facility Committee, Diversity-Equity-Inclusion-Comittee, Education Committee
The member meeting is tonight. I hope you can make it. We have 33 registered participants, with 7 attending online. I expect we will have member join that did to register as well.
The discussion breakout groups, agenda and discussion questions are posted to the event:
https://www.makehaven.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=814
As a volunteer leader I hope you can attend. We will need volunteers to help facilitate discussion in the different areas and ensure information is captured.
I used the annual survey as the followup push for additional free form feedback for the event. We got 6 free form feedback responses, although some were detailed. I provide them here as they provide some context for the types of concerns people may have:
----------------------
The printer situation is really problematic, large format and the 2 smaller ones. Two unreliable and one down for over a year.
-------------------------------
"Here are the things that stand out to me:
+ Ability to learn; a place to pursue academic interests. (I learn something new every day, and I know I'm not the only one.)
+ There is lots of help available
+ A place for all ages to work, and work together
+ The equipment is amazing, and well managed to be safe. (If you think of something you want to do or make, you can usually do it there.)
+ There are lots of maker spaces, but not another one like this anywhere, based on the incredible range of equipment and capabilities alone.
Having access to professional-level equipment across so many disciplines in one place creates an environment where creativity and experimentation can thrive. It makes it possible to move seamlessly from concept to prototype to finished work.
Spaces like this are invaluable for artists, engineers, craftspeople, and anyone driven to create. It lowers barriers, encourages learning, and fosters a strong sense of community around making and innovation. This is especially at a time when schools of all levels in CT are cutting their trade programs.
"
-----------------------------------------------------
"I’m concerned about safety and maintenance at makehaven. The two areas that I most frequent struggle in these categories.
Issue: Pottery- the pottery area is frequently not cleaned up, tools are scattered and covered in clay, in process work are in areas they shouldn’t be, wheels are often left on. I want to come in to a clean, functional space.
Issue: jewelry- the jewelry area has a number of tools that when not shut down properly pose a danger to the facility. Both the pickle pot and the big torch have been left unattended after not being properly shut off. The pickle pot burns out and becomes unusable and the torch is left for the next person to hope it is stable enough to release the pressure before restarting. I want these things available and safe to use.
Thoughts on how to manage these issues:
1. Create a user login/sign up/check in for the spaces so we know who is in the space when (not perfect but could get people used to the accountability of the space.)
2. Have a user checklist for starting and ending and have them check it off as a part of sign out when they leave
3. Frequent users (as understood by tagins) sign up for a quarterly clean up day to build community and accountability buy in.
3. Facilitators have a check list for each shift.
4. Facilitators are held to their hours each week even if they don’t have meetings, and make up time in the week if they can’t make their shift.
5. facilitators have a log of shifts and bullet point their time
6. Facilitators are held accountable for making their hours, using the hours toward improving/maintaining their space (or other space of theirs is well maintained)
7. Facilitators free access to makehaven is revoked if they do not make their hours regularly.
8. Have improvements and maintenance be publicly viewable and celebrated. Have a facilitator of the month, which could be incentivized.
9. There should be a minimal safety checklist for makehaven employees for beginning & end of shift that confirm tools that could lead to safety issues (gas, pressure, chemicals) are properly turned off. This also gives a smaller timeline to look at video of some this is not properly shut off.
I would love to see more accountability by the users and facilitators working the space. It’s such an amazing resource and I want to see it be maintained and improved.
I would be happy to kick off the accountability push, by drafting guidelines, help with implementation (including video review and enforcement) - I’d be willing give 7 hrs a week for 3 months to start."
--------------------------------------------------
Add a couch back,, make haven needs the thirdspace feel again . Also the round table was great for members to meet the rectangle tables keep people too far apart . It's many different types of people from all over the world .
-----------------------------
We need a Ring Roller that would be able to bend metal rods and tubes like 3/8" stainless steel.
--------------------------------
"1. Workforce development and other opportunities through collaboration between my 501c3 and MH.
2. More of a maybe but I have floated the idea of “mobile MakeHaven”, leveraging my 2023 Ford Lightning as power hub for demo/use of smaller MH assets that might produce members or community awareness."
Success Stories
Without Makehaven I wouldn't know how to run the waterjet, or how to program it, and I wouldn't have been able to make a gluing fixture for my woodworking business.
I have been able to up level my ceramics in a meaningful way. From throwing larger, to learning how to make single piece thrown jars and building my technical knowledge, makehaven has made it affordable possible for me to start a small ceramics business / build a portfolio of work (as well as create an actual portfolio with the photo studio) to land gallery showings and art residencies. This has been both a joy and a big confidence builder in moving me toward being able to work outside of a 9-5 corporate position and closer to being a career artisan.
My first project was on the waterjet. I found it amazing that this sophisticated tool was available to me, a civilian, that it worked, and that I could learn to use it. I thought the instructional video, quiz and badge checkout were all very well organized and good systems. I'm impressed with how well maintained the facility is, and the friendly and helpful people I encountered. What a fantastic community resource!
"Tinaliah designs and coop began to have exposure in downtown Makehaven. Before I was at Erector Square with little community action.
The coop brought folks that were somewhat estranged to the regular folks there. We had a good run even starting small manufacturing run and classes.
For ever grateful.
"
The discussion breakout groups, agenda and discussion questions are posted to the event:
https://www.makehaven.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=814
As a volunteer leader I hope you can attend. We will need volunteers to help facilitate discussion in the different areas and ensure information is captured.
I used the annual survey as the followup push for additional free form feedback for the event. We got 6 free form feedback responses, although some were detailed. I provide them here as they provide some context for the types of concerns people may have:
----------------------
The printer situation is really problematic, large format and the 2 smaller ones. Two unreliable and one down for over a year.
-------------------------------
"Here are the things that stand out to me:
+ Ability to learn; a place to pursue academic interests. (I learn something new every day, and I know I'm not the only one.)
+ There is lots of help available
+ A place for all ages to work, and work together
+ The equipment is amazing, and well managed to be safe. (If you think of something you want to do or make, you can usually do it there.)
+ There are lots of maker spaces, but not another one like this anywhere, based on the incredible range of equipment and capabilities alone.
Having access to professional-level equipment across so many disciplines in one place creates an environment where creativity and experimentation can thrive. It makes it possible to move seamlessly from concept to prototype to finished work.
Spaces like this are invaluable for artists, engineers, craftspeople, and anyone driven to create. It lowers barriers, encourages learning, and fosters a strong sense of community around making and innovation. This is especially at a time when schools of all levels in CT are cutting their trade programs.
"
-----------------------------------------------------
"I’m concerned about safety and maintenance at makehaven. The two areas that I most frequent struggle in these categories.
Issue: Pottery- the pottery area is frequently not cleaned up, tools are scattered and covered in clay, in process work are in areas they shouldn’t be, wheels are often left on. I want to come in to a clean, functional space.
Issue: jewelry- the jewelry area has a number of tools that when not shut down properly pose a danger to the facility. Both the pickle pot and the big torch have been left unattended after not being properly shut off. The pickle pot burns out and becomes unusable and the torch is left for the next person to hope it is stable enough to release the pressure before restarting. I want these things available and safe to use.
Thoughts on how to manage these issues:
1. Create a user login/sign up/check in for the spaces so we know who is in the space when (not perfect but could get people used to the accountability of the space.)
2. Have a user checklist for starting and ending and have them check it off as a part of sign out when they leave
3. Frequent users (as understood by tagins) sign up for a quarterly clean up day to build community and accountability buy in.
3. Facilitators have a check list for each shift.
4. Facilitators are held to their hours each week even if they don’t have meetings, and make up time in the week if they can’t make their shift.
5. facilitators have a log of shifts and bullet point their time
6. Facilitators are held accountable for making their hours, using the hours toward improving/maintaining their space (or other space of theirs is well maintained)
7. Facilitators free access to makehaven is revoked if they do not make their hours regularly.
8. Have improvements and maintenance be publicly viewable and celebrated. Have a facilitator of the month, which could be incentivized.
9. There should be a minimal safety checklist for makehaven employees for beginning & end of shift that confirm tools that could lead to safety issues (gas, pressure, chemicals) are properly turned off. This also gives a smaller timeline to look at video of some this is not properly shut off.
I would love to see more accountability by the users and facilitators working the space. It’s such an amazing resource and I want to see it be maintained and improved.
I would be happy to kick off the accountability push, by drafting guidelines, help with implementation (including video review and enforcement) - I’d be willing give 7 hrs a week for 3 months to start."
--------------------------------------------------
Add a couch back,, make haven needs the thirdspace feel again . Also the round table was great for members to meet the rectangle tables keep people too far apart . It's many different types of people from all over the world .
-----------------------------
We need a Ring Roller that would be able to bend metal rods and tubes like 3/8" stainless steel.
--------------------------------
"1. Workforce development and other opportunities through collaboration between my 501c3 and MH.
2. More of a maybe but I have floated the idea of “mobile MakeHaven”, leveraging my 2023 Ford Lightning as power hub for demo/use of smaller MH assets that might produce members or community awareness."
Success Stories
Without Makehaven I wouldn't know how to run the waterjet, or how to program it, and I wouldn't have been able to make a gluing fixture for my woodworking business.
I have been able to up level my ceramics in a meaningful way. From throwing larger, to learning how to make single piece thrown jars and building my technical knowledge, makehaven has made it affordable possible for me to start a small ceramics business / build a portfolio of work (as well as create an actual portfolio with the photo studio) to land gallery showings and art residencies. This has been both a joy and a big confidence builder in moving me toward being able to work outside of a 9-5 corporate position and closer to being a career artisan.
My first project was on the waterjet. I found it amazing that this sophisticated tool was available to me, a civilian, that it worked, and that I could learn to use it. I thought the instructional video, quiz and badge checkout were all very well organized and good systems. I'm impressed with how well maintained the facility is, and the friendly and helpful people I encountered. What a fantastic community resource!
"Tinaliah designs and coop began to have exposure in downtown Makehaven. Before I was at Erector Square with little community action.
The coop brought folks that were somewhat estranged to the regular folks there. We had a good run even starting small manufacturing run and classes.
For ever grateful.
"
On Mon, Feb 23, 2026 at 8:15 PM J.R. Logan <jrl...@makehaven.org> wrote:
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