Loveland CreatorSpace reflections on what we accomplished in 2014

[Jamie Leben]

Looking back on what we accomplished together at Loveland CreatorSpace in 2014 was pretty exciting!  This was collected as part of a grant application, and I thought you might enjoy it

• Organization's history

 Loveland CreatorSpace was formed as a Colorado Non Profit Corporation in October 2013 with the goal of opening a location in Loveland Colorado with shared workspace, tools, and a public

education program about creative resources, tools and techniques. A board of 5 directors was elected by the attendees, and a set of bylaws was adopted.  Loveland CreatorSpace is intended to be membership funded and member operated.

Loveland CreatorSpace began organizing a series of free events and classes at a series of locations around Loveland with the purpose of building education and awareness of the group, organized through http://www.meetup.com/Loveland-CO-CreatorSpace

In January 2014, organizers connected with the Loveland non-profit Erion Foundation, which began supporting Loveland CreatorSpace's purposes, and provided assistance toward opening its first location. A sixth board seat was added, and 2 Erion Foundation board members joined the Loveland CreatorSpace board.

March 9th 2014 saw the opening of the first permanent Loveland CreatorSpace location in downtown Loveland at 125 E 5th St, which is accessible, and convenient to public transportation.  The new location was a boost to the ability to hold classes and for members to work on projects.

Membership and activities continued to grow through 2014, with members starting a kids program in August based on the national Curiosity Hacked S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) activity and education program.  The Curiosity Hacked program quickly filled, and has maintained a waiting list since.  In addition to the weekly activities for the Curiosity Hacked children, Loveland CreatorSpace and Curiosity Hacked hold free monthly "Open Lab" drop in activities for parents and children to work together on S.T.E.A.M. activities.

With the aid of the Erion Foundation, in April 2014 construction was underway to renovate a long blighted 6500 sqft location in downtown Loveland that was to become the long term location for Loveland CreatorSpace. We were able to move in to the new location in mid Dec 2014.  The new location features a larger classroom area that is better separated from the workshop space, more general work space that is better divided by activity, and small low cost rent-able areas suitable for a business startup or long term member project workspace.  The new space has better visibility, which has resulted in an increased membership growth rate and participation in the increased schedule of free and open classes and events Loveland CreatorSpace holds.

A good history in pictures of Loveland CreatorSpace, which illustrates participation that is a reasonable reflection of Loveland's gender, ethnic, and age mix, is available on our Facebook photo stream at https://www.facebook.com/lovelandcreatorspace/photos_stream 

• Mission statement

Maintain an ongoing, collaborative workspace that fosters a positive, safe, learning and working environment for organization and community members. 

• Number of individuals served

Statistics from Meetup.com show steady growth of attendance and people active in the space, with over 1500 attendances in 2014 by an average of 75 active people, and over 300 attendances in just the first two months of 2015 by an average of 86 active people, but this is only part of the story. Meetup does not reflect those served at activities we host at outside locations such as local schools, libraries, Maker Faire, TEDx, and the Boys and Girls Club, attendance at Curiosity Hacked childrens' program events, and member visits to the space to work on projects.  A careful review of these untracked activities for January and February 2015 reflects that actual attendances were more than 750, with over 120 people served.

• Comprehensive list of all programs

Many of the following are regularly scheduled activities:

Open meeting- tours, discuss activities and projects, introductions and socialize (weekly)

Board meeting (monthly)

Introduction to Electronics

Maker Show and Tell (multiple)

Introduction to the Arduino microcontroller (multiple)

UAVs and quadcopter interest group (multiple)

Computer Hardware Troubleshooting

Tabletop game day

Front Range Robotics Club (multiple)

Google Developers Group (multiple)

Computer Security interest group

3D printing introduction (multiple)

Digital logic gate building introduction

Telescope renovation and observing

Coffee roasting introduction

CNC milling introduction
Locksport introduction

Mesh wifi interest group

TEDx front range activity booth

Sewing stitching essentials

Artists' Collective meeting (multiple)

Rocky Mountain Inventors Association (multiple)

Vector illustration introduction with Inkscape (multiple)

Knitting interest group (multiple)

Sparkfun Inventors' Kit introduction (multiple)

Sparkfun Autonomous Vehicles Challenge activity

FPGA introduction

Open Source Software introduction

iBeacon introduction

Curiosity Hacked youth STEAM program (weekly)

Open Lab parent/ child STEAM activity (monthly)

Python programming language introduction

Laser cutter machine introduction (multiple)

Linux general introduction

Linux device driver introduction

Turing University 3D printing introduction event

NoCo Gifted and Talented Family Fun Night

Soldering electronics introduction (multiple)

Wood carving introduction

Textiles and electronics introduction (multiple)

Loveland Art Studio tour

Loom knitting introduction

Sparks 4-7 year old STEAM activity program

Loveland Public Library teen 3D printing day camp

Javascript classes (multiple)

District Science Fair activity booth

Startup Loveland business startup support group (multiple)

Oscillating circuits introduction

Inventors' Round Table meetings (multiple)

Global Game Jam weekend

STEAM night activity booth Edmundson Elementary

STEAM night activity booth Cottonwood Plains Elementary

Lighted wearables/ Love+Light parade

• Outcomes from the last complete fiscal year

- Garnered membership revenue and financial support sufficient to open a long term location.

- Established an ongoing community of members and non-member participants to support the success of an ongoing long term location.

- Opened an ongoing location.

- Built a series of S.T.E.A.M. spectrum education programs and events via a wide base of members and non-member participants.

- Achieved 501C3 non-profit status confirmation.

- Grew membership revenue in support of a larger location and tool set.

- Moved to a bigger location.

- Added more tools and resources permitted by the new larger location.

Thank you all for all your work and contributions!

--

Jamie Leben
IT-Works 3D Print
970-599-1152 Work

http://www.i-t-w.com

[Scott Converse]

All I can say is: you guys are awesome! You're doing a truly amazing job in Loveland creating a community resource like nothing your city has ever seen. Keep up the great work!