[DIYbio] Fwd: [biocurious] BioCurious Cash Crisis - I need YOUR help

The cash crisis I talked about earlier this year isn't better.  Unless things chance, we may have to close BioCurious.

The lab stays busy. People are in during all hours, working on fantastic projects. Our volunteer staff pulls together beautifully. Community, personal, and commercial projects are coming out of the lab like the bioprinter, the bioluminescence work, the Glowing Plant effort, DNA sequencing and prep products. More people are being introduced to these technologies than ever before.

But we're dangerously low on money.

Most of the projects at the space and the attention that we get for our work don't net us any revenues.  We need at least $5000-$6000 each month just to pay our rent, keep the lights on, have an Internet connection, and restock basics like gloves and pipette tips. That also doesn't account for other expenses like new equipment, expanding capabilities, or replacing broken stuff.

This is the trend we've talked about in our member meetings - and it's gotten worse. Although lots of people show up for community projects, membership is flat, and paid classes are scarce. If we don't fix this right now, we run out of money in 30-60 days. 

We're missing 3 things:

* Money

* More Classes

* More Members

What We Are Doing: I'm calling an emergency member meeting on Wednesday, June 12^th at 7pm  to discuss 2 plans.

Plan A: Immediately increase the number of paid classes, consistently enforce rules already in place about lab work, and recruit hands on help to execute both of these.

·         We need more hands-on classes and lectures where people are paying to attend. Let's fill that schedule together and get more people in classes.

·         We must start consistently enforce lab rules. Only members may work in the lab.  Guests may not do any work in the lab. Visitors must attend safety orientation and pay day visit fee before doing any hands on work. 

·         Community projects are now the most recurring item on the calendar. They are crowding out paying classes, and attendees get the benefits of BioCurious without paying to support it.

·         Community projects must continue to give way to paid classes. 

·         Members may sponsor one free gathering in the classroom space per month.

·         Each member may have only one guest in the lab with them at a time.

None of these are new policies, but exceptions have been made, and the honor system has broken down.

We have some new equipment that doesn't have to live in the lab (3D printer, lab automation projects, etc.).  We can either require this work be done in the lab (not preferred, due to space constraints), or have non-members pay to do hands-on work on these projects, or use this equipment. We need to set a price for this activity. The suggestion is $10 donation per non-member, per project night

Plan B: Close down the lab, store the equipment, and search for free space or a benefactor where we can re-open the lab without the burden of paying commercial rent. This is NOT the Plan I want for us.

What You Can Do:

·         Donate money. Now. We really need it. http://biocurious.org/donate/

·         Help us find instructors for quality classes.

·         Attend the classes and lectures we hold, and bring a friend.

·       Get the word out about BioCurious, so we can increase membership and class attendance. 

This is your space. The only way it can continue to run is if you work to keep it open. We are doing things no one has ever done here. We are changing the world. Please help us keep doing it. 

Thanks,

Kristina Hathaway

Worried Co-founder, and Emergency Plan Coordinator