Summary
Help us raise money to finish funding Phorge Makerspace for its first year! We are $10,000 away from opening our doors. We have a $40,000 promise from UW for equipment and have identified a space to occupy.

Help us inspire the next generation of coders, inventors, and engineers!

This campaign goal will completely fund the Makerspace for a year while we get create classes, host events, and onboard members.

- Upon a successful fundraising campaign, we look to open in the spring of 2020
- We will be completely staffed by maker volunteers

Phase 1 list of Equipment/Courses
- 8 laptop workstations (Coding, 3D Design, CAD/CAM)
- 5 3D printers (industrial, large format, and high-end)
- Laser cutter
- Large format vinyl cutter
- Electronics workstation
- Arduino
- Raspberry Pi
- OzoBot Evo
- More

Budget Breakdown
- 60% for 1 year of rent/utilities
- 20% for 1 year insurance
- 10% for space renovations
- 10% for general supplies

What is a Makerspace?
A makerspace is a place in which people with shared interests can gather to work on projects while sharing ideas, equipment, and knowledge. A makerspace's interests can be truly diverse - including sewing, rocketry, fabrication, 3d printing, coding, woodworking, soap-making, and more. These spaces are also help to prepare those who need the critical 21st century skills in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

A makerspace can be summed up as “technology community education”.

Who are we?
Phorge, Inc's board is comprised of engineers, programmers, machinists, designers, teachers, and other professionals from the Sheridan area and has been operating for nearly 2 years.

Phorge Makerspace is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit and a community of makers with roots extending throughout Wyoming. Join us to share, create, collaborate, research, develop, mentor, cross-pollinate, play, and of course...learn!
 
Jared giving a demonstration on 3D printed parts and materials used at Ramaco

Steve and Matt casting molten aluminum

Overview
Phorge Makerspace is a place for members of a community of all ages to come together to:

- Broaden their knowledge on technology, from computer software to electronics
- Learn how to build prototypes
- Develop skills that will help them in the 21st century workforce
- Incubate their business and grow it from an idea/prototype into a small (or big) business
- Share their experience and expertise
- Collaborate with other Makers to enhance the experience and/or project
- Support and foster entrepreneurial growth, especially in the area of technology
- Provide a safe environment to create and implement ideas

The makerspace will provide equipment and tools that are not easily accessible and often cost-prohibitive for individuals in a community or those starting small businesses - and the equipment in a makerspace meets entry-level commercial standards to provide a real-life experience.

Phorge Makerspace is committed to project-based education and focuses on confidence building. As we learn challenging concepts and develop skills together, we strengthen our ability to bring about positive change within our community.

Phorge Kids
Phorge Kids is its own initiative from within our organization designed to enrich the curiosity of the children in our community by offering "maker" opportunities and mentoring from makers around the area.

This initiative is aimed directly at the youth in Sheridan, with the goal of getting them interested in STEM topics and bringing out skills they never knew they had. It's about challenging them, while fostering the DIY spirit and critical thinking that is necessary when solving the problems of today.

Calvin testing LEDs

Jesse posing with his new 3D printer, won at Third Thursday raffle

The Challenge (aka why we're asking for money)
We need a space.

To put it simply, we can get the equipment but we have nowhere to put it.

Phorge Makerspace already has a vibrant community and we meet regularly to discuss projects and ideas, as well as having local experts present on interesting topics.

We are now at point where we have a promised budget of $40,000 for equipment. This funding is contingent on having somewhere to put the equipment and cannot be used on rent, remodeling, or things like insurance.

This is where you come in! We've identified several possible spaces, and we just need 1 years worth of funding in order for us to get our membership to a point where it can support itself.

Will you help us teach the community?

Our initial plan includes 3D Printing, 3D Design, Electronics, Programming, Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Laser Cutting, Vinyl Cutting and more - but given enough space, we also have equipment for woodworking, metalworking, welding, etc.

List of Equipment/Courses
- 8 laptop workstations (Coding, 3D Design, CAD/CAM)
- 5 3D printers (industrial, large format, and high-end)
- Laser cutter
- Large format vinyl cutter
- Electronics workstation
- Arduino
- Raspberry Pi
- OzoBot Evo

Dependent on space....
- Welders
- Mills
- Lathes
- Jointer
- Mortise/Tenon machine
- Sanders
- More..

Press:
https://county3.news/2018/05/16/phorge-makerspace-is-here/
https://sheridanmedia.com/news/phorge-new-sheridan-non-profit100585
https://thesheridanpress.com/88467/phorge-makerspace-aims-to-connect-educate/

"Intro to 3D Printing" event

Spencer teaching about Blockchain technology

Frank manning the Phorge booth at Third Thursday Street Festival