The Commons: Open for Another Year?
Donation protected
Hi there, Amanda here. I'm one of the volunteers who keeps The Commons running day-to-day. I'm on the lease and have been making sure the bills get paid for the past two years, and you'll see me at open hours and events. I started this campaign to spread the burden of keeping our Lincoln, NE community space open through 2017. Thanks for stopping by; read on!
WHAT IS THE COMMONS?
The Commons is an informal community space in Lincoln, NE that provides a place for local leaders and community members to organize cultural events, grassroots community building, peer education, and regular wellness activities.
It hosts not only popular regional musical acts, but also workshops where you can learn things like how to make kombucha, kickbox, or start sewing. It's a home for both the neighborhood advocacy group We Are Vital and the Lincoln chapter of Repair Cafe. In 2015, it provided a venue for the wildly popular Do-It-Ourselves Fest. It houses a free lending library and letterpress equipment which is accessible by the public through free creative workshops and open hours.
Our organizational model strives to be non-transactional and accessible, which means there are no fees to use the space, and anyone can fill out an Event Request Form (on our website, thecommonslnk.com).
HOW DOES THE COMMONS STAY OPEN?
For the past two years, The Commons' operational budget is funded entirely by freewill donations, with a dedicated core of organizers filling funding gaps out of our own pockets.
Administrative tasks necessary to coordinate scheduling, maintain the space, and keep rent paid and lights on are performed primarily by just a few volunteers in our free time. Events are facilitated and staffed by volunteers.
THE NUMBERS
We're so grateful for folks who have been giving time, expertise, funds, and supplies to The Commons. We know that people want to support our mission to provide a free creative and social space for community use, but we haven’t found a sustainable and convenient method for people to do that every month as bills come in.
So... to ensure that this community resource stays available through 2017, we want to raise our yearly budget of $7000, which will cover the following monthly expenses:
$400 rent
$80 internet
$30 electric
$30-$80 – gas
We'd like to raise enough to cover the fees for using this site as well.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
If you've got a couple of bucks, whatever you think a year of The Commons existing is worth to you and the community, please consider giving a little!
We also want to grow our community of programming facilitators and get interested folks involved as volunteers to staff open hours and do upkeep. Plan an event using the request form, or contact us about volunteer opportunities (both via thecommonslnk.com)!
THANKS TO
The dozens and dozens of people who have donated time, expertise, money, and all the stuff that is in the space
The hundreds of folks who have attended events in The Commons
Lindsey Yoneda and JP Davis who produced the video on this profile for Hear Nebraska
YOU, for reading this and even thinking about ways you could contribute to the future of The Commons
WHAT IS THE COMMONS?
The Commons is an informal community space in Lincoln, NE that provides a place for local leaders and community members to organize cultural events, grassroots community building, peer education, and regular wellness activities.
It hosts not only popular regional musical acts, but also workshops where you can learn things like how to make kombucha, kickbox, or start sewing. It's a home for both the neighborhood advocacy group We Are Vital and the Lincoln chapter of Repair Cafe. In 2015, it provided a venue for the wildly popular Do-It-Ourselves Fest. It houses a free lending library and letterpress equipment which is accessible by the public through free creative workshops and open hours.
Our organizational model strives to be non-transactional and accessible, which means there are no fees to use the space, and anyone can fill out an Event Request Form (on our website, thecommonslnk.com).
HOW DOES THE COMMONS STAY OPEN?
For the past two years, The Commons' operational budget is funded entirely by freewill donations, with a dedicated core of organizers filling funding gaps out of our own pockets.
Administrative tasks necessary to coordinate scheduling, maintain the space, and keep rent paid and lights on are performed primarily by just a few volunteers in our free time. Events are facilitated and staffed by volunteers.
THE NUMBERS
We're so grateful for folks who have been giving time, expertise, funds, and supplies to The Commons. We know that people want to support our mission to provide a free creative and social space for community use, but we haven’t found a sustainable and convenient method for people to do that every month as bills come in.
So... to ensure that this community resource stays available through 2017, we want to raise our yearly budget of $7000, which will cover the following monthly expenses:
$400 rent
$80 internet
$30 electric
$30-$80 – gas
We'd like to raise enough to cover the fees for using this site as well.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
If you've got a couple of bucks, whatever you think a year of The Commons existing is worth to you and the community, please consider giving a little!
We also want to grow our community of programming facilitators and get interested folks involved as volunteers to staff open hours and do upkeep. Plan an event using the request form, or contact us about volunteer opportunities (both via thecommonslnk.com)!
THANKS TO
The dozens and dozens of people who have donated time, expertise, money, and all the stuff that is in the space
The hundreds of folks who have attended events in The Commons
Lindsey Yoneda and JP Davis who produced the video on this profile for Hear Nebraska
YOU, for reading this and even thinking about ways you could contribute to the future of The Commons
Organizer
Amanda Huckins
Organizer
Lincoln, NE
