CAPITAL CAMPAIGN:
Campaign for the Future
Our Future
Since our start in 2016, the Cedar Valley Makerspace has continued to focus on the promise that we made to the community and our supporters.
Community leaders, funders and volunteers have invested time, effort, talent, and money towards creating what we believe to be a critical community resource. As you all have witnessed, the Techworks building has seen an amazing revitalization. What used to be an empty shell and a huge playground is now
mostly full and we are competing for space that is becoming expensive - a barrier that limits our creativity and options as we pursue our mission.
Recently, Hawkeye Community College has been awarded a Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs grant award, with plans of further investment into Techworks. This is great news for Hawkeye and Techworks, but also means our lease will sunset in 2025 and we will need a new home.
We have identified partnerships and potential new locations that promise better access, expanded capacity, and expanded capabilities. Securing a partnerhisp, a new property, and making the move will be a great value to the community, but not inexpensive. Our board of directors realized that we need a Capital Campaign to launch the next chapter of the Cedar Valley Makerspace.
With the Capital campaign and the move behind us, Cedar Valley Makers future will be secure. The promise of the new maker space, facilitating the community through our mission, and the expanded capabilities we will be able to offer is incredibly exciting.
Our Mission
501C-3 The Cedar Valley Makerspace is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Our mission is to promote collaborative learning, creative design, and manufacturing for people of all ages and skill levels. We provide education by giving access to tools, machines and training inside our makerspace and by promoting and planning educational events that can forward scientific thinking, learning and entrepreneurial spirit for all members of our community.
Our Goal - Our Vision
Our vision has not changed, but rather got bigger and better.
Our current Makerspace is 7000 SQFT - the new makerspace is looking to potentially be over 10,000 SQFT. This will allow us to:
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Doubles our Level 1 Community Classroom and Workshop Space
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Give the Woodshop to have a more efficient layout
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Add some space to the Machine Shop and Welding shop, as well as have a more efficient layout
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Have easy access through overhead doors
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Have additional space for added capabilities and convenience. Some of the following have been discussed:
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Expanded Textiles and long arm quilting
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Auto and small engine repair and vehicle storage
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Small business incubator space
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Shipping, receiving, and packaging
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Commercial Kitchen
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Our Why
The Cedar Valley Makerspace is here to serve the community. Our decisions, passion, and drive reflect how we can bring the best makerspace to those that we serve. The community decides what, when, where, and how.
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THE NEW MAKERSPACE
We are looking to repurpose a vacant building in the community, for the right cost, or to build a new building that could directly match our dreams on how to best serve the community. With the move CVM will be able to create a space that is efficient and user-friendly. After having years of experience in the current location, CVM knows what we need to adjust, and look forward to the opportunity to make that happen.
SERVING A CRITICAL NEED
Linked by a passion for making, tinkering, inventing, and learning CVM is the meeting space for a diversity of backgrounds and ideas. A space where anything is possible. Access to modern tools, and a great space, allows for people to unleash their creativity and potential. A community of creators provide expertise, ideas, and a passion that is often contagious.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
From the beginning, our makerspace has received financial support from the McElroy Foundation, Black Hawk Gaming, the Leighty Foundation, area businesses and individuals that have shared our vision and taken a risk for the betterment of our community. We also have a supportive following of community members.
FACILITIES
2024 has seen both more community interactions and improvement in operations and facilities. Eight years of experience has paid off, and we are the experts at providing a community shared workspace in the Cedar Valley. Our goal is to make the equipment, the space, and the know-how accessible to everyone, and then get out of the way and witness creativity.
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MEMBERSHIP
Subscription members make CVM operationally sustainable, provide a community resource that provides access to a handicapped accessible, climate controlled facility with over 250K of equipment, for less than the cost of purchasing a single tool. Most importantly, an army of enthusiastic, supportive members means that every dollar is
leveraged for the biggest impact.
Mission Driven Agenda
For the last 8 years, CVM has provided access to community and educational groups, as well as volunteers who serve our community. We make our space and expertise available to individual student projects and we engage the community with our Maker 101 series of workshops - which works to inspire the next generation of makers.
We provide free access to mentors that volunteer to do that important work, provide fun and rewarding activities, and a safe place to meet. Subscription members have access whenever they want, and they sponsor their own guests and groups, which further leverages the impact CVM has on our community. The years have seen an ever-growing impact and the move to a new facility will make an incredible difference on how Cedar Valley Makers are able to serve the community.
QUICK INFO
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501C3 non profit profile Cedar Valley Makers, Inc. - https://www.cedarvalleymakers.org/copy-of-about-us
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2025 CVM Board of Directors:
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Officers:
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Nicholas Pfeiffer - CVM President
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Karen Everling - CVM Vice President
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Michael Hoffman - CVM Treasurer
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Todd Prusha -CVM Secretary
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General Board Members:
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Mohammed Albasri
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Pete Lilja - Shop Manager
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Dave McKeown
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Sara Smith
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Dick Zimmerman
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Corey Tanis
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Sarah Tanis
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Scott Hayes
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If you are interested in sponsorships, estate planning, or making a large gift please contact us so we can discuss how we can not only recognize your contribution, but also protect and maximize your contribution for the 2024 and 2025 tax years. Email our CVM Board Treasurer Mike Hoffman at mike@cedarvalleymakers.org
"You can't use up creativity.
The more you us, the more you have."