Yesterday, I asked Jenn, Brian, and Kevin what they thought we need for Bucketworks in the near term. Brian from Metrobrook has asked us for this list, because he plans to find out if anyone in his congregation would be willing to help us achieve our goals.
Here is what we came up with:

1. Money
2. Volunteers for the Quasi-Cafe and Bucketworks
3. Develop the Quasi-Cafe Kitchen
4. Develop the Playspace Walls, Bathrooms, Electric
5. Create Universal Storage
6. Greening and Automating Bucketworks
7. Members for the Board of Directors
8. Professional Members
9. More Event Staff Support
10. More Teachers, Students, and General Members

Let's walk through one at a time:
Money
No list of needs for a non-profit organization would be complete without money. It costs approximately $10,000 a month to operate just the facility of Bucketworks, which includes paying taxes, rent, insurance, utilities, waste removal, and basic supplies for maintenance. It does not include paying  employees, which is why some of the Bucketworks staff are volunteering right now. We need money to pay our employees, and for specific projects and general operations. Naturally, membership fees at $40/year per adult do not begin to cover even our basic expenses. We make money from various activities:

• Event rentals are the bulk of Bucketworks revenue. We have a nice space with a convenient location, and say yes to virtually any kind of event. Typical events range from $15 to $3000.
• Professional services generate a sizeable portion of our revenue; projects for growing organizations from the F500 to area charities are completed by the Professional Members who have joined the Bucket Brigade. Projects range in size from $500 to $150,000.
• We offer Value Gatherings, which are half- and full-day off-site experiences that make people and teams more effective at achieving a goal together. Experiences range from $1,200 to $10,000.
• Professional Members contribute to Bucketworks sustainability. Our goal is to have 100 Professional Members, forming a strong and diverse community that shares measurable success. Members pay $100/month, and we currently have 26 Professional Members with the goal of having 100 by June 1.
• Private donations are another source of revenue for Bucketworks, but are inconsistent and infrequent. Gifts range from $500-$10,000.
• Fiscally sponsored grants also provide a small source of income; we take between 4-11% of the grant funding that our Organizational Members obtain through our 501(c)3 tax exempt status.

People we need:

• Fundraising experts
• Grantwriters
• Salespeople
• Event planners

Volunteers for the Cafe and Bucketworks
When the Quasi-Cafe is open, Bucketworks is open. Everyone who comes to Bucketworks wants to eat and drink, and the Quasi-Cafe keeps their mouths and tummies happy. But right now, the Quasi-Cafe is open only from 11am to 2pm Monday through Friday, so our Adult, Family, Student, and Organizational members can only share the use of the Flowspace and Playspace for free 15 hours a week. Courtney Robinson is the Bucketworks Front Desk, and keeps Bucketworks open from 11am to 2pm. Brian Miracle is the owner of the Quasi-Cafe, and he and his partner Kyle are trying to launch their business by keeping the Quasi-Cafe open to the public for longer hours, as well as offering basic drink and food services to members who are hosting events at Bucketworks.
People we need:

• Barrista/cafe experience
• Customer service experience
• Event staff (usher, ticket taker, bathroom check-up, people watching)
• Basic office operations

Develop the Cafe Kitchen
We need to develop a full food-prep environment at Bucketworks that the Quasi-Cafe can use to provide full food prep services for lunch sandwiches and more. We need professional help to create plumbing, create sinks, and also to advise and help grow the Quasi-Cafe business.
People we need:

• Plumbers
• General contractors
• Restaurateurs with catering experience
• Chefs and cooks with an open mind to food
• Experience with the City of Milwaukee government

Develop the Playspace Walls, Bathrooms, Electric

The Playspace is a terrific venue with a lot of potential, but to expand both our capacity and our usefulness, it needs some development work. Electrical outlets on separate circuits need to be installed on the ceiling and on the pillars. We also have a plan to convert the room on the north side of the Playspace into a set of nice bathrooms. Finally, we would like to create walls between the three major performance and gathering areas to facilitate multiple activities happening at the same time--dance, theatre, presentations, services, etc. without conflict.
People we need:

• General contractors
• Wall builders
• Electricians
• Plumbers

Create Universal Storage

To help our members keep track of their stuff, we want to implement a common and simple storage system with uniform shelving, labeling, and a variety of storage spaces in different sizes. All of these storage systems should be modular and securable. We have most of the materials we need to create the system already, we just need people with the brains and brawn to help us put a good system together for our members to use.
People we need:

• Warehouse / storage experts
• Builders/contractors
• Inventory management

Improve Automation and Security
We want to make all of the doors inside and outside of Bucketworks be updated with new locks that use key fobs, access codes, or swipe cards to let people move into and out of the building and its environments. This will give us more flexibility in terms of scheduling, because we can control the doors with computers. We can also use the computers to control the heat, lights, and other features to help reduce our energy costs--the rooms just shut themselves off when they are not being used.
People we need:

• Computers
• Security systems
• Cameras and home automation

Members for the Board of Directors
We are in a time of rapid growth and need to increase the number of people who can help us think and act strategically to keep our growth healthy and sustainable. Board Members volunteer to help Bucketworks achieve its mission and obtain the resources it needs. (Learn more about what it means to be a Board Member.)
People we need:

• General legal expertise
• Business law
• Accounting and Finance experience
• Leadership
• Strategy
• Human Resources
• Marketing
• Fundraising

Professional Members for the Brigade
The Bucket Brigade is a network of our Professional Members who are engaged in a variety of projects to develop the capacity of area organizations, helping them grow. These are paid projects ranging in size from $500 to $150,000 and require skills ranging from technical through business, finance, marketing, design, art, leadership, and more. We need more members in this Brigade to increase our capacity to do projects. We currently have 26 members and want to have 100 members by June 1. Professional Membership is a financial commitment of $100 a month, which is offset by the money earned from participating in the Brigade projects.
People we need:

• Skilled professionals who are in business for themselves and can define their products and services

More Event Staff Support
In 2006, Bucketworks hosted 863 events, classes, performances, meetings, wedding showers, conferences, movie screenings, and rehearsals. Coordinating, planning, and setting up for all of these events took a lot of time and energy throughout the day, and most of that time and energy was provided by a very small group of dedicated people. We expect our calendar to grow even more rapidly in 2008 and 2009, and we need people who are good with people to help us staff our events.
People we need:

• Ticket takers
• Ushers
• Cleanup/Setup volunteers
• Stage and tech skills
• Audiovisual experts
• Painters, set designers, carpenters
• Customer service

More Teachers, Students, and General Members
The Bucketworks calendar feels best when it is full of classes and opportunities for people of any age to learn anything. We want to offer our community an array of programs and learning opportunities throughout the week and weekends. Our staff provides the marketing and operational support to make it easier for teachers and students to connect, and we invite anyone who is interested in sharing their knowledge to become a member and offer their gifts to the community. These activities grow our general membership and help to create our vibrant and diverse community.
People we need:

• Anyone age 14-up who wants to learn
• Anyone age 14-up who wants to teach
• Anyone age 14-up who wants to make something