Structure

Legal Structure

Summary: Makespace will be a registered Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG)

We need an underlying legal structure to rent a space, have a bank account, own assets, worry about insurance and liability etc. At the same time, we want to align it with our not-for-profit goals, minimise legal overhead as much as possible, and let us do the things we need to.

After a number of community and advisor meetings, the following is the proposed underlying legal structure/process for Makespace:

• Makespace (Cambridge) Ltd. will be setup as a Company Limited by Guarantee
• Simon and Jonny will be registered as legal Directors of the CLG
• Legal Directors will be added/replaced over time, but the number will be kept small i.e. 2-4 Directors; these are the people legally tied to the activities of Makespace
• Setup a bank account for the CLG; this allows us to accept the bootstrap funding, and will be the account used for all incomings/outgoings
• Start the process to apply for charitable status, with full research to understand constraints/benefits; Assumption is it is something we would benefit from, but need to confirm interaction with e.g. member commercial activities
• If Charitable Status is achieved, create a Board of Trustees (made up of Directors and/or external people)

Notes:

• CICs were established as a way to make a social enterprise investable; Grant-giving bodies don't really respond better to CICs - i.e. we don't want to be a CIC
• A CLG by nature has some asset locking behaviour as it doesn't have or pay shareholders
• A CLG can be given charitable status after being set up - i.e. we don't have to be one from the outset, it is easy (normal) to add it
• It can take quite some time to be processed by the Charity Commission and be granted charitable status.
• A charity will be subject to considerable controls, as the Charity Commission imposes complex trading and financial rules on charities - i.e. need to be careful it aligns with all our plans

General Structure

Summary: Makespace will be run by an Executive Committee, guided by an Advisory Committee

An Executive Committee of 6-10, including the legal Directors, are the main group who worry about running Makespace.

An Advisory Committee of respected mentors and sponsors can guide these decisions, open doors and generally help with advice and wisdom to ensure Makespace is a success.

Members are anyone paying membership.

The Executive Committee and Advisory Committee are not actually tied to the legal structure, and ultimately power to block/etc is with the Directors. We assume that the Executive Committee works and therefore is really what "runs" it day to day, and if it isn't then it is up to the Directors to sort out the mess.

Makespace and FabLab

Summary: Makespace will contain a FabLab

Makespace has a lot in common with the goals of a "FabLab", and we have considered being a FabLab. What does that mean? Well, a FabLab is characterised as a lab with a specified set of prototyping equipment and adherence to the FabLab charter. It is becoming more formal through the FabLab Foundation as the concept grows in popularity across the world.

However, we have some motives beyond that of a FabLab, whilst potentially also not being able to meet the requirements of a FabLab immediately. We also don't want to misuse the FabLab brand.

A model that seems perfect is therefore to aspire to have a FabLab inside Makespace. The main benefits are:

• Makespace can have objectives not related or beyond a FabLab, be it social aspects or whatever
• We do not have to have a FabLab from the start; we can aim to build one, and register with the FabLab Foundation when we achieve it
• We can easily treat the FabLab area of Makespace different to e.g. the training area; this may be useful for access control given the different skills/costs involved

Some useful links:

• [Foundation]
• [Charter]
• [on Wikipedia]

TBD

• How we structure guest access (acceptable behaviour in bringing friends etc along)
• Is there (cheap) membership to a society, separate from subscription to use of facilities