This is kind of off-topic but I thought you'd empathize with my situtation and maybe have some of your usual great suggestions...

The University of Michigan's Student Woodshop--a 30 year-old institution--is being closed permanently, due to budget cuts, an extension of the state fiscal crises all over the country. This was announced with no warning on Wednesday, and made effective immediately.

Never mind the fact that this leaves the three of us with half-built wooden boats up a rocky creek with no fiberglass (yet) on our hulls, and no place to store them. It's a greater collective loss for all users, including wooden box makers, bookshelf builders, bowl turners, etc. who rely on the woodshop for therapy after a long day of academics. It's also a great town-meets-gown venue with Ann Arbor residents mixing with undergrads mixing with professors, staff, etc.

Not counting usage fees which are charged to all users, the budget for the woodshop is $55,000 annually. A group of us are trying to brainstorm outside sources of funding, from community development grants, to corporate sponsorship, to selling our products (this is an especially long shot!). In case this looks like an appeal for funds, it's not!! I'm just looking for ideas.

Does anyone on this list work in a community woodshop or arts space and have any suggestions for how to fund these things, other than charging $100 a month usage fee (which students sadly can't afford).

Thanks, and apologies to those who find this too far off topic.

Martin Farnham
Grad Student-U of Michigan