Makerspace Standards of Excellence

Self-assess. Set a goal. Benchmark with the network.

This tool helps any makerspace — regardless of size or program mix — determine which standards apply, assess current practice against them, build a prioritized improvement plan, and compare results across a network of peer spaces.

Describe your space. Answer the Profile questions. Core standards always apply; conditional modules (Youth, Tool Lending, Incubation…) switch on only when they match how you operate.

Score each applicable standard 0–3. 0 Absent · 1 Foundational · 2 Operational · 3 Sustained & review-ready. Record specific evidence — a document, URL, log, or verifiable observation.

Review the Dashboard. See your recognition level, domain scores, evidence coverage, and what stands between you and the next level.

Set a goal and work the Action Plan. Pick a target recognition level; the plan lists exactly which standards block it, with owners and due dates.

Share and benchmark. Export a network share file — profile, annual data, capabilities, and summary readiness only. A network coordinator loads everyone's share files in the Network Benchmark tab to see the collective picture.

Score honestly — the detail stays private. Your per-standard scores, evidence, and action plan never leave your space unless you choose to share the full private export. The network share file carries only summary readiness, and network views show readiness in aggregate — no space is ranked or individually scored. This assessment works only if it is a mirror, not a brochure.

Recognition levels

Foundational

Average score ≥ 1.0 and every critical Tier-1 standard scores at least 1. The basics exist, even if informal.

Operational

Average ≥ 2.0; critical Tier 1–2 standards score at least 2; evidence recorded for ≥ 80% of applicable standards.

Exemplary

Average ≥ 2.7; all critical standards at 3; ≥ 95% evidence; three years of retained records. Practices are sustained and review-ready — the level a peer-review or recognition program could later build on.

Important: this is a working draft for pilot testing — not a legal, code-compliance, or insurance certification. Local fire, building, occupational-safety, employment, youth-protection, environmental, and insurance requirements vary; verify them with qualified local professionals.

Operational profile

Core standards always apply. Each “Yes” below activates a conditional module of additional standards matched to how your space actually operates.

Organization

Organization name Assessment lead Assessment date State / jurisdiction Current paying members Headcount with an active paid membership today, at any rate — including need-based reduced dues. (The Annual Data tab asks separately for the formal year-end count.) Approximate active participants (past 12 months) Unique people who made, learned, or volunteered here in the past 12 months: members (any payment status), workshop / class / program attendees, and regular volunteers — count each person once. Do not count website visitors, social followers, or passive audiences at fairs and open houses. A membership list plus registration sheets is enough to estimate this. Approximate annual revenue (USD)

Operating features

Standards assessment

Each standard shows an example of what a 0, 1, 2, and 3 look like in practice — click the description that best matches your space today. Then attach evidence: links to documents, small file uploads, or written notes (a document title with date, a log range, a verifiable observation — not a general assertion). Evidence stays private unless you mark an item “Share as resource” to offer it to other spaces as a template.

Scoring rubric

0 — Absent. No reliable practice or evidence.

1 — Foundational. Basic practice exists; may be informal or inconsistent; minimum evidence available.

2 — Operational. Written, assigned, consistently implemented, supported by current evidence.

3 — Sustained / review-ready. Effectiveness is reviewed; improvements documented; historical evidence supports continuity.

Annual network data

Baseline metrics every network space reports once a year (calendar-year basis, due January 31). Fill in what you can — these travel with your export and power the network totals, capability map, and comparisons. All figures are aggregate organizational data; no personally identifiable information.

Reporting period & structure

Reporting year Legal structure Average weekly open hours

24/7 access for trusted members?

Electronic access control — buildingcard / fob / PIN entry system

Electronic access control — toolsper-tool interlocks or badge readers

Fab Lab Network memberlisted on fablabs.io

Nation of Makers member

Other network affiliations — optional Peer networks, associations, or coalitions your organization belongs to.

Staffing & people

Paid staff — full-time # Paid staff — part-time # Contractors # (annual) Contractor expense $ Titled regular volunteers # Estimated volunteer hours (annual)

Finances

Total operating expenses $ Year surplus / deficit $ % earned income (memberships, classes, services, rent) % contributed income (grants, donations, sponsorships) % institutional support (university / library / town budget)

Facility (square feet)

Total facility Shops / work areas Storage Classrooms / event space Other

Membership & engagement

Active paying members (year end) New members joined (during year) Members lost / churned (during year) Total event registrations (all types) Free / low-cost public events held (#) Open houses, tours, demo nights, repair cafés, community events — supervised occasions where non-members can experience the space at no or nominal cost. Count events, not attendees. Public access today means welcoming events and accessible membership, not unsupervised open shop time. Individual coaching / skill sessions

Impact & reach (annual counts)

Tool authorizations issued Every badge, checkout, or sign-off granted this year across all tools. A tally sheet at the front desk works — count each authorization, not each person. Guest / visitor waivers signed Waivers collected from non-members during the year, paper or digital. Your best measure of reach beyond membership. Members on need-based reduced dues (#) Year-end count of members paying a reduced rate through any need-based program — sliding scale, scholarship, or hardship arrangement. Need-based discounts given ($) Standard price minus what was actually paid, summed for the year, across memberships and programs. This is the subsidy your space provides its community. Incident reports recorded (#) Injuries plus near misses logged in your incident system (Standard S016). Zero is only a valid answer if you keep a log — a high count usually means good reporting culture, not a dangerous shop. % members identifying as BIPOC — optional Only if you collect member demographics through a survey or profile. Leave blank rather than estimate. % women / non-binary members — optional Same rule: report from collected data, never an eyeball guess. % members active in past 90 days — optional Share of members with at least one visit in the last 90 days. Needs an access-control or sign-in system — skip it if you have neither.

Capabilities (statewide referral map)

Organizational health check — auto-derived

The network data standards include a Yes / In Progress / No health check. These answers are derived automatically from your Standards Assessment (score 2+ = Yes, 1 = In Progress, 0 = No) so spaces never answer twice.

Dashboard

Domain scores

Average score per domain, 0–3. Unscored standards count as 0.

Goal

Export

Two files, two audiences. The full assessment contains every score, evidence note, owner, and action — it is for your board and staff only. The network share file contains your profile, annual data, capabilities, summary readiness only (recognition level, domain averages, health check), and any evidence documents you explicitly marked “Share as resource” — never scores, private evidence, or notes. Score honestly: the detail stays in your building.

Improvement action plan

Network benchmark

Load network share files from other makerspaces to see the collective picture — capacity, reach, capabilities, and aggregate readiness. Share files contain no per-standard scores, so what appears here is safe to show the state and public. Files are read locally in your browser — nothing is uploaded anywhere.