For Rent

Up until recently, I pictured my organization in a Victorian house. Much like Hugo House, if you want to get specific. I thought it would be pretty cool to have a storefront on the first floor and all the classrooms on the second floor. And they would all have different names, like the Inspiration Room or the Creativity Room. And the big backyard would be the perfect place for a stage for all the readings we'll have.

Then my husband and I moved downtown, in the heart of downtown Phoenix where all the action is. AZ Science Center is across the street. The Phoenix Children's Museum is right next door. We can walk to Chase Field and see a baseball game. But we're also blocks away from Roosevelt Row, where First Fridays occurs. My hubby and I eat a lot at the Pita Jungle on 3rd Ave and Roosevelt, and every time we drive down that street, we pass an abandoned building that sits on the corner of 2nd ave. There's a building and a little house next to it that would make the perfect stage. No longer do I see my organization in a Victorian house, but in this abandoned building on the corner.

Even though my organization would be in the midst of an urban arts district--and just a few blocks from other cultural venues--I can't help but wonder how the other businesses fair. Do they get a lot of foot traffic when First Friday isn't going on? Are they close to shutting down? And then I read an article in Philanthropy News Digest about how sharing office space can boost your nonprofits effectiveness. A study of U.S. and Canadian organizations indicated:

"...such arrangements provide a range of benefits to the organizations involved, including access to higher-quality facilities in better locations for rents that can be as much as 75 percent below market value. Organizations also benefit from the greater visibility that such centers provide, which in turn leads to greater community engagement, improved access to funding, and enhanced credibility.

As a result, securing space in a nonprofit center can be difficult. According to the study, 80 percent of the centers included in the survey have waiting lists and most have low vacancy rates."

Okay. So. Maybe, due to the economy, I won't be able to have a building of my own. Maybe I'll use rooms at different libraries around the valley, community centers, local bookstores, etc. Maybe I'll only need an office space to work out of and everything else will be virtual.

Something to think about.