How It Works

A makerspace is a shared workshop. Some focus on a specific discipline, but we cover just about everything.

A maker community is a group of people – problem solvers, creatives, dreamers – who share a passion for hands-on creation, experimentation, and innovation, often using technology to build and modify things. Beyond that, they want to lift up other makers so they too can bring their projects to life. That’s us.

Our programming aims to empower everyone with the ability to use fabrication equipment. However, we place specific emphasis on STEAM education and hardware startup incubation.

Membership provides access to all of the resources TVCOG has to offer – our building, equipment, and community. For a monthly or annual fee, you are able to join our community and start making!

Different levels are tailored to the needs of individuals, startups, and established businesses.

Most members have voting rights, and have a say in how we conduct business through our annual election of directors and officers, as well as on proposals to modify our bylaws

Is the COG right for you?

  • Sign up for a tour, open house, class, or Zone Orientation to get a feel for the community.
  • Read through all of our Membership Levels to see what best fits your needs.
    • Do you only want to use the space once in a while? Associate membership is an annual fee, and then you only pay for the days you plan on using the space.
    • Have a day job or are okay with limited access? Maker Monthly allows you to use the space on nights and weekends.
    • Want to be able to work at any time? Super Maker membership gives you 24/7 access to the building.
    • Are you a startup or established business? Professional Maker allows for custom membership terms for businesses, and Incubated Maker includes additional resources useful for tech startups.

Understand Our Policies

  • The Bylaws are the legal outline of how we exist and operate as an organization (on a day-to-day basis, there’s not much you need to be intimately familiar with here. But you should know they exist).
  • Our Membership Handbook is the go-to source for all of our rules governing how members interact with the space.
    • It has some of the overarching safety rules, but each zone and piece of equipment will have it’s own specialized rules. These are covered in the Zone Orientations.

Sign Up!

We’ll ask for typical personal information, billing information, a headshot, and a copy of your ID.

  • Having a criminal history doesn’t disqualify someone from membership. However, since we frequently host school children, we reserve the right to deny membership to anyone convicted of a violent or sexual offense.
  • The Headshot is to help staff and volunteers get to know new members.
  • Providing a photo ID is part of our security measures. While we don’t automatically perform a background check on new members, we will do some quick searches, and may request a full check.

Complete the Online Orientation

Our orientation video will cover general safety protocols, how to get your access fob, and what is required to use our Maker Zones. It is quick and easy, and ensures that you have everything you need for a basic understanding of how we work. It’s followed by a short knowledge quiz.

Once your Orientation Quiz is submitted, COG Staff gets a notification. We’ll assign you an access fob within 2 business days, and notify you by email when it’s ready to be picked up.

Pick Up Your Fob

The fob is how you get into our building. Our doors are always locked. Members swipe their fob at the door in order to open it. Your fob will only work during the hours your membership gives you access during.

  • Maker: Mon-Fri 5:30-10pm, Weekends 10am-10pm
  • Super Maker: 24/7
  • Coworking: 24/7
  • Incubated Startup: 24/7
  • Professional Maker: 24/7
  • Associate Day Pass: The full 24-hours of the requested day

What Else?

Get to know our staff and volunteers

COG employs four staff members to handle management and administration. We highly encourage new members to introduce themselves and learn each staff member’s role in maintaining the space. Outside of these four employees, our makerspace is kept running by the dedication of member volunteers. These individuals are a great resource, and getting to know them helps you start to connect with our community. If you are interested in volunteering, find an opportunity that interests you here.

Follow us on social media

We’re most active on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. We highly encourage our members to follow us, and share the projects they are working on. We also share updates and announcements on our pages. If you want to keep up-to-date on all things COG, this is the best way. It also provides you with an easy way to interact with other members!

Join us at social night

We hope you’ll join us whenever possible for our Social Night on Tuesday evenings beginning at 6:30 pm. These Social Nights are great opportunities to get to know your fellow makers here at COG. Feel free to bring a friend!

Need storage?

If you would like to store items at the CoG while you work on projects, we have some storage options available. Our full range of options can be found here.

Our Innovation Studios are for businesses that need a dedicated work area.

Contact info@tvcog.net or 518-244-3544 for more information or to request a space.

Bring a Guest

Members are welcome to bring a guest to the space! Just sign them in at the front desk when you first arrive. Guests are not allowed to use any of the equipment, and must follow all TVCOG policies listed in the member handbook.