Reducing the Barriers to Making

Supported by the Community Access Fund, these programs ensure TVCOG’s financial accessibility for all.

These programs allow our community access to our space, classes, and resources through reduced membership dues and class fees for those with demonstrated financial barriers to access. See details below to find what program suits your needs.

About Program Eligibility:

These programs are designed to serve financially and historically underserved communities. With that in mind, these programs prioritize Low-to-Moderate Income (LMI) individuals, as defined by HUD. HUD defines LMI individuals based on taxable income and household size, so there is not one income limit for eligibility. Check HUD’s guidelines here to find out if you qualify as LMI.

Size of Household	1	2	3	4	5	6
Max Income Limit	65,050	74,350	83,650	92,900	100,350	107,800

Some programs are only available to LMI individuals, while some are programs have other eligibility requirements. Please be sure to check the program details to ensure you are eligible before applying.

If you are not eligible based on program eligibility guidelines, but feel that the cost of membership is a significant barrier to access for you, please reach out to TVCOG staff via email to discuss further.

Please contact TVCOG staff if you need assistance filling out any program applications.

Assistance for Businesses:

Small Business Support Program

OVERVIEW: The Small Business Support Program offers up to a 75% reduction in Professional Maker membership dues for those looking to use the space to support their business. Members can receive discounts on space rentals, machine use, and mentorship hours.

REQUIREMENTS: Program participants are required to credit TVCOG as a sponsor and provide a limited amount of media for use in promotional materials.

ELIGIBILITY: This program is for candidates that fit within one of these categories- a pre-revenue startup businesses based at a Troy address; a small businesses that have been established at a Troy address for 4 years or less; a business within a priority sector owned by an LMI individual; and independent artists that have demonstrated a need for more affordable access to TVCOG.

APPLICATION PROCESS: Currently accepting applications. Online application form required. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and reviewed by TVCOG Staff upon receipt; applicants will be contacted regarding application status within 5-7 business days of submission. Approved applicants start the program on the 1st of the next month.

Apply for the SBS Program

Assistance for Individuals:

Pay-What-You Can Program

OVERVIEW: This program offers up to a reduction in Super Maker membership dues (offered in 25% increments) for a period of up to 12 months for those with demonstrated financial need.

REQUIREMENTS: Volunteer hours are required. Shifts are 4 hours long, and volunteers are required to complete the equivalent of 1-2 shifts a month. Volunteer positions vary, but options include operating the front desk/check-in station, basic organizational tasks, etc. Program members will work with TVCOG staff to determine which volunteer position best suits them.

ELIGIBILITY: Qualifying applicants must be Capital Region residents who meet HUD’s definition of being LMI. For college students who are still claimed as dependents on their parents’ taxes, eligibility is determined based on financial aid status at your school.

Apply for the PWYC Program

Assistance for Workshops & Classes:

Class Discount Program

The Class Discount program provides partial and full discounts to individuals with demonstrated financial need.

OVERVIEW: This program offers discounts to adults with demonstrated financial need for TVCOG classes.

ELIGIBILITY: Qualifying applicants are Capital Region residents who meet HUD’s definition of being LMI.

APPLICATION PROCESS: Please fill out a request form here. Requests should be submitted at least 5 days prior to the class date.

Note: If you are currently a TVCOG member participating in one of our other Community Access Programs, you are automatically eligible for class discounts. Please email info@tvcog.net at least 1 week in advance with the class information and requested discount amount in order to receive your online registration discount code.

This program is currently supported by the New York State Council on the Arts.

STEAM Education Assistance Fund

Providing significant discounts on workshops, classes, after-school clubs and field trips for Troy schools and other educational organizations in Troy who serve primarily low-income students.

OVERVIEW: This program offers discounts on educational programs for K-12 students. Offered rates are based on the number of low-income students recorded at that school by the NYS Education Department.

For example, if NYSED indicates 85% of a school’s population is low-income, TVCOG offers an 85% discount on fees for that school. Further assistance may be available; school administrators are encouraged to contact us with a statement of need if this is the case. 501(c)(3) organizations requesting discounts will be required to provide this data if it is not publicly available in order to determine discount eligibility.

ELIGIBILITY: At this time, this fund is only available to Troy-based schools and 501(c)(3) organizations in Troy that serve primarily low-income youth. Programs are available for all students in grades K-12.

APPLICATION PROCESS: Please read our School Trip Guide to get an idea of what kind of experiences we can offer your students, and contact our Programs Manager directly at Liz@tvcog.net to discuss further. All field trip/workshop requests must be submitted at least 30 days in advance, and all after-school club requests must be submitted at least 60 days in advance.

More Information & General Policies:

CODE OF CONDUCT: All program participants are expected to abide by our Member Code of Conduct.

RIGHT OF REFUSAL: TVCOG reserves the right to dismiss any application to any program if the applicant is deemed ineligible. TVCOG also reserves the right to offer applicants entry into a different program than the one denoted as preferred on their application.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION: TVCOG reserves the right to request additional proof of income upon application receipt.

PROGRAM OFFERS: Final decisions on program offers (including program type, program length and membership level) are determined by our staff based on available program funds and the applicant’s demonstrated need. While individual preferences are taken into consideration, the final program offer may not reflect the preferences denoted in the application process. Program offers are included in notification of program acceptance, and are non-negotiable. We encourage applicants to provide a detailed statement of need on their application in order to increase the chances of being accepted into their preferred program.

The Community Access Fund is made possible by grant funders, corporate sponsors, and individual donors. Donors may choose to donate to the Fund itself, in which case funds will be allocated where needed, or you may choose to dedicate your donation to a specific program.

Current sponsors include the Troy Now Initiative, the New York State Council on the Arts, Agora Media and the Albany Society of Engineers Foundation.