Developing a Space

Are you thinking about starting a community space? Below are the top 3 steps CSN recommends to get started.

Do local nonprofits need affordable commercial space in your town or city? Do you think that organizations in your community could do so much more if they were all brought together under one roof? If you are developing a community space, a nonprofit center, or some other type of shared space in your community, CSN can help in many ways. Where should you get started? Here are the top 3 CSN resources that we recommend to anyone thinking about developing a community space:

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Become a ‘Center in Development’ Member

Membership is the most affordable way to access a wealth of knowledge about social purpose real estate. Our hundreds of practitioners have shared their knowledge over many years so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Our ‘Center in Development’ membership is designed specifically for individuals or groups that are in the early stages of exploring the concept of shared space and its application to their communities. All projects that have not yet opened their doors are eligible for this special introductory rate. As a member, get access to various forums in the member portal, webinars on the latest trends, preferred pricing on online courses, customized advice in your free hour of consulting, and so much more.

Take Shared Space Virtual Boot Camp

This fast-paced online course takes you through all of the nuts and bolts of creating a nonprofit center, touching on governance, financial structures, real estate considerations, and laying the groundwork for a collaborative community. There are 12 modules, and since it’s an on-demand online course, your whole team can access it whenever it works for them.

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Consider CSN Consulting

Community spaces are most successful when they are built in response to community needs. As you start planning your nonprofit center or social purpose real estate project, we recommend that you conduct a feasibility study to determine community needs, so that you can create a space that’s not too big and not too small. If you hire CSN to conduct your feasibility study, we will design an engagement that includes developing your vision, assessing the demand among relevant nonprofits, creating a financial model, and making recommendations based on our collective experience with hundreds of nonprofit centers around the world.