One of the biggest issues that Sheds can face is income. The Scottish Men’s Shed Association (SMSA) recognises that attracting funding can be difficult, particularly when you’re just starting out – but even SMSA themselves were months away from winding up due to a lack of funding, which shows that this is a universal issue. It can be hard to find new opportunities for funding, especially when you have a range of costs from rent, property costs, and insurance to tools, materials, and amenities like teas and coffees. A healthy bank balance can ensure your shed thrives, but the struggle to find funds can be a huge blow for your membership, particularly given that your Shed exists to bring people together and is often vital for their mental health.
Having a website can help significantly when applying for funding. Funders want to know who you are, how long you’ve existed, who you work with, and what kind of work you do – and with hundreds or thousands of applications, many want a quick and easy way to access all of this information. Having a well-made can fulfil this need, and it can even set you apart: having an online presence is an additional opportunity to demonstrate and visualise your previous successes, your ability to deliver, as well as show that you credit previous funding if you’ve had any – all of which lends further credibility to your application. Just as funders give consideration to applicants’ websites, it should also be a consideration for your Shed.
A website is useful for more than just attracting funding, though – it can attract new members too. Most Sheds have capacity to grow, and bringing in new members is an a year-round process. While posters and flyers in the library, pub, Post Office and corner shop are valuable ways of engaging locally, more and more people are becoming familiar with the internet and use it as a source of finding out what’s happening in their community. In particular, a website can be a great way to engage with younger generations – with many youth work organisations having reduced funding and less local spaces available than existed previously (particularly pre-lockdown), more young people struggle to find social and supportive spaces. The nonjudgemental, relaxed spaces of a Shed can provide that same unique space, but only if they know about it. A website can help bring in new members from across different generations.
No two Sheds are the same, and neither should their websites be. With experience in helping community sheds and knowledge in website design, we’re happy to answer any questions and support you to go online.