The Social Enterprise Greenhouse is expanding its Providence-based location, otherwise known as the Hub.
For the uninitiated, the SEG is a nine-year-old nonprofit that supports socially impactful businesses through classes, events, an incubator, a coworking space and other services, all run out of its 2015-opened "Hub."
In 2016, the SEG grew to include to the building's second floor, where they hit capacity with 100 workers in their coworking space.
Now, they're looking to do it again.
"There was an opportunity to expand into the space that was formerly TRI-Lab, and in order to do that, we needed to raise money," Crystal Rosatti, the SEG's communications and water, energy and environment initiative manager, said in an interview with Rhode Island Inno.
So, the SEG launched a capital campaign, including a crowdfunding endeavor, in effort to raise the money necessary to bring the Hub into the rest of the first floor.
So far, with 18 hours left in the crowdfunding efforts, it has raised just shy of its $30,000 goal, coming in at $29,678.
The way the SEG team sees it, the opportunity to grow the Hub will have a big impact on the Rhode Island entrepreneurial community.
"Your investment will enable us to build out offices ensuring we can serve more entrepreneurs better for years to come," its crowdfunding site states.
Once completed, this space will be a place to host workshops and other programs, as well as increase the SEG's coworking capacity. The funds raised through these various initiatives will go towards keeping the lights on, paying rent and fueling the nonprofit's programs.
While there expanded space is still in draft form, Rosatti said that the team hopes to have two spaces to host their events in a way that's less likely to disrupt coworkers.
As part of the larger capital campaign, SEG board members, The Zennovation Fund, and other of the nonprofit's supporters have committed to raising the several thousand dollars necessary for the expansion. Additionally, Rosatti said that the team has "pending requests to other family and corporate foundations."
Once the campaigns conclude, the team will begin its construction work, which they hope will conclude by the end of the summer.
