Hermanowski Family Foundation Initial Request Form

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Organization Name: Maker Nexus
Legal Name (if Different):
Also Known As:
Mailing Address: 1330 Orleans Drive
City: Sunnyvale
State: California
Postal Code: 94089
Main Phone: 408-685-2500
Main Fax:
Organization Website: makernexus.org
Employer ID Number: 82-3925333
Organization Tax Status: 501(c)3

Proposal Information

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Today’s Date: 03/30/2025
Requested Amount: 10,000

Project Title: Middle and High School Maker Experience Program
Project Description:

We are a community nonprofit makerspace that offers programs to youth via schools, homeschool organizations, private classes, etc. to expose youth to the power of making things–to innovation and creative problem solving through skills that range from traditional trades like welding, carpentry, and textiles through modern manufacturing with CNC equipment and electronics/robotics. Kids learn they can solve problems with inventive creations, and that they can bring their imaginings into the physical world. We open them up to education and career directions through what we call "dirty hands" learning, and exposure to equipment and technologies that are not found in their schools. Students are also exposed to our community of makers and learn through observing people of all ages making things like furniture, musical instruments, machined metal or 3D printed parts, art, clothing, almost anything you can imagine. They see what is possible. Each year we seek funding to support more learners and allow more enrollment than school budgets or parental pocketbooks can afford. $10,000 will fund 5 to 10 youth through a full 7 week "expeditions" charter school program, or a 12 week homeschool maker experience. We are the only organization approved by Ocean Grove Charter School, a local homeschool program, for students to use their state funding to learn welding and woodworking in our local community. As our programs are only five years in, we are still collecting data, but have seen youth leave us empowered to pursue vocational careers in welding or trades, having found that success does not have to involve college, and others who leave excited to pursue degrees in mechanical or electrical engineering, design, or other college programs. Most of all, they leave us knowing how their ideas can be made into problems solving solutions that can even change the world.

Total Project Budget: 84,000

Other Funding
Sources For The Project (Committed & Potential): Direct Client funding, Individual Donors, Parent Subsidies

Project Duration: School year, each year
Geographical Area Served: Silicon Valley – South San Francisco Bay Area
Age Group To Be Served: 9 to 18

Contact Information

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Contact Prefix (Mr,Mrs etc.):
Contact First Name: Kelly
Contact Last Name: Yamanishi
Contact Title: Co Executive Director (with Regina Sakols)
Contact Phone: 408-685-2500
Contact Email: kelly.yamanishi@makernexus.org