CT lawmakers approve pilot Community Makerspace Initiative program

HBJ PHOTO | DAVID KRECHEVSKY The entrance to MakeHaven, a makerspace in New Haven.

Write a Comment

Connecticut’s eight makerspace facilities got a boost from the state legislature Wednesday.

On the last day of the 2025 legislative session, the state House approved a bill creating a statewide pilot makerspace initiative program. Senate Bill 1179 was overwhelmingly approved by the House by a 139-6 vote with six legislators not voting or absent.

The Senate had voted on May 15 to approve the bill by a 35-1 vote, with Sen. Rob Sampson (R-Wolcott) the only dissenting vote.

The legislation requires the commissioner of the state Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) to establish and administer, by Jan. 1, 2026, “a pilot program to give financial assistance … to entities establishing or expanding makerspaces that may serve as self-sustaining models in Connecticut.”

The bill defines a “makerspace” as a community space that provides
entrepreneurs with access to tools, technology or educational materials; where prototyping, creation, production and assembly of “tangible items” happens; and that supports the development of educational opportunities for “personal growth, workforce training, and early-stage business ventures.”

According to the website Makerspacect.com, Connecticut has eight such facilities: Danbury Library; Fairfield County Makers’ Guild in Norwalk; CT Hackerspace in Watertown; MakeHaven in New Haven; MakeHartford; NESIT Makerspace in Meriden; Spark Makerspace in New London; and Collaboratory at the Wallingford Public Library.

Under the bill, a makerspace must use financial assistance — which can include grants, loans or financing — provided under the pilot program for costs related to establishment or expansion, such as planning activities, operational costs and capital expenditures, but is prohibited from using the financial assistance for personnel costs.

It requires the DECD commissioner to explore funding options for the program, including public-private partnerships, grants and federal or state funds. The bill caps funding at $250,000 for any applicant per fiscal year and $5 million for the pilot program in total.

An amendment to the bill requires DECD to use $1 million from previously authorized Manufacturing Assistance Act (MAA) bonds, rather than the money from the state’s Manufacturing Innovation Fund, to fund the pilot program. It also specifies that DECD may use up to 10% of the MAA funds to cover the program’s administrative costs.

The legislation tasks the DECD commissioner with establishing the pilot program’s eligibility criteria and application process. Under the bill, applications must include a description of the makerspace the applicant wants to establish or expand and that may serve as a self-sustaining model, the amount of financial assistance requested, and “any other information the commissioner deems necessary.”

It also includes specific reporting requirements for makerspace facilities that receive funding. It orders the DECD commissioner to require pilot program participants to report, within two years after receiving funding, on the progress of establishing or expanding their makerspace “and any other information the commissioner deems necessary.”

In addition, by Jan. 1, 2027, the commissioner must annually provide a report evaluating the pilot program’s operation and effectiveness to the legislature’s Commerce Committee.

The bill now heads to Gov. Ned Lamont’s desk for his signature. If he signs it into law, the bill would take effect on July 1.