Support Our Work
Bedrock Computing Institute exists to rebuild the connection between communities and technology education. We're training the next generation of technologists while helping our local businesses & organizations get the computing support they need - right in their own neighborhoods.
Your support makes this work possible. Whether you're contributing to our general fund, sponsoring workshops for underserved communities, or helping specific students access our programs, every dollar goes directly toward building computing capability where it's needed most.
Ways to Give
General Fund Donations
Unrestricted donations to our general fund give us the flexibility to respond to community needs as they emerge. These contributions support everything from keeping our infrastructure running to covering the gap between what students can afford and what it costs us to deliver quality instruction.
Equipment & Hardware Donations
We're always in need of computing equipment for student & community use. If you have laptop or desktop computers, networking equipment, or other hardware that's no longer needed but still functional, we can likely put it to good use.
Contact us to arrange equipment donations - we can provide tax documentation for donated hardware valued over $250.
Workshop Sponsorship
Sponsor a workshop and help us bring intensive, hands-on technology education to communities that need it. Workshop sponsorships directly offset the cost of instruction, materials, and travel - making it possible for us to offer affordable learning experiences to students who otherwise wouldn't have access.
This summer's lineup includes introductory sessions like Bedrock 101 (a single 3-hour session) and Bedrock 102 (a week-long deep dive), plus week-long topic workshops on HTML & CSS, Ruby, and Java, and a growing set of standalone single-session workshops. Sponsorships can be targeted to a specific workshop, a specific community, or left to our discretion to direct where the need is greatest.
Costs vary based on format, location, and duration. A single-session workshop in your own community runs on the low end; bringing our team somewhere new for a week of instruction runs higher. Reach out and we'll give you honest numbers for what you have in mind.
Workshop sponsors receive recognition on our website and in communications to workshop participants (unless you prefer to remain anonymous).
Scholarship Fund
Our scholarship fund helps cover workshop fees and membership costs for students who show initiative and commitment but can't afford full-price participation. Membership runs $7/month or $60/year - a small amount by most measures, but a real barrier for some families. Contributions to the scholarship fund are pooled and distributed based on financial need and demonstrated interest.
Scholarships can also cover participation in The Forge, our mentor-supported cohort program for middle and high school students working through a full-stack web development curriculum.
Every dollar contributed to the scholarship fund goes directly toward offsetting fees & reducing barriers for students with financial need.
Venue & Space Donations
If you have access to classroom, workshop, or coworking space that could host our programs, we'd love to talk. We need physical locations for in-person workshops, and donated space in new communities helps us expand without the burden of facility costs.
Ideal spaces are classrooms or conference rooms with seating for 8-10 people with easy access to power and reliable internet access. But we're open to creative arrangements - if you have a space that could work, let's talk about how we can make it happen.
The Forge Cohort Sponsorship
The Forge is our mentor-supported cohort for middle and high school students working through a full-stack web development curriculum over the summer. It's a real, substantive program - self-directed, text-heavy, demanding - and the mentorship and cohort structure are what keep students from quitting when it gets hard.
Active Forge participants receive a free membership for the duration of the program, which means cohort sponsorships help cover not just the direct costs of running sessions but also the computing infrastructure, mentorship time, and resources those students access throughout the summer.
If you want to sponsor a student's place in The Forge or help fund a full cohort, reach out and we'll work out the details.
Community Partner Projects
If you're a nonprofit, school, or community organization with a real software need, our open lab students can build it. Volunteer management systems, event scheduling tools, custom grant-tracking reports, member portals - anything your organization needs but can't afford to commission from a professional shop.
This is how open lab works: members at every skill level contribute to real projects for partner organizations, with mentors keeping quality high and students learning from work that actually matters. You get useful software; your community gets students who know how to build things.
If you have a project in mind and a willingness to work with students, reach out. We'll talk about whether it's a good fit.
Curriculum Development Support
Good curriculum doesn't write itself. We're constantly developing new workshops, refining our approach, and building materials that meet communities where they are. Curriculum development support helps us invest the time needed to create effective learning experiences.
Your support can go towards general curriculum development efforts, or you can fund the creation of specific materials with a particular focus in mind. We're open to collaborating on curriculum that serves both educational goals and real-world needs. Your financial contributions and expertise can help us create learning materials that are both engaging and effective.
Time & Expertise
Beyond financial support, we benefit from people who can contribute their time and expertise. This might look like:
- Guest instruction or technical mentorship for specific topics
- Curriculum review and feedback from practitioners
- Administrative support for program operations
- Marketing and outreach help to reach students in new communities
- Legal, accounting, or business guidance for our operations
- Hosting apprentices or interns once our placement program launches - organizations can reach out now to express interest before the program is formally open
If you have skills that might be useful and a few hours to spare, reach out - we'll find a way to put your expertise to work.
How to Contribute
Ready to support our work? We're accepting contributions now.
Contact Us to Give
We're happy to discuss how your contribution would be used, answer questions about our programs, or explore custom sponsorship arrangements. Every donor's situation is different, and we want to make sure your support is directed where it will have the most impact. To make a contribution or discuss sponsorship opportunities, please shoot us a message at support@bedrockcomputinginstitute.org
Let us know what type of support you're interested in providing, and we'll work with you to make it happen. We can accept checks, bank transfers, and will soon have online donation options available.