UCIMC Membership Levels

  • $25 - Individual low-income membership 
  • $50 - Individual membership 
  • $100 - Organizational membership 
  • $1,000 - UCIMC Lifetime member 
  • Sustaining member is a monthly payment to the UCIMC. UCIMC Member sets the monthly amount. 
  • 5 hours of sweat equity: to gain a sweat equity membership, you must complete 5 hours of volunteering that supports the UCIMC core functions, such as our IMC monthly work days, the Urbana Farmers Market, monthly workshops and panels, and our monthly Community Nights. If you are interested in becoming a member through sweat equity, contact our Program Coordinator at [email protected]. 
  • Free: Lifetime membership is a nomination process facilitated by the UCIMC founders and staff and approved by the IMC board. 

Please note: UCIMC Membership lasts one year and must be renewed every year, unless you have a lifetime membership. If you are unsure of the status of your membership, you can contact the UCIMC’s Program Coordinator at [email protected] for clarification. 

 

Sign up to become a UCIMC Member below! 

If you prefer to mail in your membership, you may download this printable membership form.

 

What are the benefits of a UCIMC Membership?

  1. You can reserve a meeting room for small group meetings (up to 20 people) at the UCIMC for up to 3 hours per week and 6 hours per week for organizational and lifetime members.  
  2. You can serve as a keyholder for the UCIMC Building. Note: You must be at least 18 years of age to become a keyholder. To become a keyholder, you must be affiliated with a working group or have meetings at the IMC. For organizational members, up to 3 leaders can become keyholders. 
  3. You can rent the UCIMC stage and/or sunroom at a discounted rental rate. Examples of rental types are: birthday parties, concerts, workshops, Live performances, discussions, recitals, holiday markets, retreats, and more! 
  4. You can apply for a UCIMC Co-sponsored event that proposes a mission-aligned event, which offers subsidies for venue rentals. 
  5. You can participate in governing the organization: elect the Board of Directors, serve on the board, and a committee. 

 

IMC Membership FAQ

What are the benefits of IMC General Membership?
You can . . .

  • book small group meetings (up to 20 people) at the IMC for up to 3 hours per week for free
  • participate in governing the organization: elect the Board of Directors, serve on the board, and serve on a committee 
  • attend workshops in health and wellness, arts and culture, and policy and practice. (Past workshops: accessibility and the arts, trauma-informed care, conflict resolution, marketing and fundraising, and more!)
  • Serve as a key-holder for the IMC Building
  • rent the IMC at discounted venue rental rates (examples: birthday parties, concerts, workshops, discussions, recitals, holiday markets, retreats, and more!) 
  • create co-sponsored events: members can propose mission-aligned events and receive special subsidized venue rental rates
  • show your artwork for free and get an opening reception, and an interview to assist with marketing the show

What if I can’t pay for membership? How does Sweat Equity Membership Work?

  • You must complete 5 hours of volunteer work for the IMC General Operations or Venue. Examples of volunteer work include cleaning, organizing, painting walls, etc.
  • Contact [email protected] to schedule your sweat equity hours!

How do I become a lifetime IMC member? 

  • You can become a lifetime member if you make a one-time payment of $1,000 or contribute 1,000 hours of work to support IMC General Operations. 

What are the benefits of an organizational IMC membership?  

  • Org members can book small group meeting space (up to 20 people) at the IMC for up to 3 hours per week for free
  • Up to 5 people can be keyholders 

Who should consider becoming a member of the UCIMC? 

  • Event planners, community organizers, culture bearers, visual artists, musicians, poets, technologists, teachers, or others looking for a community of makers!
  • Folks who have been volunteering with one of our working groups: WRFU, Books to Prisoners, Zine Library, Public i, and Makerspace
  • People who believe in community-supported and community-led organizations instead of the traditional top-down service organization
  • We especially encourage women, people of color, queer folks, people with disabilities, and other marginalized folks to join the UCIMC and offer feedback, consider a leadership role, and help us make this a safer space for everyone

How do I get involved in Community Nights?  

  • You can get involved in Community Nights by attending, volunteering to staff, volunteering to facilitate an activity, and or giving tours of the IMC 
  • Contact [email protected] to get involved!

How do I host a co-sponsored event?  

  • Start by filling out the co-sponsorship event request form. Once the request has been reviewed and approved, you will set up a meeting with the Program Coordinator to discuss the event
  • Propose your event at www.ucimc.org/event-collab

How do I host an art gallery show? 

  • You must complete and submit a gallery show proposal to the IMC’s Program Coordinator. Once the proposal is approved you will set up a meeting with the Program Coordinator to discuss details as well as fill out the gallery art show contract and release of liability form
  • Find the gallery proposal at www.ucimc.org/formsandpolicies under “Events & Venue Bookings”

What is an IMC Working Group? What are the benefits?

  • The UCIMC hosts and supports a nursery of self-organized community-led projects called working groups. By collectivizing these groups under one non-profit umbrella, we provide institutional support and stability, share resources, create cross-pollination, and are better able to fulfill our shared mission. 
  • Working groups have a representative on the IMC Board of Directors. These individuals support the UCIMC umbrella organization in exchange for logistical and structural support from the IMC umbrella organization
  • IMC invites working groups to participate in tabling events, add announcements to the weekly e-newsletter, 
  • Working groups can also benefit from nonprofit licenses for tech tools like Canva, Nationbuilder, TechSoup, Google Drive, Google Groups, and more
  • Purchase items using UCIMC’s tax-exempt status

Why should working group members/volunteers become IMC members also? 

  • In order to be a keyholder, working group volunteers must be IMC members 
  • IMC Members elect and advise the board on all matters of governing the IMC, from deciding on facility improvements to evaluating staff to setting membership dues. These decisions impact working groups as well as general IMC Members
  • IMC Members make purchases on behalf of working groups and get reimbursed or request purchases be made on behalf of the working group. Email [email protected] to request purchase and include a second working group member to confirm approval
  • Becoming a member means you join an engaged and creative community! You just might meet someone new, make a new friend, or find a cross-collaboration with another working group!