Bridge Fund Campaign

Donate before March 2027 and help us take the next step to secure our Studio’s financial future. Let’s retire the Bridge Loan together. 

FAQ 

How do I donate? 

You may donate online, by check, through a Donor Advised Fund, with stocks, or through other qualified charitable distributions. Please see Ways to Give below. 

For gifts over $5,000, please see our additional Ways to Give or consider adding 3% for processing fees. Your support is greatly appreciated and helps us allocate more resources directly to our Studio. 

What is the Bridge Loan? 

To buy and renovate our new building has taken years of saving, the generosity of our amazing donors, a bank loan, and a Bridge Loan. One very generous individual alone has loaned the Studio $650,000 ( $710,000 with interest). We call this the Bridge Loan— it was a bridge that allowed us to secure the bank loan that would fund our construction. 

Why was the Bridge Loan required? 

The Bridge Loan was taken so that the Studio could fund the gap in the cash that the bank required to hold for the dispersal of the Construction Loan. We did not take on the Construction Loan and then the Bridge Loan. We needed the Bridge Loan to unlock the Construction Loan.  

When is the Bridge Loan due? 

Unlike the bank loan, our Bridge Loan is short-term and something we need to retire by March 2027. Once retired, this will leave the studio with only one long-term loan and will smooth out the studio’s financial future. Retiring this loan paves the way for both stabilization and growth. 

What are the terms for the Bridge Loan? Was it always due in March 2027? 

The Bridge Loan's original due date was actually April of 2026; we were given a year-long extension by the lender. In 2025, we did not plan to be raising for the Bridge Loan in 2026 because we did not plan to still be holding it past April of 2026. 

Why did we/How could we not anticipate this debt burden earlier? 

In the Bridge Loan Contract, the Studio had set aside funds to repay a substantial amount of the Bridge Loan. However, in the Fall/Winter of 2025 there were a few major things that happened in quick succession that put us in a precarious cash position and did not allow us to repay the Bridge Loan in April of 2026. These included, but were not limited to: (1) there were cost overruns with the construction, (2) members left during the move, (3) there was an increase in personnel costs, and (4) half of a month of membership was lost due to the need to close the Studio for testing.  

How much does the Studio currently (September 2026) owe on the Bridge Loan? 

We've paid down $220,000. We have $490,000 to go. 

What happens if we don’t raise the Bridge Loan?

We’re currently firing on all our burners and working all possible avenues to retire this debt! This means we’re fundraising, pursuing refinancing, and developing our nonprofit. However, fundraising does the greatest good because it is gifted income with little to no overhead and no future interest payments. Every gift reduces our debt burden and makes a meaningful difference in the Studio’s financial future.

Is the lender profiting from the loan?

The Bridge Loan is an LAL (Liquid Assets Loan). The Lender has put up their assets as collateral and the interest we pay is passed through to us. The Lender has not added anything to our debt burden. The Lender is not financially gaining from the loan.

Ways to Give

• For online donations, please use the above form.  

• Checks can be made out to The Potters’ Studio and mailed to 724 Camelia St., Berkeley, CA, 94710. Please include “Attn: Todd Pletcher” in the address. 

• For gifts from Donor Advised Funds, you may find us by searching for our EIN# 94-2435892 through your financial institution’s giving platform. 

• For gifts of stock or qualified charitable distributions, please contact our Executive Director, Todd Pletcher, at todd@berkeleypottersstudio.org. Your broker will require our account information. 

• Ask your employer if they match charitable gifts! Many employers will match philanthropic gifts to 501c3 organizations. A matching gift goes twice as far.

If you have any questions, or would like to discuss your donation, we’re here! Email Philomena, Head of Development Teams, at development@berkeleypottersstudio.org.  

We are a 501c3 and your gift is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. EIN 94-2435892.