GetUsPPE celebrates the maker community for filling pressing, short-term PPE shortages with innovative designs. We are working to help support and reinforce distributed American DIY manufacturing through our Maker Cohort PPE Program. Our first cohort will consist of 6 Makers Groups across the country. Each group will receive $5000, working to set up manufacturing of Impermeable Gowns with mentorship from Something Labs, Artisan’s Asylum, OSMS and GetUsPPE. (https://www.somethinglabs.org/impermeable-gowns)

This program supports the purchase of raw material supply and payment of staffing to make PPE, which helps to bolster the overall domestic PPE supply without contributing to competition between providers for protective equipment.

This grant is designed to support makers fabricating Impermeable Gowns, who have either not previously produced gowns at scale, or have not previously produced gowns at all. None of these questions are disqualifiers. We are asking them in order to walk you through the framework needed to set up an operation, understand your constraints, and set you up for success. Show us how well you understand the project you’re proposing, and how you will approach the challenges that (inevitably) come up! If you don’t have an answer, share what you know with us, and treat the question as an opportunity to start research.

Grants are evaluated based on the interest and potential capacity of the maker or maker organization to handle the proposed production of 1000 gowns with a budget of $5000, and a clearly demonstrated commitment to equity. Those who receive grants from GetUsPPE agree to hold any liability involved in the use of the grant and understand that this agreement does not constitute a contract of employment.