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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=NL link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>The same in the Netherlands; when organizing local events with more than 100 participants it's getting unpleasant to arrange the finances with your own personal bank account.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>we had some discussion about with legal entity type to use: association (with members; in The Netherlands "vereniging") or foundation (without members, in the Netherlands "stichting"). Both have pro's and con's; an association has members, which make the bond with the community a bit tighter. On the other hand, it also required a bit more organisation, such as a yearly member assembly. That's why we choose the simple form (foundation) in the end. But of course, this may vary due to different laws in different countries.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Take into account that creating a formal legal entity probably will cost you some money (just once).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>greetings from the Netherlands (although actually from Austria),<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Gert-Jan<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>chairman of the dutch local chapter "Stichting OSGeo.nl"<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Van:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> local-chapters-bounces@lists.osgeo.org [mailto:local-chapters-bounces@lists.osgeo.org] <b>Namens </b>Victor Ferreira<br><b>Verzonden:</b> zondag 22 maart 2015 14:02<br><b>Aan:</b> Jachym Cepicky<br><b>CC:</b> discuss@lists.osgeo.org; local-chapters<br><b>Onderwerp:</b> Re: [Local-chapters] [OSGeo-Discuss] Legal entities for Local Chapters<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>In Portugal we felt the need to create one, for one thing, to be able to handle payments and receipts for events we organize.<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal>It also gives us some credibility as a group when talking to companies and government (when we ask for sponsorships for instance).<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal>Victor<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>On Thu, Mar 19, 2015 at 9:53 AM, Jachym Cepicky <<a href="mailto:secretary@osgeo.org" target="_blank">secretary@osgeo.org</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>Just noting:<br><br>in Czech ve formed formal legal entity, when we've found out, that "having beer together" is not enough. It has been recognized by local organisations, goverment and copanies..<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>You form legal entity when you think, it makes sense<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>and it does not have to consume much time as you might think<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>J<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>st 18. 3. 2015 v 22:56 odesÃlatel Cameron Shorter <<a href="mailto:cameron.shorter@gmail.com" target="_blank">cameron.shorter@gmail.com</a>> napsal:<o:p></o:p></p><div><div><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0cm'><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><br>On 18/03/2015 8:01 pm, Arnulf Christl wrote:<br>> Just a few notes from experience: Running a legal entity to organize<br>> things actually eats up a good chunk of volunteer resources which could<br>> be better used to actually promote Open Source, organize conferences and<br>> so on.<br>+1 I'd argue that local chapters should do their best to avoid creating<br>a legal entity where possible.<br><br>Ask:<br>* What do you gain by being a legal entity?<br>* Can you make use of another legal entity instead (eg the OSGeo<br>Foundation)?<br><br>Acknowledge the extra effort required to:<br>1. Finance a legal entity,<br>2. Collect finances to feed the legal entity,<br>3. Expend effort filling all the official requirements of a legal entity.<br><br>Of note, the OSGeo Australian/New Zealand chapter are not a legal<br>entity, and have successfully run the international FOSS4G conference<br>(with official requirements backed by the OSGeo Foundation)<br><br>--<br>Cameron Shorter,<br>Software and Data Solutions Manager<br>LISAsoft<br>Suite 112, Jones Bay Wharf,<br>26 - 32 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont NSW 2009<br><br>P <a href="tel:%2B61%202%209009%205000" target="_blank">+61 2 9009 5000</a>, W <a href="http://www.lisasoft.com" target="_blank">www.lisasoft.com</a>, F <a href="tel:%2B61%202%209009%205099" target="_blank">+61 2 9009 5099</a><br><br>_______________________________________________<br>Local-chapters mailing list<br><a href="mailto:Local-chapters@lists.osgeo.org" target="_blank">Local-chapters@lists.osgeo.org</a><br><a href="http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/local-chapters" target="_blank">http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/local-chapters</a><o:p></o:p></p></blockquote></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><br>_______________________________________________<br>Local-chapters mailing list<br><a href="mailto:Local-chapters@lists.osgeo.org">Local-chapters@lists.osgeo.org</a><br><a href="http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/local-chapters" target="_blank">http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/local-chapters</a><o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></body></html>