[Board] Sponsorship funding and value for money

[Dave McIlhagga]

Hi Tyler,

That is a big help -- I think one thing I would like to see us  
discuss on a monthly basis at board meetings is the status of  
fundraising efforts, so we can understand where you are at -- provide  
input, and also pitch in if any of us (ie. the board) are able. If  
time permits before the next meeting - maybe Tyler you could put  
together a high-level plan of activities / timing in the progression  
towards a more active fundraising effort? I'd be happy to provide input.

Ideally, I would like to see a goal for OSGeo to garner a further  
$70,000 in new net annual sponsorship money (ie. net of project  
sponsorship expenses) which is the amount over the sustaining  
sponsorship level that Autodesk currently contributes to the foundation.

If nothing else -- I would recommend in our pitch to prospective  
sponsors that we indicate that one of our goals as an organization is  
financial independence from the funding of any one organization,  
which is important for sustainability and our ability to act  
independently. Keeping OSGeo functioning in a healthy manner should  
be important to a number of organizations, enough to help garner some  
further sponsorship I would think.

Dave


Dave McIlhagga
President & CEO
DM Solutions Group (DMSG)
dmcilhagga at dmsolutions.ca
p: 613-565-5056 x15
f: 613-565-0925


On 17-Dec-07, at 7:34 PM, Tyler Mitchell (OSGeo) wrote:

> Hi all,
> Thank you for a good thought-provoking thread to help inject some  
> focusing energy into my Monday ;-)
>
> Anytime the word funding comes up, I mentally check it against our  
> budget.  What we want to do with our money this year should be  
> clear in our budget - but only if it is an item that requires money  
> that we want to spend this year.  This isn't perfect because some  
> of the items in our budget do not always provide good fuel for a  
> fundraising discussion with a potential sponsor.  I think this  
> touches on some of your initial concerns Jo.  There are some  
> valuable tasks or ideas that are not encompassed in the budget -  
> maybe we need a shadow budget for other items that _could_ use  
> funding if a sponsor is found beyond our current year revenue  
> goals.  This might (?) help when in your situation, Jo, and want to  
> tell a sponsor what they money goes toward in very clear terms.   
> I'm not suggesting looking for a sponsor for a particular project,  
> like building a binary distribution of OSGeo software for example,  
> but it is an intriguing idea.  However, having that your radar may  
> help give you some meat to talk about when marketing material, web  
> sites and talks at shows, etc. aren't enough of a halo to offer.
>
> The E.D. position does a bit of everything which can look like  
> nothing monumental in particular depending on your perspective.  
> While I do have certain particular tasks on my list, at a broader  
> level I'm primarily doing marketing, promotion, education outreach,  
> community assistance, sponsor dialogue, promotion and extension  
> through the journal, presentations to would-be users/sponsors,  
> etc.  So you can always divide the E.D. costs into those kinds of  
> categories and use them to describe what the funding will go  
> toward.  When I tell sponsors, or potential sponsors, where their  
> funds go, I personally don't see it as going into financing a staff  
> position, but toward these higher level OSGeo mission/goals which  
> sponsors appreciate.  How they are delivered is less of a concern  
> for most of them.
>
> Local Chapter roles in fundraising will be very interesting to  
> watch.  The Brazil and Japan events were very interesting and, I  
> believe, will be quite typical.  The  local chapter organises  
> outreach events in a local style and venue, with an appropriate set  
> of presentations, gathering toward an appropriate audience.  They  
> then invite an international speaker to come and help make their  
> local sales pitch more credible.  This is primarily to build their  
> local case and extend the reach of OSGeo in the region.  In several  
> cases organisers have/will help finance my trip and stay - which  
> makes it possible for me to do even more with the travel budget.   
> Sponsorship discussion will likely happen after I am gone, but I  
> certainly give the pitch and let the local chapter follow up with  
> more discussion.  If I had a marketing package to leave them, it  
> would help.  More on this later...
>
> As for fundraising specifically, I can assure you this is a very  
> real situation for me to appreciate, having had lots of discussions  
> with Autodesk over the past year about the future of funding,  
> strategy, etc.  I'm comfortable with the approach you are outlining  
> Dave and I feel we are still wrapping up the first steps of being  
> able to adequately do fundraising solicitation.  From my own  
> perspective, I know what I'm waiting for and what is holding me  
> back, but feel it is definitely moving more than last year.  Here  
> are a few of the dilemmas and the current solutions that I have on  
> my own list to help make fundraising happen:
> * Finalise tax-free status.  Needed to save OSGeo from taxes, and  
> to benefit our US sponsors/donors. Needed for many grants.  The  
> 501c3 application is actively underway.
> * Approach potential new sponsors.  Need a clear message in an  
> attractive sponsorship/marketing "package" to help the face-to-face  
> or email pitch.  Marketing material development underway.
> * Add value to membership.  So they feel they can also help solicit  
> sponsors/donors and be more actively involved.  Need signup and  
> donation systems. Donation system available now, waiting for time  
> to work on public approbation for donors, badges/icons for members,  
> etc.  Development of a management system for members is not  
> seriously started, but needed for membership sign up at events,  
> online, in person, etc.  This gets us basic interaction systems for  
> enumerating members, which then provides a basis for engaging them  
> more meaningfully.
>
> These are just three areas that, I believe, are key to getting us  
> past the start-up phase of OSGeo and that others and I have been  
> active on.  Of course much more is happening at the same time:  
> conferences, talks, journal, sponsor communications, magazine  
> articles, finances, software project systems support, etc.  
> including many other things that are done primarily by volunteers.
>
> More below...
> On 17-Dec-07, at 11:40 AM, Dave McIlhagga wrote:
>> I and hopefully others will be happy to mentor and support this  
>> effort (fundraising does have some overlaps with marketing and  
>> sales after all) but Tyler - we need you to be the owner of the  
>> initiative, or it will slip through the cracks again this year,  
>> and that is a risky proposition for the organization.
>
> This makes sense to me and I feel I do own this.  Hopefully the  
> above 3 items help to give a glimpse on where we are at on this.   
> Reflecting on it today has sure helped me.  Essentially I want  
> marketing material ready before I start seriously soliciting, but  
> of course we can do some more now.  Also the 501c3 is of critical  
> importance now as we talk about taxes and grants.  So, as Journal  
> v3 goes out the door today/tomorrow, I'll be shifting more toward  
> these tasks.
>
> Sorry for the scattered response, hope it helps.
> Thank you,
> Tyler
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