[Board] Fundraising Ideas

[Frank Warmerdam]

Guys,

We try to make the case to potential sponsors that becoming OSGeo, project
or conference sponsors will provide them with goodwill in the community.
Goodwill that will be helpful when they are seeking software support from
the community, or for a consulting shop when seeking customers.

This is always a difficult point to make because of course OSGeo doesn't
control the community and so we have to be careful about not making promises.
It is a "soft power" sort of thing if it is put in diplomatic terms.

But it occurs to me that it would be helpful in selling sponsorship if we
could include a few sponsor testimonials about how sponsors found the
community to be more helpful, or customers mentioned noticing they were
sponsors.  These testimonials could be included in the sponsorship materials.

The helpful community aspect we might be able to seed a bit by contacting
core developers on some packages key to sponsors, and asking them to
give special love to sponsors, and even thank them for sponsoring
while they answer questions.

In effect, we might engineer some success stories and then approach the
sponsors about it.

I would be willing to help in such an effort. I have already done this
sort of thing with a bit less deliberation.

Thoughts?

Best regards,
-- 
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I set the clouds in motion - turn up   | Frank Warmerdam, warmerdam at pobox.com
light and sound - activate the windows | http://pobox.com/~warmerdam
and watch the world go round - Rush    | Geospatial Programmer for Rent