[Board] Re: Fundraising Ideas

[Brian Hamlin]

practically speaking

*  companies are accustomed to paying for market exposure with  
discretionary marketing dollars
     that money has dried up considerably

* strategically, IBM led with investing staff engineering hours,  
infrastructure donation and some money
     on Linux and key web projects
    then turning around with those platforms, working knowledge, active  
bug fixes and new feature
    and had a better consulting service for it..

   You may consider picking particular companies, identifying which  
project(s) they need
   and then pitching support for OSGeo infrastructure as a way to  
further their goals with those specific projects

   -Brian

==
Brian Hamlin
planetwork.net
OSGeo California Chapter
(415) 717-4462 cell


On Mar 29, 2010, at 11:25 AM, Frank Warmerdam wrote:

> 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,
> --  
> --------------------------------------- 
> +--------------------------------------
> 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
>