[Board] Recognizing monetary contributions by Local Chapters

Cameron Shorter cameron.shorter at gmail.com
Tue Dec 15 01:41:58 PST 2015 

Hi all,
A few points on this thread:
* Yes, it is important to recognise local chapters. We can do this by 
listing local chapters, potentially including descriptions about what 
they do.

* But do we want to be encouraging local chapters to raise money for the 
global OSGeo? I don't think so. Giving one local chapter greater 
recognition because they earn money for the global organisation implies 
we are incentivizing local chapters to make money for the global OSGeo. 
(Mike called it taxing local communities). I postulate that asking open 
source developers to raise money is a quick way to turn away our core 
community.

* Following on from Jody's observations that sponsors often sponsor 
their local chapters, this aligns with my observations that Open Source 
favours local business models - where services around 
installing/integrating/supporting open source are done locally with a 
personal touch. As such, it makes sense to help businesses sponsor 
locally, and allow sponsors to direct their sponsorship to be applied 
locally.
To achieve this, OSGeo global could offer to collate sponsor lists from 
local chapters into a global list.
Or alternatively, OSGeo global could collect sponsorship and allow the 
sponsor to direct that it be allocated locally. (This could be used for 
local chapters which haven't legally incorporated).

Listing local sponsors in a global page would address two things:
* Increase exposure of sponsor - leading to greater local chapter 
sponsorship
* Increase OSGeo's list of sponsors, which shows a healthy community of 
sponsors (as identified as a goal by Venka)

Warm regards, Cameron

On 15/12/2015 12:09 pm, Venkatesh Raghavan wrote:
> On 12/14/2015 5:53 PM, Massimiliano Cannata wrote:
>> I don't have clear idea on this and I feel I need more discussion and
>> toughs.
>>
>> a spur of the moment comment:
>> - I like the option to recognize particularly active local chapter (but not
>> limiting it to monetary contribution)
> Yes, not limiting to monetary contribution. I mentioned monetary 
> contribution because
> OSGeo Sponsorship entails monetary contribution [1] and some Local 
> Chapters, apart
> from their very active role in promoting/strengthening OSGeo Global 
> Foundation, have
> also made a sizable monetary contribution.
>
> Since these chapters fulfill the sponsorship criteria, there could be 
> some "official"
> recognition thereof.
>> - I don't like the idea of funding local chapter without a specific "goal"
>> or "mission" (then a specific request to the board)
> +1 to that. In the earlier case above, the "goal/mission" was the 
> successful
> conduct of the OSGeo hosted FOSS4G Global Conference.
>
> Anyway, this topic could be discussed further at the f2f in Jan. 2016, 
> I think.
>
> Best
> Venka
>
> [1] http://www.osgeo.org/sponsorship
>>
>> Maxi
>>
>> 2015-12-14 9:17 GMT+01:00 Jody Garnett<jody.garnett at gmail.com>:
>>
>>> Let add them to an amazing page for local chapters!
>>>
>>> (See goal of involving external organizations with OSGeo - sponsorship is
>>> just one idea)
>>>
>>> --
>>> Jody Garnett
>>>
>>> On 14 December 2015 at 00:14, Sanghee Shin<shshin at gaia3d.com>  wrote:
>>>
>>>> 2015. 12. 14., 오후 5:03, Jody Garnett<jody.garnett at gmail.com>  작성:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I would hate to have any organizing committee feel bad if their
>>>> conference did not return a profit - the primary goal of FOSS4g is outreach
>>>> rather than fundraising.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Great point Jody!!
>>>>
>>>> However we can add local chapters which run previous FOSS4G to the
>>>> lifetime sponsors list, not because of their monetary contribution to OSGeo
>>>> but because of their volunteering great work!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> To make this very real, recognizing the Korean local chapter with
>>>> "lifetime silver sponsorship" based on FOSS4G profit would do a bit of
>>>> injustice in skipping over acknowledging organizations that sponsored the
>>>> event directly, or I suppose those who paid conference fees to attend. Such
>>>> events are on a different scale then sponsorship, and would be discouraging
>>>> for a small consulting shop (like how2map.com) that could never register
>>>> against the dollar amounts involved.
>>>>
>>>> Still I suspect that Venka's would like to provide greater recognition to
>>>> Korea and others that have done such amazing work. Perhaps after revamping
>>>> our sponsors page we could work on
>>>> http://www.osgeo.org/content/chapters/index.html  to better showcase
>>>> local chapters (think logos, events, accomplishments) to better illustrate
>>>> participation in our diverse community.
>>>>
>>>> I know Cameron has often asked me (whenever we have an email thread about
>>>> sponsorship) what kind of foundation we are expecting to build. I would
>>>> like to remain focused on our low cost organization structure, but be in
>>>> position to use any resources made available to us as a multiplier on our
>>>> volunteer labour.
>>>> --
>>>> Jody
>>>>
>>>> On 13 December 2015 at 21:24, Sanghee Shin<shshin at gaia3d.com>  wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Hi all,
>>>>>
>>>>> I think both Venka’s & Jody’s idea make sense. Venka’s idea could give
>>>>> OSGeo Foundation another opportunity to acknowledge and honour local
>>>>> chapter for its efforts and contribution for the FOSS4G officially.
>>>>>
>>>>> Kind regards,
>>>>>
>>>>> 신상희
>>>>> ---
>>>>> Shin, Sanghee
>>>>> Gaia3D, Inc. - The GeoSpatial Company
>>>>> http://www.gaia3d.com
>>>>>
>>>>>> 2015. 12. 14., 오전 8:30, Venkatesh Raghavan <
>>>>> raghavan at media.osaka-cu.ac.jp> 작성:
>>>>>> My  suggestion is not about sponsoring local chapters (they can
>>>>>> find their own sponsors).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The suggestions was about OSGeo Foundation recognizing of some
>>>>>> Local Chapters as sponsors of the OSGeo (global) Foundation.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> By "some" chapters, I mean the chapters that are "official" and that
>>>>> have made
>>>>>> monetary contribution to the OSGeo Foundation (just as
>>>>>> the Koeran Local Chapter recently did as well as other
>>>>>> Local Chapters did before through contribution of profits
>>>>>> from the FOSS4G (Global) conferences).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Venka
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On 2015/12/14 7:28, Michael Smith wrote:
>>>>>>> I like this approach a lot more personally. I think we should do all
>>>>> that we can to support local chapters.
>>>>>>> As for the finance part, we have no financial connection to local
>>>>> chapters. We don't manage any finances except for the main foundation.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Michael Smith
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On Dec 13, 2015, at 5:15 PM, Jody Garnett<jody.garnett at gmail.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>> I like the way you are thinking - thank you for starting the
>>>>> discussion.I have an alternate suggestion...
>>>>>>>> I would not mind flipping this the other direction, if you check our
>>>>> updated how to sponsor OSGeo page, you can see incentives for prior
>>>>> sponsors and sporing OSGeo events. If we want we can add "sponsoring local
>>>>> chapters" to the list.
>>>>>>>> Where does this ideas come from? One item of feedback I got when
>>>>> reaching out to sponsors was that they were already sponsoring local
>>>>> chapters and it would be nice if this could also be recognized as
>>>>> contributing to OSGeo.
>>>>>>>> Before everyone agrees this makes sense / is obvious / etc... there
>>>>> is a reason why I was shaky in answering. Although sponsoring a local
>>>>> chapter is in keeping with our mandate - it does not interact directly with
>>>>> the Foundation's back account the same way sponsoring a local/global event
>>>>> does.
>>>>>>>> As such it is a matter to discuss on the board list here... and
>>>>> perhaps ask our treasure how finances for local chapters are managed?
>>>>>>>> So the alternate suggestion is to highlight local chapters as a
>>>>> prime example of *participation*, and set up policies so that sponsors are
>>>>> recognized for engaging with local chapters. Note this policy change steers
>>>>> OSGeo in a more decentralized, and should be considered a strategic
>>>>> direction by the board - rather than just in isolation.
>>>>>>>> (As a board member I like this strategy, but would like to see
>>>>> consensus before pursuing it. I also want to recognize the caution Micheal
>>>>> Smith expressed in the IRC meeting)
>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>> Jody
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On Sat, Dec 12, 2015 at 5:42 PM Venkatesh Raghavan <
>>>>> raghavan at media.osaka-cu.ac.jp> wrote:
>>>>>>>>> Dear All,
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I brought up the topic of *requesting* Sponsorship from "official"
>>>>> Local
>>>>>>>>> Chapters at the last Board meeting. While it may be difficult to
>>>>> make such
>>>>>>>>> sponsorship mandatory, it would be good to recognize monetary
>>>>> sponsorship
>>>>>>>>> for Local Chapters as equivalent to sponsoring OSGeo foundation at
>>>>>>>>> appropriate
>>>>>>>>> level.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I would like to propose that the recent contribution (profits for
>>>>> FOSS4G
>>>>>>>>> 2015)
>>>>>>>>> by the Korean Local Chapter be recognized as equivalent to life time
>>>>>>>>> sponsorship
>>>>>>>>> at Silver Leval [1]. Earlier contributions of other local chapters
>>>>> (e.g
>>>>>>>>> PDX etc.) could
>>>>>>>>> be similarly recognized.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Doing so could serve two purposes. Firstly, we will see the
>>>>> sponsorship
>>>>>>>>> page more
>>>>>>>>> densely populated. Secondly, it may prompt other local chapters to
>>>>> make
>>>>>>>>> voluntary
>>>>>>>>> contributions to keep our Foundation running.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Best
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Venka
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>>>> Board at lists.osgeo.org
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>>>>>
>>>> 신상희
>>>> ---
>>>> Shin, Sanghee
>>>> Gaia3D, Inc. - The GeoSpatial Company
>>>> http://www.gaia3d.com
>>>>
>>>>
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-- 
Cameron Shorter,
Software and Data Solutions Manager
LISAsoft
Suite 112, Jones Bay Wharf,
26 - 32 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont NSW 2009

P +61 2 9009 5000,  W www.lisasoft.com,  F +61 2 9009 5099

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