[Board] [OSGeo-Conf] Request for seed funding for FOSS4G-NA 2019

Fri Sep 7 10:09:25 PDT 2018

Hi,

I think we should ask less porcentage for smaller events. Money that stays
on the local communities can help them grow, so it's good to let them keep
some. I would go for 50% instead of 90%. In net numbers, we add global
shouldn't notice much difference, but for them it may mean being able to
host another event without seed money or not.

El vie., 7 sept. 2018 18:59, Steven Feldman <shfeldman at gmail.com> escribió:

> We already have a “standard” agreement for seed funding a FOSS4G Global
> conference - an example (2016, Bonn) is at
> https://svn.osgeo.org/osgeo/foss4g/2016/financial_stuff/agreement_with_osgeo/
>
> In return for seed funding and a limited financial guarantee the
> conference agrees to remit 90% of any surplus to OSGeo. I think in the
> FOSS4G Cookbook we may have changed that to at least 85%. I don’t know if
> that would be acceptable to the NA team? We need to have a consistent
> policy for regional and global events seeking seed funding and/or a
> financial guarantee (any guarantee should be limited otherwise we could
> bankrupt OSGeo if something goes disastrously wrong).
>
> I think that a financial transparency clause should be added to the
> funding agreement going forward and also to the FOSS4G Cookbook (I’m not
> sure that we can make financial transparency mandatory if we are not
> providing seed funds or a guarantee but we can encourage it).
>
> Do we have a funding agreement with Bucharest?
> ______
> Steven
>
>
> On 6 Sep 2018, at 18:45, Eli Adam <eadam at co.lincoln.or.us> wrote:
>
> Hi all,
>
> I don't track the OSGeo budget or Treasurer reports very closely.
> I'd like to hear from the Treasurer pertaining to what amounts are
> available and keep in mind several events.  FOSS4G 2019 Bucharest is
> the next focus.  FOSS4G 2020 LOI and selection will start soon as well
> and there are potentially expenses that they may encounter early.  I'd
> also like to hear from the BLOC about 2019.  We have to be guided by
> what is financially possible which should be information that should
> come from the Treasurer and Board informed by the Conference
> Committee, FOSS4G 2019 BLOC, and FOSS4G2020 LOC.  The Board and
> Treasurer also get to determine the level of risk they want to assume
> (i.e. how much liability beyond seed money vs reserve levels and
> anticipated income).
>
> Based on the premise of financial feasibility, I potentially support
> seed funding for FOSS4G-NA and think that it could be a good model to
> expand to regional conferences.  The international event is the first
> and second priority though.  Regional events would be lower priority.
>
>
> On Thu, Sep 6, 2018 at 3:42 AM, Ian Turton <ijturton at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I think it would be nice to get an agreement to report (at least) the heads
> of the accounts back to OSGeo - so what was spent on each major category of
> expense (e.g. conf centre, food, promotion, speakers, etc) if we are
> putting
> seed funding in
>
>
> For using OSGeo money, I'd like to get more information than this.
> The last decade of the international FOSS4G event has shown that it
> can be done with remarkable transparency.  But yes, at a minimum, an
> outline of expenses and income and where the money goes.
>
> Ian
>
> On Thu, 6 Sep 2018 at 09:56, María Arias de Reyna <delawen at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>
> Hi,
>
> Right now there is money to lend 20k. Not in the initial budget for
> this year, but the money is on the bank. So the decision would be if
> we want to prioritize this investment instead of others (existing or
> future). Remember this is the year when the main FOSS4G don't give any
> funding back. Which I don't think it will be a problem, as FOSS4GNA is
> important to our community and should be helped. But I wanted to say
> this explicit so it is clear that we are not just lending money
> blindly.
>
> I am happy to give seed funding to events, this is really something we
> can do and will make a difference to many LOCs. But, of course, we
> need to setup some requirements for this. Not saying that you don't
> fit on them, but it is something we should discuss, specially if we
> want to extend this seed funding to other events that request it. It
> won't be nice if some other regional event come and then we ask them
> more than we ask you :) Is this the first time a regional event ask
> for funding? I don't remember any previous one.
>
>
> I think it has been discussed a few times, I don't remember if it was
> ever done though.  We have some things to follow based on the
> international event.  Here is a draft that covers some of it,
> https://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/FOSS4G_Handbook#Finances  We also have a
> few years of agreements with LOCs to use as an example.  I took a
> quick look through SVN and found a few things,
> https://svn.osgeo.org/osgeo/foss4g/2016/financial_stuff/.  Maybe
> additional years are in the Board documents?  Searching the email list
> provides lots of results.  For instance,
> https://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/conference_dev/2016-March/003584.html
> (and the attachments).  And other year,
> https://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/conference_dev/2015-September/003196.html
> (links too).  Steven has provided a previous summary of some past
> years,
> https://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/conference_dev/2015-September/003223.html
> (see link in that email).
>
> Insight from Michael Turner and Guido Stein, Till Adams and others
> might be useful here as they recently went through working this out
> for conferences that they ran.
>
> So, about requirements: what is the planning to return the money? Are
> you going to share the profit (if any) with OSGeo? I think it makes
> sense to ask for a returning percentage of the profit to have more
> money in the bank and be able to help more events. I understand some
> conferences will be even and have no profit, but those who have profit
> can help growing the community. Maybe a 30~50% of profit back to
> OSGeo? So at least half of it can be saved for future FOSS4GNA events.
>
>
> The agreement that is typically made for the international FOSS4G is
> typically much higher than 50% (closer to 90-100% but with some
> portion taken out to fund continuing local/specific events, or
> different percents at different dollar amounts.).  And it comes back
> as unrestricted general funds.
>
> Other thing I would request is that you share statistics and knowledge
> after the event. For example, if you experiment with new ways to
> attract people, did it work? Are demographics balanced? Was it more
> business, user, developer oriented? What did people enjoy more that
> can be reused for other events? Did something fail that could be
> organized on a better way? Did you have unexpected budget changes?
> What percentage of the budget did go to what (catering, venue,
> communications,...)? In summary, any info that can help us organize
> better events. I understand there are details we can't disclose, but
> anything that can be shared, please, share it.
>
> And, of course, as sometimes people go to FOSS4G and they don't know
> what OSGeo is, I would request that OSGeo has a special place in the
> conference. Not only a booth, but also that it should be explicitly
> mentioned and explained in (at least) opening and closing. This can
> help us growing the community and keep them engaged the whole year,
> not only for one conference.
>
> Did I miss something important?
>
>
>
>
> On Thu, Sep 6, 2018 at 10:34 AM Cameron Shorter
> <cameron.shorter at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> Jeffrey, Jody,
>
> I'd suggest looping in the OSGeo Conference committee
> (conference_dev at lists.osgeo.org) on wider FOSS4G-NA topics such as these,
> as
> hopefully there should be useful opinions and support from within the
> community.
>
>
> Good idea Cameron.  Much of this work has been done for the
> international event.  Coming up with something for regional events
> would take some more work but is possible and logical.
>
> (You'd get supportive feedback from me in the first instance).
>
> Cheers and good luck, Cameron
>
>
> On 6/09/2018 4:13 AM, Jeffrey Johnson wrote:
>
> The total venue cost is $40k total with no requirements to commit to a
> hotel block at catering. They require a 1/2 deposit so $20k would be
> better.
> Not sure if that much budget would be available?
>
> Happy to discuss at the IRC meeting.
>
> On Wed, Sep 5, 2018 at 11:09 Jody Garnett <jody.garnett at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>
> Thanks Jeff,
>
> We can of course amend our budget to help (kind of thought we had until
> next year but opportunity waits for no one).
>
> 10k seems ... a bit low. Your venue must indeed be inexpensive.
>
> On Wed, Sep 5, 2018 at 8:59 AM Jeffrey Johnson <ortelius at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>
> Hi Folks,
>
>
> Hi Jeff and Rob,
>
> Our San Diego Local Organizing Committee would like to request seed
> funds for FOSS4G-NA 2019 which we are organizing for mid-april next
> year. The past few years have seen this event organized by
> LocationTech and with a professional conference organizer, and while
> we will strive to put on a really great event, we are going to try to
> be budget conscious and run a more grass roots event. We have a great
>
>
> This sounds like a great event!  How grass roots are you thinking?
> Will there be a PCO?  In a practical matter, who will write checks or
> sign contracts?  (there are different ways to do this, OSGeo, PCO,
> LOC, companies, etc).
>
> location on Mission Bay in SD that imposes very few restrictions on
> what we can and cant do, giving us alot of freedom to do things a bit
> differently than they have been done before.
>
>
> This is really good.  Onerous venue contracts make things much more
> difficult.  Congrats!
>
>
> We are shooting for an overall budget of $150k-200k and expecting 500+
> people. I'm not quite sure the level of seed funding provided in the
> past for these types of regional events, but we would like to ask for
> $10k if possible.
>
>
> The international FOSS4G events which have gotten seed funding have
> gone through a rigorous process of of review including detailed budget
> review.  Do you have more information or details on your budget and
> whole organizing plan?  I guess this is my main question, do you have
> more information and details?  That would answer who is signing
> contracts, writing checks, etc.
>
>
>
> Do let me/us know if you have any questions/concerns that can be
> answered and hope to see some of you in April next year.
>
>
> I think that seed funding will probably be possible (pending the
> Treasurer and Board have funds in addition to the international events
> and want the risk).  Trailblazing seed funding for regional events
> will require some amount of work.  You're both familiar with that.
> There is a lot of existing material for guidance from the
> international event.
>
> Best regards, Eli
>
>
>
> Jeff & Rob (SDLOC Co-chairs)
>
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>
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>
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> --
> Cameron Shorter
> Technology Demystifier
> Open Technologies and Geospatial Consultant
>
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