[OSGeo-Conf] FOSS4G sponsorship

[Arnulf Christl]

Daniel Morissette wrote:
> Thanks for your reply Gavin, see my answers below...
> 
> Gavin Fleming wrote:
>>
>> Maybe it's not clear enough in the Prospectus for 2008 but it /is/ 
>> there, that ANY level of support would be accepted and is up for 
>> discussion. It can be 'in-kind' or financial. In-kind could be 
>> volunteering, loaning computers, whatever. Some of these items are 
>> listed.
>>
> 
> I think I saw this note in the prospectus saying that we could contact 
> you to negociate something, but I guess I didn't feel like asking for a 
> custom package, I was just hoping to find something that fits in the 
> list of std packages.
> 
>>
>> Then there’s also the option of purchasing an exhibition stand (about 
>> USD1500 for 3x3m early bird with discount). There is a discount for 
>> NGO and government and educational institutions.
>>
> 
> You mean the 17,500 ZAR option? At today's exchange rate that would be 
> more like 2,200USD:
> http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/currency/convert?amt=17500&from=ZAR&to=USD&submit=Convert 
> 
> 
> But anyway, a booth is not necessarily a good solution since the small 
> players are small teams or individuals and do not have the resources or 
> even the interest to man a booth for the duration of the event if they 
> want to also participate in the presentations and workshops, etc.
> 
> 
>>
>> Do you have anything in mind? Who are the small players 
> 
> Just look at who makes all OSGeo's project run and you'll see that very 
> few work in big shops. For the most part they are individuals or small 
> consultancies of a couple of people. There are also bigger organizations 
> who make little use of OSGeo software but would still like to show their 
> support without going as far as the Silver package goes.
> 
> I cannot give names since that would be assuming that those 
> people/organizations are sharing my opinion which may not be the case... 
> I am only speaking for myself here and guessing that others may be in 
> the same boat.
> 
> However we could look at the FOSS4G2006 bronze sponsors...
> 
> http://www.foss4g2006.org/internalPage.py?pageId=13&confId=1
> 
> some of them were local Swiss organizations that you would not see again 
> in events outside their country, but a few are long time open source 
> developers/supporters from outside Switzerland (including Mapgears), and 
> you do not see any of them in the following years' sponsors list... in 
> the case of Mapgears that was because there was no good sponsorship 
> option for us in 2007... I can only guess what the reasons were for the 
> others, but it would be reasonable to think that a few others may have 
> had the same reasoning as me.
> 
> FOSS4G 2006 was the first year of OSGeo's existence, the number of 
> organizations around it has grown exponentially since then, so I am 
> guessing that there has to be a larger number of small players who might 
> be interested in sponsoring the event today but are not interested in 
> paying as much as 5k$ (I'm only guessing unfortunately).
> 
> 
>> and what amounts would they like to offer?  And what are they looking 
>> for in return? We
>> can then look at including clearer options in the Prospectus.
>>
> 
> In 2006 the bronze option was 1000CHF (~770USD at the time) and sounded 
> like a good deal to me. It included 1 conference pass, one small 
> booth+table in exhibition area, org. name and logo on website and in 
> program as bronze sponsor, and organization listed on a special banner 
> at the even.
> 
> Many of the bronze sponsors didn't end up using their booth space 
> (Mapgears used it only part time), which goes to show that the booth 
> space is not necessarily of interest to them. What I'd be more 
> interested in would be a few feet of space along a wall in the 
> exhibition area to put a banner/logo and a small display with a few 
> brochures... that would be enough for me since as I wrote earlier the 
> small players don't have the resources/interest to man a booth anyway if 
> they want to participate in the conference activities.
> 
> So here is my suggestion for a bronze sponsorship package for future 
> FOSS4G conferences:
> 
> - Price around 1000$USD
> - Include 1 full conference pass
> - Hot-linked logo on the conference website as bronze sponsor
> - Org. name + logo in the conference program as bronze sponsor
> - Logo in a slide with other bronze sponsors in opening plenary
> - Space for a small banner somewhere in the conference venue
> 
> I realize that in 2006 the other sponsorship options were cheaper than 
> they are today, so what I suggest today may no longer be possible... 
> that's too bad.
> 
> Daniel

Daniel, 
we support your request and confirm that similar arguments prevented us from sponsoring FOSS4G 2007. This should also reduce the guesswork part on your side and IO know of several others who had the same qualms. 

Even although we are not quite as small we have to set priorities and South Africa definitely is not a direct market for us. Still - this is the meeting of the tribes - and we would very much like to show our support there. It would be very unfortunate to not see all those who travel through half the world to meet people and foster the core of OSGeo not appear as a sponsor, even if only in a humble corner. The proposed bronze sponsorship package level at 1k U$ would suit us perfectly well. 

Daniel (and others):
if this does not work out we could also suggest to propose a joint sponsorship and team up with several other small / remote companies to present ourselves at one booth. This would also remove the need to stay at the booth with one single person all the time and not having anything from the conference (which is my personal default problem...).

Best regards, 
Arnulf. 

PS:
FOSSGIS 2008 sponsorship levels were EUR 250 for a poster and appearance with hot linked logos on the web site, EUR 500 for the same + booth and EUR 2500 for the principle sponsor (kindly as every sponsored year by Autodesk). But then - we are in Germany and everything is really cheap around here. :-)