[OSGeo-Conf] [Board] Any updates on travel grant foss4g push?

[Till Adams]

Eli,

in general, great idea - but for 2017: difficult. When we agree on the
time frame, that Steven suggested, we will have to close TGP by end of
June - that does not give us much time for sponsorship aquisition. I
think we need a known (and more or less fixed) budget within the next 3
weeks.

But of courser it would be worth a try ;-)

Regards, Till

Am 08.06.2017 um 16:37 schrieb Eli Adam:
> I think that I wasn't clear in my suggestion.  I don't want TGP listed
> as a sponsor, I want TGP listed as a sponsorship available to
> purchase, so this page, http://2017.foss4g.org/sponsor/, will read in
> part:
>
> Level Cost Included Registrations Website Logo & Signage Booth
> Co-located Event Named Meal Named Social T-shirt Sleeve
> Diamond $30,000 6 X 10x20 X X X X
> Platinum $20,000 4 X 10x20 X X X
> Gold $15,000 3 X 10x10 X X
> Silver $8,000 2 X 10x10
> Bronze $4,000 1 X 6’ Table
> Supporter $2,000 1 X
> ------------------------------
> Travel Grant Sponsor    contact us
>
> and the tweets and such would promote the opportunity to purchase a
> TGP sponsorship.  I'm targeting levels $1,000-5,000 here.
>
>
> On Thu, Jun 8, 2017 at 5:12 AM, Michael Terner <mgt at appgeo.com> wrote:
>> Awesome news all around. As per earlier correspondence, the BLOC is entirely
>> supportive of this initiative. We can commit to the following:
>>
>> YES, we can commit to a $500 "all-in" registration (including our Gala).
>> With IBM joining our sponsor ranks as Platinum we have exceeded our $240,000
>> sponsorship goal and believe we have the resources.
>> YES, we would be more than happy to post any information on this program on
>> our website and make all kinds of noise via twitter and what will soon
>> become weekly outbound emails to the Mailchimp account. Indeed, we are
>> keeping a list already of people who have actively inquired about the
>> availability of this program.
>> I love the idea of having the Travel Gran program be listed formally as a
>> sponsor. OSGeo itself is a Gold Sponsor, and based on $10k, the nearest
>> marker would be Silver Sponsor. We already have two "in-kind" Silver
>> sponsors (i.e., District Hall which gave us deep discounts on their space;
>> and Harvard's CGA lab which is providing free space for workshops), an this
>> would fit in nicely. Just send us the logo/brand you want projected.
> I personally don't like the idea of listing the TGP as a sponsor but
> would defer to others on that.
>
>> The two things we can't yet commit to are:
>>
>> Including the workshops in the $500 package as we are running the workshops
>> as a standalone endeavor with their own budget and revenues. Let me confer
>> with the BLOC and the Workshop Committee and get back to you. I am
>> cautiously optimistic we can make this work.
>> Adding some kind of "voluntary contribution" to our registration page.
>> Honestly, I think this is a bit too late, and based on Eli's experience, it
>> may not be worth the effort. Our "general plan" will be to use excess
>> sponsor revenues in this same manner.
> Yeah, PDX did voluntary contributions in 2014 and it did get some
> contributions but we are too late for that.  And these aren't so much
> about the money (which often isn't much) as the awareness.
>
> Best regards, Eli
>
>> Thanks to both the Board and Conference Dev for working to make this happen.
>> Keep us posted on what comes next...
>>
>> MT
>>
>> On Thu, Jun 8, 2017 at 4:28 AM, Till Adams <till.adams at fossgis.de> wrote:
>>> Hi Steven,
>>>
>>> will do (for my first time, never setup a google form before) at the
>>> weekend.
>>>
>>> Till
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Am 06.06.2017 um 17:51 schrieb Steven Feldman:
>>>
>>> Till
>>>
>>> Can I leave it to you to create an application form on Google Forms (or
>>> some other way) and put the announcement out?
>>>
>>> I will volunteer to be part of the sub-group for the selections unless
>>> there is an overload of volunteers (hint) in which case I sm happy to leave
>>> to others
>>> ______
>>> Steven
>>>
>>>
>>> On 6 Jun 2017, at 15:36, Till Adams <till.adams at fossgis.de> wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi Steven,
>>>
>>> many thanks for putting this forward! Indeed a text we can directly use
>>> (if funds of 10k $ are safe). If we agree, we should kick that call out
>>> ASAP!
>>>
>>> I am willing to volunteer for the selections.
>>>
>>> @ConfComm: nevertheless a good thing to add/edit the WIKI draft, so that
>>> we can take this as part of the conference handbook from 2018 on!
>>>
>>> Till
>>>
>>>
>>> Am 02.06.2017 um 15:14 schrieb Steven Feldman:
>>>
>>> I have updated the wiki
>>> https://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Draft_FOSS4G_Travel_Grants#Preface with some
>>> thoughts and additions.
>>>
>>> We need to get moving if we are gong to give applicants a chance to apply
>>> etc in time for the conference. Here is a quick summary that could form the
>>> basis of an announcement:
>>>
>>> OSGeo invites applications for its Travel Grant Program for FOSS4G 2017
>>>
>>> The 2017 Travel Grant Program (TGP) will offer support to between  6 and 8
>>> delegates to attend FOSS4G in Boston.
>>>
>>> The TGP will provide
>>> 1) A Full Conference Pass (including attendance at workshops?) and access
>>> to social events
>>> 2) An accommodation and meals allowance of $750 for 5 days attendance or
>>> $1,000 for 7 days attendance
>>>
>>> Applicants will need to confirm that they can fund the costs of travel and
>>> that they have a valid visa for entry to the US when submitting an
>>> application. Conference passes and accommodation allowances will only be
>>> issued to TGP recipients once evidence of travel tickets and visas has been
>>> provided.
>>>
>>> The TGP selection criteria will prioritise applicants from Low or
>>> Lower-Middle or Upper-Middle economies as defined by the World Bank at
>>> https://datahelpdesk.worldbank.org/knowledgebase/articles/906519
>>>
>>> Applicants should submit their application via [create a simple Google
>>> Form] detailing their experience of Open Source Geo and past activity,
>>> explaining why they wish to be considered for a grant and outlining the
>>> benefits that they and their employers will receive from their attendance.
>>>
>>> Applications should be submitted by 19th June. Decisions will be notified
>>> on 26th June
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> If the Boston LOC are willing to make conference passes available for $500
>>> we would be able to make at least 1 and possibly 2 more grants. We also need
>>> clarity on whether workshop attendance would eb included with those passes -
>>> personally i think workshop attendance will be a key benefit for TGP
>>> recipients.
>>>
>>> I suggest we get 3-5 volunteers from ConfComm to evaluate applications.
>>> They can agree the precise criteria that they will apply, the extent to
>>> which the applicants letter/statement will score and how they will choose
>>> between closely ranked applications (subject to the broad criteria on the
>>> wiki).
>>>
>>> Hope this helps
>>> ______
>>> Steven
>>>
>>>
>>> On 2 Jun 2017, at 07:53, Till Adams <till.adams at fossgis.de> wrote:
>>>
>>> Dear michael,
>>>
>>> thanks for coming up with this again.
>>>
>>> I added a temporal WIKI page as base for further discussions and pleased
>>> members of ConComm to comment on this:
>>> https://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Draft_FOSS4G_Travel_Grants
>>>
>>> So, ConfComm please watch up this page and edit/comment!
>>>
>>> Till
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Am 02.06.2017 um 01:32 schrieb Michael Terner:
>>>
>>> Repeating note sent to Conference Dev in reply to Jody's comment for the
>>> Board:
>>>
>>> Understood Jody.
>>>
>>> I am simply reporting what we feel we are capable of doing. We will
>>> absolutely follow the wishes of Conference Dev and the Board and we
>>> understand and agree with the importance of "simplicity" and repeatability.
>>>
>>> We remain on standby and look forward to watching this take further shape.
>>>
>>> MT
>>>
>>> On Thu, Jun 1, 2017 at 7:25 PM, Jody Garnett <jody.garnett at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>> Thanks for the update.
>>>>
>>>> The board has done our bit with travel grant budget and mandate.
>>>>
>>>> Speaking for myself (not OSGeo or conference committee) I would prefer if
>>>> we stick with early bird discount pricing to avoid setting a complicated
>>>> precedent for subsequent events to follow.
>>>>
>>>> If the LOC is feeling confident you can donate or credit the travel grant
>>>> program an appropriate amount.
>>>>
>>>> I know on the books it looks the same, but this way we allow the travel
>>>> grants to reach more people this year while avoiding setting a moving target
>>>> for fundraising.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Thu, Jun 1, 2017 at 3:30 PM Michael Terner <mgt at appgeo.com> wrote:
>>>>> Just a couple of updates from Boston:
>>>>>
>>>>> Today we launched our "call for volunteers" which provides another "more
>>>>> affordable" means of covering registration.
>>>>> With the success of our early bird registration, the Boston team is
>>>>> comfortable providing full conference registrations to travel grant
>>>>> recipients for $500 (a discount below Early Bird) for recipients who aren't
>>>>> applying/accepted as a volunteer. If/when our registration momentum
>>>>> increases, we are hopeful we may be able to do more.
>>>>> We are maintaining a list of people who have inquired about our Travel
>>>>> Grant program and we are ready to launch an application page off of our
>>>>> website, or provide a link to an OSGeo page on applying for a travel grant.
>>>>>
>>>>> We look forward to hearing how the Board and Conference Dev
>>>>> deliberations are going and are ready to assist when needed...
>>>>>
>>>>> MT
>>>>>
>>>>> On Thu, Jun 1, 2017 at 5:53 PM, Jody Garnett <jody.garnett at gmail.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>> It has now been another week. I am writing up sponsor press releases,
>>>>>> and would love to have something to link to for this travel grant program.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> Jody Garnett
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On 24 May 2017 at 12:43, Jody Garnett <jody.garnett at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>> I am sure we are all getting lots of interest above travel grants for
>>>>>>> foss4g. We managed to pass two motions last week - is anyone from the
>>>>>>> conference committee around to acknowledge the change of scope/budget?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I would like to confirm we have done our bit as the osgeo board, and
>>>>>>> ask if there is anything more we should be doing.
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> Jody Garnett
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> Board mailing list
>>>>>> Board at lists.osgeo.org
>>>>>> https://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/board
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> Michael Terner
>>>>> Executive Vice President
>>>>> 617-447-2468 Direct | 617-447-2400 Main
>>>>> Applied Geographics, Inc.
>>>>> 24 School Street, Suite 500
>>>>> Boston, MA 02108
>>>>> www.AppGeo.com
>>>>>
>>>>> This e-mail message and any attachments may contain confidential or
>>>>> legally privileged information. If you are not an intended recipient or
>>>>> otherwise authorized to receive this message, you should not use, copy,
>>>>> distribute, disclose or take any action based on the information contained
>>>>> in this e-mail or any attachments. If you have received this message and
>>>>> material in error, please advise the sender immediately by reply e-mail and
>>>>> delete this message. Thank you on behalf of Applied Geographics, Inc.
>>>>> (AppGeo).
>>>> --
>>>> --
>>>> Jody Garnett
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Michael Terner
>>> Executive Vice President
>>> 617-447-2468 Direct | 617-447-2400 Main
>>> Applied Geographics, Inc.
>>> 24 School Street, Suite 500
>>> Boston, MA 02108
>>> www.AppGeo.com
>>>
>>> This e-mail message and any attachments may contain confidential or
>>> legally privileged information. If you are not an intended recipient or
>>> otherwise authorized to receive this message, you should not use, copy,
>>> distribute, disclose or take any action based on the information contained
>>> in this e-mail or any attachments. If you have received this message and
>>> material in error, please advise the sender immediately by reply e-mail and
>>> delete this message. Thank you on behalf of Applied Geographics, Inc.
>>> (AppGeo).
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Conference_dev mailing list
>>> Conference_dev at lists.osgeo.org
>>> https://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/conference_dev
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Michael Terner
>> Executive Vice President
>> 617-447-2468 Direct | 617-447-2400 Main
>> Applied Geographics, Inc.
>> 24 School Street, Suite 500
>> Boston, MA 02108
>> www.AppGeo.com
>>
>> This e-mail message and any attachments may contain confidential or legally
>> privileged information. If you are not an intended recipient or otherwise
>> authorized to receive this message, you should not use, copy, distribute,
>> disclose or take any action based on the information contained in this
>> e-mail or any attachments. If you have received this message and material in
>> error, please advise the sender immediately by reply e-mail and delete this
>> message. Thank you on behalf of Applied Geographics, Inc. (AppGeo).