[OSGeo-Fundraising] Local Sponsorships

[Frank Warmerdam]

Folks,

A week or two ago I indicated on the discuss list that Venka and I would
like to open up discussions here with the Fundraising committee on how
local chapter sponsorships should be handle.

Venka has prepared an initial document specifying what we do now with regard
to "Foundation Sponsorship", "Project Sponsorship", and "Conference
Sponsorship".  All these are formal programs handled by the foundation in some
fashion.  His document also collects various information and thoughts about
how local sponsorships might be handled, though this aspect is what we need
to flesh out, and come to some agreement on.  The document is at:

   http://wiki.osgeo.org/index.php/Local_Chapter_Sponsorship

I have asked representatives of the various local chapters to join this
list so they can speak up on behalf of what would be useful, and acceptable
to them.  Please do speak up!

I will outline a few of my questions and concerns:

  1) Which chapters are wanting to solicit local funding for local activities?

  2) The "Project Sponsorship" program is designed such that 75% of the sponsor
     funds are put into a reserve fund for use of the project, and 25% are put
     into OSGeo general income to support the project less directly.   Is this
     25% slice for general foundation use going to be acceptable to local
     chapters?

  3) To what extent are chapters willing to have their local sponsorship efforts
     bound by foundation level rules?  For instance, foundation level sponsors
     do not get any control over how their funds are spent.  Are local sponsors
     willing to live by such a rule?

  4) Are local chapters willing to provide a detailed accounting of all
     financial activity to the central foundation for review?  This might be
     expected if local sponsorship funds are routed through OSGeo as a minimum
     level of diligence on the foundation's part.

  5) What level of promotional support do local chapters want/expect from the
     foundation?

---

Briefly, my original assumption with regard to local chapters is that local
chapters wanting to solicit local sponsorship could develop and operate a
local sponsorship program roughly as they wish.  The local chapters would be
responsible for administering them locally, and would not be subject to OSGeo
rules beyond our general expectation that local chapters operate responsibly
and within the general principles of the foundation.  Conversely, the central
foundation would not be vetting these programs, not claiming any degree of
responsibility for them.   We also wouldn't be particularly actively promoting
local sponsorship.

However, there seems to be substantial interest in a closer association between
the fundraising efforts of some local chapters and the central foundation.
This discussion can hopefully open up thoughts on how that might work and
how advisable it is.

Best regards,
-- 
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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    | President OSGeo, http://osgeo.org