[mapguide-internals] RE: [mapguide-users] MapGuide Project Sponsorship RFC 83

Thu Oct 1 23:26:58 EDT 2009

Hi everyone,

I wanted to give a quick update on this RFC before updating it and sending it out for vote.  The only major issue raised was the $500 minimum sponsorship/donation amount.

I have been emailing with Frank Warmerdam and Tyler Mitchell and we should be able to use the OSGeo PayPal account to accept donations in any amount.  The only caveat is that someone from the project may need to help out with the accounting.  I can do that.  I have experience using PayPal and QuickBooks.

We should also set up a Sponsors/Donors page listing the individuals or corporations who have given money to the project.  Do we want to a make a distinction between a sponsor and a donor?  A donor would be someone who gives a one-time infusion to the project and a sponsor would be someone who plans to give a set dollar amount to the project every year.

For the yearly recurring sponsorship, we could set a minimum dollar amount of $100 assuming the sponsorship money is sent through the PayPal "donate" button.  To reduce the management overhead, I would also like to suggest that we only list donors who contribute $50 or more on the Donors/Sponsors page.

For both sponsors and donors, a listing on the Sponsors/Donors page is optional.  If we cannot add a "list me / do not list me" item to the PayPal button or notes, I can follow up with each sponsor/donor to see if they want to be listed on the webpage.

How does this sound?

Thanks,
Trevor

-----Original Message-----
From: mapguide-internals-bounces at lists.osgeo.org [mailto:mapguide-internals-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of Paul Spencer
Sent: September 12, 2009 7:20 AM
To: MapGuide Internals Mail List
Subject: Re: [mapguide-internals] RE: [mapguide-users] MapGuide Project Sponsorship RFC 83

I'm not keen on using smaller donations to support the cost of setting  
up and running a corporation.  Annual tax returns for a corporation  
run $500-$700 regardless of income, for instance.

I would like to suggest some alternatives

1) encourage folks to make smaller donations via the builds donation  
mechanism, which is is very worthwhile and much needed

2) fund independent consultants (like Trevor :)) directly to work on  
things they would like (unlikely to be less than $500 for any given  
issue anyway as discussed in previous emails).

3) find an individual to set up a personal paypal account, track  
donations and when it hits $500, make a lump sum donation via the  
official mechanism on behalf of all donations - the caveat being that  
there would be no tax receipts for that individual or for any of the  
contributors.

Cheers

Paul

On 2009-09-11, at 10:20 PM, Trevor Wekel wrote:

> Hi Andy,
>
> We were planning to use the standard OSGeo Project Sponsorship  
> mechanism http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Project_Sponsorship.  From what  
> I understand, this mechanism calls for a minimum sponsorship amount  
> of $500 USD.  I expect this lower limit was set to reduce the  
> reporting and management overhead associated with managing small  
> payment amounts.
>
> I believe GDAL/OGR and OpenLayers both use the OSGeo Project  
> Sponsorship mechanism and they have a $500 minimum.  GRASS GIS does  
> not use the OSGeo sponsorship mechanism and they do not place a  
> lower limit on the sponsorship amount.
>
> Currently, our Builds Donation button uses a PayPal account owned by  
> OTX Systems (my company).  I think this is ok the for builds since  
> OTX Systems is supplying the service.  However, I am not sure it  
> makes sense to use that account for general MapGuide project  
> sponsorship.  OTX Systems would not be the sole provider of services  
> rendered for project sponsorship.
>
> To me, using an OTX Systems PayPal account for general MapGuide  
> Sponsorship seems messy from an accounting, taxation, and ownership  
> standpoint.  Since the PSC members are not OTX Systems Directors,  
> they would not have explicit control over the money.  With the OSGeo  
> Project Sponsorship mechanism, they (we) do.
>
> Another alternative I see is to create a separate Canadian  
> corporation with some/all PSC members being shareholders and  
> directors.  This corporation could then set up a PayPal account,  
> accept donations, and disperse funds accordingly.  To go along with  
> the intent of OSGeo Project Sponsorship, 25% of the funds taken in  
> should be donated to the OSGeo Foundation.  Suitable names could be  
> the "Canadian MapGuide Foundation", or perhaps "Canadian OSGeo  
> Chapter".
>
> Personally, I like the idea of setting up a corporation to manage  
> the sponsorship money.  But it does increase costs and someone will  
> have spend lot of time to do all the corporate paperwork - income  
> tax, annual returns, write up minutes, etc., etc.  We would have to  
> raise at least $2000 from the community just to cover corporation  
> setup, accounting/tax software, and the OSGeo Foundation donation.
>
> Thanks,
> Trevor
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: mapguide-internals-bounces at lists.osgeo.org [mailto:mapguide- 
> internals-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of Andy Morsell
> Sent: September 11, 2009 5:21 PM
> To: 'MapGuide Internals Mail List'
> Subject: [mapguide-internals] RE: [mapguide-users] MapGuide Project  
> Sponsorship RFC 83
>
> Trevor,
> Is there any reason why sponsor contributions below $500 USD would  
> not be
> allowed?  Many individual or sole proprietor (like me) contributors  
> would
> not be able to donate $500 a pop.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Andy
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: mapguide-users-bounces at lists.osgeo.org
> [mailto:mapguide-users-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of Trevor  
> Wekel
> Sent: Thursday, September 10, 2009 8:12 PM
> To: MapGuide Internals Mail List; MapGuide Users Mail List
> Subject: [mapguide-users] MapGuide Project Sponsorship RFC 83
>
> Hello lists,
>
> After some initial discussion with MapGuide PSC members, I am  
> presenting RFC
> 83 - Project Sponsorship to the community for review and comment.   
> This RFC
> lays the groundwork for official sponsorship of the MapGuide Open  
> Source
> Project.  The sponsorship methodology closely follows other OSGeo  
> projects
> such as GDAL/OGR and OpenLayers.
>
> http://trac.osgeo.org/mapguide/wiki/MapGuideRfc83
>
> Any comments, questions, or concerns regarding the RFC are welcome.
>
>
> Thank you,
> Trevor Wekel
>
>
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__________________________________________

    Paul Spencer
    Chief Technology Officer
    DM Solutions Group Inc
    http://research.dmsolutions.ca/

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