I've done collaborative funding projects by hand a couple times (and am doing one now: if you are interested in faster PostGIS indexes and have $5000+ to contribute, contact me) but have been repeatedly surprised at the lack of infrastructure. Kickstarter is for artists. I've seen some attempts at collaborative open source funding sites come and go: are we all just too cheap for this to work?
P. On Sat, Jun 4, 2011 at 12:54 PM, Tyler Mitchell <tmitch...@osgeo.org> wrote: > Great to see several conversations coming together and with some enthusiasm > too! :) I'm very keen to work together with others on these ideas. I've > also had quite a few discussions with people from the OSGeosphere I've met > during meetings this week. I'll try to get some of my thoughts down in email > by Monday too. > > Tyler > > On 2011-06-03, at 11:02 AM, Duarte Carreira wrote: > >> Well this is a coincidence! >> >> I also feel that some form of active pursue of funding has to happen. >> Voluntary initiative to donate funds are a noble approach but one that spurs >> little participation. >> >> It seems clear there is a dividing line where we start to give a negative >> impression and that should be avoided at all costs. But a well written >> letter directed/personalized to specific organizations that are known to be >> big/strong adopters should be well received, and met with a significant >> success rate. It's not a shakedown, it's a plea for help. >> >> This or any other variant for that matter. The key is doing active pursue of >> funding. But this is not resonating as much as I thought it would... >> >> Duarte >> >> >> -----Mensagem original----- >> De: Eli Adam [mailto:ea...@co.lincoln.or.us] >> Enviada: sexta-feira, 3 de Junho de 2011 17:41 >> Para: OSGeo Discussions >> Cc: Duarte Carreira >> Assunto: Re: [OSGeo-Discuss] Are there proposed ways to raise funds for >> OSGeoprojects? >> >> Duarte, >> >> I agree with you and have similar ideas. I just recently sent an email >> similar (cites National Public Radio and Wikipedia examples) to these ideas >> to the Board. http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/board/2011-June/003816.html >> The premise of my idea is that there are numerous agencies and companies >> that have employees with minor budgetary authority to spend ~$500 on >> software and these individuals are often using OSGeo projects and getting >> assistance using these OSGeo projects on the email lists and IRC. It makes >> sense that these people might be involved in sponsorship. What do others >> think? >> >> Although not heavily promoted, OSGeo and some projects can accept money >> through OSGeo here, http://www.osgeo.org/sponsorship/opportunities Some >> have $500 minimums. >> >> Here is the content of that email: >> >> Board, >> >> I started this email about six months ago and wanted to keep refining it and >> adding bits, but, it seems to be the opportune time to send it since it is a >> current topic for the Board (and it is already far too long - perhaps I >> should have spend more time removing not adding). >> >> I have some ideas pertaining to fundraising that I did not find previously >> discussed on the board or fundraising email lists. Searching the wiki and >> board minutes didn't turn up this discussion either. Perhaps these ideas >> have already been discussed and discarded in other venues. I think that >> OSGEO projects could get substantial funds from many corporate and agency >> users in $500-$2,000 increments on an annual basis. >> >> I am thinking of a fundraiser very similar to the National Public Radio >> style in the States. That is that for one week instead of providing high >> quality, commercial free, respected news and music, they focus at least 50% >> of the time on fundraising. In addition to changing the focus to >> fundraising they use all methods possible to fundraise. The methods seem >> almost extreme. It verges on berating, guilt, coercion, and other less >> dignified methods. Here are some clips that highlight some of these methods >> although mixed with humor, http://www.vpr.net/episode/49677/ If you have >> never listened to a NPR style fundraiser, I would suggest listening to one >> (although I also suggest listening to the station for a week without >> fundraiser to experience some of the more positive aspects of NPR). There >> should be one on internet radio currently, perhaps someone can send out a >> link when their local station is fundraising. In all the fundraising the >> focus is that NPR provides unique, high quality, commercial free, respected >> news and music and that you, yes you, can help provide that unique, high >> quality, commercial free, respected news and music that you and others value >> so much. This is impressed upon you in that familiar authoritative NPR >> voice which you have come to trust and respect over the years. >> >> NPR has the benefit that people listen to the radio for extended periods of >> time at home, at work, and in the car going places. To adopt that approach >> to OSGeo, would be project mailing lists, IRC channels, websites, and other >> communication methods. From the mailing lists, it is clear that most users >> regard OSGeo developers very highly. If these respected developers asked >> for $500 support from users once a year, I think that many would respond. >> Developers routinely add new formats, functions, fix bugs, answer 10 of >> thousands of questions through email and IRC, and otherwise are very >> responsive to the users. If these developers spent one week a year asking >> for support and boasting their project's accomplishments, users would >> respond. Following in the NPR style, some large donor could offer a limited >> time match. Company X will match your donation, thus doubling it, up to >> $1,500 if you donate in the next 24 hours. We need you to donate to help us >> get that $1,500. http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/How_Can_I_Help websites, >> planet.osgeo.org, personal blogs, developer signatures used on the email >> list and everything else would need to be temporarily changed to focus on >> fundraising. Just as NPR focuses on "unique, high quality, commercial free, >> respected news and music and that you, yes you, can help provide that >> unique, high quality, commercial free, respected news and music that you and >> others value so much" I think that OSGEO and Projects can focus on the same >> thing just replacing "news and music" with "Geospatial software and support" >> >> I think that this would only work if it were really supported and done by >> developers. A developer who has helped you individually, answered 10's of >> 1,000's of questions, fixed bugs for you, added new functionality, etc is >> far more persuasive than someone who might volunteer just for fundraiser >> (me) or even Tyler. >> >> This could be an opportunity to have people sign themselves up as OSGeo >> members too. Perhaps donations could include 'premiums' like a shirt and >> coffee mug. >> >> I think that for the States, a good time of year is the spring (April/May). >> >> I think that the board is looking into lowering the $500 minimum. While >> that could make supporting even more accessible to some users, agencies, and >> companies, others that would give $500 may take a $250 option if it is >> available. It seems fair to have no minimum level for individuals but a >> higher level for agencies and companies. >> >> Benefits: more funds, broad support from many sources, contributors planned >> for it as an annual expense, people sign up as members, shirts and coffee >> mugs everywhere is good advertising, more and greater involvement. >> >> Drawbacks: Developers may not want to fundraise for a week (they are >> already busy doing a ton of work), developers may feel that fundraising is >> demeaning to them, OSGeo may appear less 'dignified', not all OSGeo projects >> allow for support through OSGeo, this could generate a lot of paperwork and >> mailing for Tyler who may be busy with other OSGeo tasks (paperwork that >> raises money may be considered a benefit also), this really focuses on >> projects not OSGeo itself (so this may only be 25% as effective as it could >> be for OSGeo), focusing OSGeo, OSGeo projects, and OSGeo developers on >> fundraising for a week takes the focus away from the projects, development, >> email list support, and other tasks that are usually the focus, these are >> all ideas for the people that already contribute the most to OSGeo to do >> more, it seems that OSGeo's approach has been to get large sponsors which >> has been working and this is different than that and could offend large >> sponsors, changing email signatures, IRC topics, websites, and everything >> else is a lot of work. >> >> I have listed more drawbacks than benefits but that is because it is easy to >> criticize. Also, some of the drawbacks are probably not really drawbacks >> and may be positives. >> >> I think that any non-profit can have a fundraiser 1-2 times a year without >> losing prestige. For instance, here is the wikipedia one currently: >> http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/WMFJA6/en/US?utm_medium=sitenotice&utm_campaign=Saturday1113&utm_source=2010_JA1_Banner3_US&country_code=US >> >> The second funding idea I have is to contact contractors and businesses that >> use OSGeo software and encourage them to ask clients to contribute to the >> OSGeo projects that they use. So if you do a project for a client that uses >> OpenLayers, ask them to consider a tax-deductible contribution to OpenLayers >> that allowed you to do that project for them for substantial savings. Also >> explain that supporting the projects will help implement new features which >> will keep the software very useful for them continuing into the future as >> new formats and technologies emerge. This would essentially be encouraging >> contractors and consultants using OSGeo to offer their clients the option of >> adding $200-500 to support OSGeo projects which made the whole thing >> possible and to help further the projects for their future needs. Perhaps >> this idea is an idea for a different thread and discussion. >> >> Perhaps these ideas can find a place in the overall fundraising outlined >> here, http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Fundraising_Strategy I see that some of >> these are already included in the 2010 page, >> http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Fundraising_2010 >> >> Bests, Eli >> >>>>> On 6/3/2011 at 2:55 AM, in message >> <58c383b0a191e747be79503f3eea22bf8960b4a...@beja012.edia.pt>, Duarte Carreira >> <dcarre...@edia.pt> wrote: >>> Have there been any discussions about ways of raising funds for projects >>> under the OSGeo umbrella? >>> >>> For instance, annual fund raising campaigns like Wikipedia does? Or >>> letters/emails asking for donations to known "significant" users as >>> associations sometimes do? Or using sites specialized in linking users >>> requests to developers? I suppose this is to be done by each project >>> individually... >>> >>> What are the current opinions? >>> >>> Regards, >>> Duarte >> _______________________________________________ >> Discuss mailing list >> Discuss@lists.osgeo.org >> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss > > _______________________________________________ > Discuss mailing list > Discuss@lists.osgeo.org > http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss > _______________________________________________ Discuss mailing list Discuss@lists.osgeo.org http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
