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=== Mazimize targeted donations, minimize untargeted donations === 1. http://lists.alioth.debian.org/pipermail/debian-sponsors-discuss/Week-of-Mon-20130304/000008.html |
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Contents
- Summary
- Links
-
Unsorted
- Consolidated Fundraising
- Recurring revenue streams
- Fundraising drives
- DebConf sponsorship levels vary year over year
- Debian sponsorship vs DebConf
- Not enough Fundraising team continuity
- Need to make more allowances for smaller companies
- How to deal with various currencies and countries
- Company consulting board
- Account for inflation
- Focus the discussion along 6 tracks
- Sponsor benefits
- Recognizing individuals that provide recurring income
- Need to reassess debconf budgeting model
- Look to FreeBSD Foundation for inspiration
- Use the term Donors instead of Sponsors
- Budgeting and mission specific fundraising
- Mazimize targeted donations, minimize untargeted donations
Summary
Currently in Debian, the DebConf team and DSA seek donations from sponsors, but there has been no central effort to coordinate this work.
The debian-sponsors-discuss list was recently created to discuss how to coordinate things better, and to look at new ways of fundraising for Debian.
Links
Unsorted
I've been on and off involved with DebConf fundraising since DC10, and have some observations and ideas that have developed over the years. (I brought this up to Zack, and he encouraged me to get together with like minded folks and see what we can come up with, hence this list, and this discussion.) Please consider it a starting point for discussion, and feel free to add any ideas you might have.
Consolidated Fundraising
Although DebConf is the largest "line item" on the Debian budget, my sense is that we need to have a coordinated fundraising sponsorship effort/team, that incorporates fundraising for DebConf, as well as other initiatives.
Recurring revenue streams
I'd like to see Debian Fundraising efforts start looking towards recurring revenue streams, so we don't have to do a mad scramble every time we need money (e.g. - every year for DebConf.) Yes, this will take many many years to accomplish, and we will likely never completely replace our annual fundraising efforts with recurring revenue streams.
In the light of recurring revenue, I'd like to see if we can setup something like the FSF has, where individuals can sign up to give a small amount every month that gets charged automatically from their credit cards. For example, one can give $10/month as an associate member to the FSF and that becomes a recurring revenue stream. Yes we'd need a lot of these to pay for an event like DebConf, but generally these dues add up as their paid membership increases. (forgive me if we have this already, but we definitely need to add at least Paypal to the mix.)
Fundraising drives
- "Fundraising drives" with matching contributions from sponsor grants, seem to be an effective component of many fundraising efforts for other organizations. (My company is doing a test this year, and is granting $5000 to Debian/Debconf13, to fund a matching pool for individual contributions of up to $100 each.) If it works, and perhaps even if it doesn't, I think Debian should have such a program as a longterm component of fundraising. (If it works, we'd look to find additional sponsors to contribute to the matching fund.)
DebConf sponsorship levels vary year over year
One challenge for DebConf fundraising is that the levels and benefits of sponsoring DebConf change year over year, (including changing currencies.) which is a challenge for many sponsors.
Debian sponsorship vs DebConf
I feel like those sponsors who are sponsoring DebConf are really sponsoring Debian, and as such, should be recognized as such. One thing I have observed that seems an interesting model here, is that the Linux Foundation has Platinum, Gold and Silver memberships, with a fixed annual set of dues, that do not change. One of the benefits of becoming a paid Linux Foundation member is discounts on sponsorship of their conferences. I think this is a great model, and wonder what it would take to do the same for Debian? I'd like to see those companies that give year after year, have most of their funds flagged as Debian sponsorship, and have them get a large discount on the conference sponsorship fees. This still allows for local host country sponsors, who are unlikely to give again, to still just contribute directly to the conference, and allow us to adjust the sponsorship levels for the conference without having an outsize impact on those companies that earmark funds for debian in their annual budgets.) These primary Debian sponsorships would be a fixed annual amount, in a fixed currency.
Not enough Fundraising team continuity
There is not enough continuity in the DebConf fundraising efforts, as each year many of the team (who are local to the host location) move on. It's also quite bursty, and it would probably be a good idea to have some members of the fundraising team that aren't focused on shortterm efforts like DebConf available to work on long term initiatives.
Need to make more allowances for smaller companies
- In corporate sponsorship, I feel that we must make allowances for smaller organizations, at the lowest tier. e.g. silver should have a lower barrier of entry for smaller companies. (Again this idea came from the Linux Foundation's model.)
How to deal with various currencies and countries
- Need to figure out what to do about sponsorship coming in from many countries and currencies. I feel some rationalization here would make life easier for sponsors, as well as fundraising teams.
Company consulting board
Account for inflation
Focus the discussion along 6 tracks
http://lists.alioth.debian.org/pipermail/debian-sponsors-discuss/Week-of-Mon-20130225/000004.html
principles
(1) principles - we agree to combine efforts; we agree to allow targeted donations; we will split untargeted donations per the following formula or let the DPL decide or have an allocation committee, or whatever; or not ... the goal here is to agree on how we will cooperate so that once the money is flowing we're not having disagreements about how to use it or who has the power to decide
goals
(2) goals - what are our objectives for combined fundraising; debconf, hardware, sprints, etc.; what are our objectives for donors: recognition, co-marketing, endorsement, etc.
strategies
(3) strategies - corporate giving, endowed giving, personal giving, matching programs, incorporation of debian/spi as a non-profit in new jurisdictions, grants, etc.; donor 'levels', etc.
plans
(4) plans - assigned action items for accomplishing the above
policies/procedures
(5) policies / procedures - as necessary
technologies
(6) technologies - let's not reinvent the wheel if we don't have to (see my sig)
Sponsor benefits
Unclear beyond DebConf benefits, what we can offer http://lists.alioth.debian.org/pipermail/debian-sponsors-discuss/Week-of-Mon-20130304/000006.html
exposure/goodwill («we are a silver sponsor of Debian»/t-shirt branding/company X are good guys since they sponsor us) http://lists.alioth.debian.org/pipermail/debian-sponsors-discuss/Week-of-Mon-20130304/000011.html
validation that their kit works with Debian/is used by Debian http://lists.alioth.debian.org/pipermail/debian-sponsors-discuss/Week-of-Mon-20130304/000011.html
internal motivation/give back to Debian (in particular for companies that use Debian internally) http://lists.alioth.debian.org/pipermail/debian-sponsors-discuss/Week-of-Mon-20130304/000011.html
Recognizing individuals that provide recurring income
- Give them a name, perhaps supporting member, or not
- Swag?
Need to reassess debconf budgeting model
Look to FreeBSD Foundation for inspiration
Use the term Donors instead of Sponsors
Budgeting and mission specific fundraising