Tips/advice for successful community funded (marketing) projects?

[gaf-mNDKBlG2WHs at public.gmane.org (Jerry Feldman)]

Certainly one method of funding is to look for sponsors. This can be
difficult for a Linux group because the logical sponsors would be
vendors who are in a similar circumstance.

Another possibility might be to sell consulting services through the
group. More frequently we are seeing people come to the installfests for
help after installation, such as connecting to a printer, or setting up
wireless.

Some issues on donations are how your group is organized. If you are a
501(c)3 donations are tax deductible, and not if you are not a 501(c)3,
but 501(c)3 carries a number of legal restrictions.

On 02/17/2010 12:16 PM, Danny Piccirillo wrote:
> Thanks guys, if anybody has other good fundraising ideas, please post t=
hem!
>
> So far, there seem to be a few different ways to fundraise:
>
>    - Holding regular events where people can make small donations
>       - Does anybody have any creative ideas for events (besides
>       installfests) where this could be successful? I'd like to
> organize a booth
>       on the street in a popular part of the city to showcase Ubuntu
>    - Buying something in bulk and selling (the Ubuntu Massachusetts tea=
m did
>    this with aluminum Ubuntu case
> badges<https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MassachusettsTeam/Projects/AluminiumCase=
Badges>
>    )
>       - What else have people sold, or think might be good to sell?
>    - Just plain old announcing a project and looking for funders (Ubunt=
u
>    Massachusetts is doing this with Anime
> Boston<http://ubuntu-massachusetts.com/events/9/>
>    )
>       - Any ideas on how to do this more effectively?
>    - Other methods you can think of?
>
>
> On Tue, Feb 16, 2010 at 21:54, Jan Claeys <lists-Wcp8Fusd2xM at public.gmane.org> wrote:
>
>  =20
>> Op vrijdag 05-02-2010 om 13:13 uur [tijdzone -0500], schreef Jamal:
>>    =20
>>> I'm not particularly familiar with the topic of fundraising, so I
>>> apologize if my comments aren't helpful.
>>>
>>> How would it work if you asked attendees to donate a low amount for
>>> such events as release parties or other type of gatherings? They are
>>> expected to receive dinner, so I don't see why that would be too much=

>>> to ask for. What are your thoughts?
>>>      =20
>> Well, "release parties" are different things for every locoteam, but i=
f
>> you have a party where people can eat/drink, then of course it's usefu=
l
>> to make a little bit of profit on that!
>>
>> Also, asking for donations can be really useful sometimes.  Most peopl=
e
>> will give you a small amount like 0.50 or 1 =E2=82=AC here, but someti=
mes
>> somebody gives 10 of 20 =E2=82=AC too (e.g. because they are happy wit=
h Ubuntu,
>> have no time to volunteer, and thus want to help another way).
>>
>> Donations can also be in addition to the base price of something, e.g.=

>> if a drink is 1,50 =E2=82=AC, make posters that any change money not c=
laimed is
>> for the benefit of the locoteam, so if somebody pays with 2 =E2=82=AC =
and says
>> "keep the change", you make an (extra) 0.50 =E2=82=AC profit for the l=
ocoteam.
>>
>> (Of course that's not possible when you are at a venue where you can't=

>> sell your own drinks/food.  Make sure you use a venue where you can.
>> Volunteering for the bar is also a good way for non-technical people t=
o
>> help the locoteam!)
>>
>>
>> PS: the =E2=82=AC is used as an example monetary unit, replace by what=
ever is
>> used in your country!  ;-)
>>
>>
>> --
>>    =20

--=20
Jerry Feldman <gaf-mNDKBlG2WHs at public.gmane.org>
Boston Linux and Unix
PGP key id: 537C5846
PGP Key fingerprint: 3D1B 8377 A3C0 A5F2 ECBB  CA3B 4607 4319 537C 5846