Difference between revisions of "Foundation Sponsorship"

Latest revision as of 00:55, 25 August 2019

Redirect to:

Archived

This page has been superceded by the formal web site page: https://www.osgeo.org/content/sponsorship/index.html. This wiki page remains for more internal discussion purposes and is a working proposal.

Organizational sponsorships will be offered to organizations at the following levels (per annum):

Associate Sponsor: $3,000 USD
Supporting Sponsor: $10,000 USD
Principal Sponsor: $20,000 USD
Sustaining Sponsor: $50,000 USD

Names need to be reviewed in light of the nature of the sponsorships. Pending on target audiences etc.. TBD

Why Sponsor OSGeo

Organization Dependence on OSGeo Software - Many companies and perhaps some other organizations could not operate, or would be substantially different if open source geospatial technologies did not exist. For these organizations, sustaining their own current operations into the future depends on the success of OSGeo, and a relationship with the organization.
Organization or Community Adoption of OSGeo Software - Many organizations and communities have large internal or member adoptions of OSGeo software. These organizations have an interest in ensuring the software can be sustained into the future, and wish to be seen to be supporting their member's software selection.
Open Source adoption of Open Standards and other priorities - Some of OSGeo's primary goals and objectives are consistent with other organization's missions and goals. Sponsorship can become a means of furthering these goals by supporting a like-minded organization.
Market Benefits of Supporting OSGeo - Organizations are regularly asked where they stand in regards to open source technologies. Generally speaking - companies in particular, and other organizations wish to be seen as supportive of open source in the marketplace. Sponsorship of OSGeo provides a means of giving this support some degree of credibility.
Market Benefits of Relationship with OSGeo - Organizations wish to be seen to be friendly to open source, both to the open source community, and to their customers. Sponsorship provides a means of bolstering an organization's stature in respect to OSGeo.
Visibility - All marketing and communications organizations are interested in maximizing positive visibility in the marketplace. Sponsorship could provide a mechanism for some associated visibility with OSGeo such as logos on booths and other marketing collateral.
Networking Opportunity - All organizations value opportunities to meet with likeminded individuals. Meeting around a common supported cause with other sponsors around OSGeo is a great way to build stroner links among these organizations.

Sponsorship Benefits

It is critical that OSGeo preserve it's ability to operate in an arm's length manner from any organization, and therefore from any sponsor. For this reason, it is critical that the benefits offered to propsective sponsors do not compromise in any way the impartialness and freedom from influence that is essential for OSGeo's success.

Although this does limit the benefits that can be offered, substantial benefits remain in this context that we can work with. Potential sets of benefits are outlined below for each sponsorship level. Note that benefits are cumulative - so Supporting Sponsor includes all benefits of Associate Sponsor.

Associate Sponsor

Right to use OSGeo logo and promote sponsorship level
Identification on Sponsors web page on OSGeo, and link to Web Site

Supporting Sponsor

Joint Press Release with OSGeo to announce Sponsorship
Invitation to OSGeo Sponsor Networking Event with BoD and other invited Guests
Promotional Space on Sponsor Page (content subject to OSGeo approval)

Principal Sponsor

Enlarged Promotional Space on Sponsor Page (content subject to OSGeo approval)
Sponsorship Selection after Sustaining Sponsors for the Annual OSGeo International Conference

Sustaining Sponsor

Top Visibility on Sponsor page on the OSGeo web site
Organization logos on key OSGeo marketing materials
Organization logos at Booths at OSGeo events
First Sponsorship Selection for the Annual OSGeo International Conference

Target Audience for Sponsorship

To be Completed

Who Solicits Foundation Sponsors?

In theory anyone can approach potential sponsors. Any supporter of OSGeo is welcome to raise the possibility in conversations with possible sponsors. However, a formal approach to organizations on behalf of Open Source Geospatial Foundation should be coordinated though the Fundraising Committee. This ensures that potential sponsors get presented with the right information, and right pitch - maximizing our chance of success.

For this reason, individuals are encouraged to refer sponsorship possibilities to the fundraising committee. The fundraising committee may then assign a member to approach the potential sponsor, or provide additional direction to the person originating the suggestion. An existing relationship with the potential sponsor can be a big asset.

Employees are encouraged to raise the idea, and refer their employer if they seem like a good candidate. Those inside an organization can provide invaluable insight into what factors may influence an organization and who best to approach. In some cases it may not be desirable for an employee to be giving the pitch. In other cases it may be desirable.

So, the general pattern is that everyone is encouraged to keep an eye out for potentially sponsors, and possibly feel them out on the idea informally. But then refer the candidate to the fundraising committee for a unified and professional approach, possibly through the originator.

How To Sell Sponsorship?

To be completed

A folder to give to big potential donors - here's what you get with various levels of sponsor
- A list of Events where OSGeo has a booths
- A list of where projects have made a difference
- A list of other sponsors
- A pitch for how the sponsor benefits from OSGeo sponsorship

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''This page is a working proposal, and the following has not been approved by the [[Fundraising]] committee, or the OSGeo board.'''
+#REDIRECT [[Archived]]
+'''This page has been superceded by the formal web site page: [https://www.osgeo.org/content/sponsorship/index.html https://www.osgeo.org/content/sponsorship/index.html].  This wiki page remains for more internal discussion purposes and is a working proposal.'''
 Organizational sponsorships will be offered to organizations at the following levels (per annum):
-# Silver: $3000 USD
-# Gold: $9000 USD
-# Platinum: $27000 USD
-Sponsorships entitle organizations to being listed on the OSGeo web site sponsors page (ranked by contribution amount) with a limited amount of text describing the company.  Sponsoring organizations are also allowed to state their sponsorship, and use the OSGeo logo on their web site and other materials in manner to be defined.
+# Associate Sponsor: $3,000 USD
+# Supporting Sponsor: $10,000 USD
+# Principal Sponsor: $20,000 USD
+# Sustaining Sponsor: $50,000 USD
+Names need to be reviewed in light of the nature of the sponsorships. Pending on target audiences etc.. TBD
+=== Why Sponsor OSGeo ===
+* '''Organization Dependence on OSGeo Software''' - Many companies and perhaps some other organizations could not operate, or would be substantially different if open source geospatial technologies did not exist. For these organizations, sustaining their own current operations into the future depends on the success of OSGeo, and a relationship with the organization.
+* '''Organization or Community Adoption of OSGeo Software''' - Many organizations and communities have large internal or member adoptions of OSGeo software. These organizations have an interest in ensuring the software can be sustained into the future, and wish to be seen to be supporting their member's software selection.
+* '''Open Source adoption of Open Standards and other priorities''' - Some of OSGeo's primary goals and objectives are consistent with other organization's missions and goals. Sponsorship can become a means of furthering these goals by supporting a like-minded organization.
+* '''Market Benefits of Supporting OSGeo''' - Organizations are regularly asked where they stand in regards to open source technologies. Generally speaking - companies in particular, and other organizations wish to be seen as supportive of open source in the marketplace. Sponsorship of OSGeo provides a means of giving this support some degree of credibility.
+* '''Market Benefits of Relationship with OSGeo''' - Organizations wish to be seen to be friendly to open source, both to the open source community, and to their customers. Sponsorship provides a means of bolstering an organization's stature in respect to OSGeo.
+* '''Visibility''' - All marketing and communications organizations are interested in maximizing positive visibility in the marketplace. Sponsorship could provide a mechanism for some associated visibility with OSGeo such as logos on booths and other marketing collateral.
+* '''Networking Opportunity''' - All organizations value opportunities to meet with likeminded individuals. Meeting around a common supported cause with other sponsors around OSGeo is a great way to build stroner links among these organizations.
+=== Sponsorship Benefits ===
+It is critical that OSGeo preserve it's ability to operate in an arm's length manner from any organization, and therefore from any sponsor. For this reason, it is critical that the benefits offered to propsective sponsors do not compromise in any way the impartialness and freedom from influence that is essential for OSGeo's success.
+Although this does limit the benefits that can be offered, substantial benefits remain in this context that we can work with. Potential sets of benefits are outlined below for each sponsorship level. Note that benefits are cumulative - so Supporting Sponsor includes all benefits of Associate Sponsor.
+== Associate Sponsor ==
+* Right to use OSGeo logo and promote sponsorship level
+* Identification on Sponsors web page on OSGeo, and link to Web Site
-Sponsoring organizations may also state their desire to ''support'' one or more foundation projects.  When this is done two thirds of the sponsorship amount will be divided up and kept by the foundation in ''Project Accounts'' for the exclusive use of the named projects.  How that money is spent would be determined by the PMC for the projects with some oversight by the foundation board to ensure responsible use.
+== Supporting Sponsor ==
-The remaining one third (or the entire sponsorship amount if no specific project support is declared) goes into the foundation's general use account to support foundation wide needs. General use funds will generally '''not''' be directed to support particular projects.
+* Joint Press Release with OSGeo to announce Sponsorship
+* Invitation to OSGeo Sponsor Networking Event with BoD and other invited Guests
+* Promotional Space on Sponsor Page (content subject to OSGeo approval)
-Sponsorships are intended to give two things to the sponsoring organization.  First is the public relations benefit of supporting the foundation.  Second is the ability to support the foundation projects on which they depend, helping to ensure they are well maintained and thrive in the future.
+== Principal Sponsor ==
-Sponsoring a project does not give the sponsor any priveledge to control how the money is spent by the project, or control the projects technical direction.  However, it is anticipated that projects desiring to collect sponsorship funds will want to be responsive to the needs of their sponsors.  It should also be noted that project sponsorship is not the only route to supporting a particular project.  Organizations can also directly fund development work (not through the foundation), or provide their own staff resources to work on the project.
+* Enlarged Promotional Space on Sponsor Page (content subject to OSGeo approval)
+* Sponsorship Selection after Sustaining Sponsors for the Annual OSGeo International Conference
-Corporations in most countries can write off sponsorships as a business expense, so the charitable status of the foundation in their country should not matter.
+== Sustaining Sponsor ==
-=== Who Might Be a Sponsor? ===
+* Top Visibility on Sponsor page on the OSGeo web site
+* Organization logos on key OSGeo marketing materials
+* Organization logos at Booths at OSGeo events
+* First Sponsorship Selection for the Annual OSGeo International Conference
-* End user organizations using the foundation packages, such as governments, NGOs and service organizations. These organizations are already saving money using free software, and have a stake in the successful future improvements to the packages and the health of the open source geospatial  ecosystem.
+=== Target Audience for Sponsorship ===
-* Consultants and integrators are building solutions for their clients based on foundation projects. The continued success of the packages is important to their commercial leverage.  The PR benefit of sponsorship helps raise their stature when with potential clients. Sponsorship can also give them ''soft influence'' with projects to get bugs fixed, or features added that they need.
-* Proprietary software vendors using the libraries in their packages are good candidates. These companies depend on the quality of the libraries as well as benefiting from the PR association of sponsorship.
-=== Who Solicits Sponsors? ===
+* To be Completed
-In theory anyone can approach potential sponsors.  Any supporter of OSGeo is welcome to raise the possibility in conversations with possible sponsors.  However, a formal approach to organizations on behalf of Open Source Geospatial Foundation should be coordinated though the Fund Raising Committee.  This ensures that potential sponsors don't get bombarded with duplicate requests, and ensures that the person approaching the organization is equipted with all information about sponsorship.
+=== Who Solicits Foundation Sponsors? ===
-For this reason, individuals are encouraged to refer sponsorship possibilities to the fund raising committee.  Perhaps after a first informal feeling out.   The fund raising committee may then assign a member to approach the potential sponsor, or provide additional direction to the person originating the suggestion.  An existing relationship with the potential sponsor can be a big asset.
+In theory anyone can approach potential sponsors.  Any supporter of OSGeo is welcome to raise the possibility in conversations with possible sponsors.  However, a formal approach to organizations on behalf of Open Source Geospatial Foundation should be coordinated though the Fundraising Committee.  This ensures that potential sponsors get presented with the right information, and right pitch - maximizing our chance of success.
-Employees are encouraged to raise the idea, and refer their employer if they seem like a good candidate.  Those inside an organization can provide invaluable insight into what factors may influence an organization and who best to approach.  In some cases it may not be desirable for an employee to be giving the ''pitch''.  In other cases it may be desirable.
+For this reason, individuals are encouraged to refer sponsorship possibilities to the fundraising committee. The fundraising committee may then assign a member to approach the potential sponsor, or provide additional direction to the person originating the suggestion. An existing relationship with the potential sponsor can be a big asset.
-Project developers are encouraged to keep an eye out for users of their project that might be open to a sponsorship opportunity.  In some cases a sponsorship pitch from a project lead may carry more weight with potential sponsors, than someone from the fund raising committee.
+Employees are encouraged to raise the idea, and refer their employer if they seem like a good candidate. Those inside an organization can provide invaluable insight into what factors may influence an organization and who best to approach. In some cases it may not be desirable for an employee to be giving the ''pitch''.  In other cases it may be desirable.
-So, the general pattern is that everyone is encouraged to keep an eye out for potentially sponsors, and possibly feel them out on the idea informally.  But then refer the candidate to the fund raising committee for a unified and professional approach, possibly through the originator.
+So, the general pattern is that everyone is encouraged to keep an eye out for potentially sponsors, and possibly feel them out on the idea informally.  But then refer the candidate to the fundraising committee for a unified and professional approach, possibly through the originator.
 === How To ''Sell'' Sponsorship? ===
+* To be completed
+* A folder to give to big potential donors - here's what you get with various levels of sponsor
+** A list of [[Events]] where OSGeo has a booths
+** A list of where projects have made a difference
+** A list of other sponsors
+** A pitch for how the sponsor benefits from OSGeo sponsorship
+[[Category:Sponsorship]]
+[[Category:Finance]]