Re: Feedback request: spending Foundation money

[Alexandre Franke <afranke gnome org>]

Taking my board member hat off here and commenting as a foundation member.

On Wed, Sep 20, 2017 at 3:47 PM, Richard Hughes <hughsient gmail com> wrote:
> When we were arranging the gnome-software hackfest last year we had
> huge problems trying to get sponsorship for a non-GNOME foundation
> member. In the end Canonical paid for the travel and hotel (thanks!)
> for this person but it was slightly embarrassing how long things took
> to sort.

I agree, we should consider a procedure for “invited experts”. The
current guidelines expect that sponnsorship applicants either are or
paln to become foundation members, but we’ve had valid cases where we
wanted to have someone because they were relevant to the specific
topic of a hackfest yet weren’t really on their way to become
foundation members. This should be acknowledge somehow.

> For things like hackfests it would also be nice to have a
> "team dinner" or some kind of team-building thing as part of the
> sponsorship, not just some super cheap hotel and economy flights.

Event organizers are encouraged to seek sources of sponsorship outside
of the GNOME Foundation and we’ve had success in this regard so far. I
can remember drinks or dinner being funded by corporate sponsors at
several GNOME events I attended, and I think this is a good way to
handle this.

-- 
Alexandre Franke
GNOME Hacker & Foundation Director