On Wed, May 8, 2013 at 5:01 PM, Michael Havens
<bmike1@gmail.com> wrote:
What is the point, really, in becoming a non-profit group? I mean, you'll still have installfests and montly meetings. NOthing will really change except maybe a status symbol thing.
:-)~MIKE~(-:
Good questions, good discourse, such open discourse is recommended for any LUG (and on the Linux LUG HowTo's everywhere) from the early days:
Nonprofit status would allow for Grants (like Heatsynclabs enjoys) which would allow for internships or Linux Professional Institute funding for special projects. Nonprofit status would allow people who donate to the LUG to write that off on their taxes; which would allow for larger games of all kinds. Some LUGS are so flush they have Linux Meetup groups, where people also socialize for political and/or activist events that the users submit directly to
meetup.com. [Houston]
Non-profit status would allow the PLUG to provide business internships under a known technical banner, (with a certification that's respected and provides an alternate to Community College education for those who excel that way) and/or participate to Google's Summer of Code or the Gnome project, taking on Summer Interns and sending up mentors (like other LUGS do) as recommended for "accomplished LUGS" and seen in California, New York and Oregon.
Non-profit status, as well as ELECTED officers, are not only recommended, but they are the basic items that allow for a large number of people to interact at a greater open source level. It's the growth from depending on people to depending on roles that are well fleshed out along a success road that is clearly defined and in place in other LUGS.
My issue with the broad statement of growth is a simple why. Growth for its own sake is not always a good thing. But growth to expand knowledge to others is a different thing wich i can get behind. Same thing for most change, change for its own sake is usually counter productive.
*** Secure dedicated leadership.
* Follow Linus Torvalds's /benevolent dictator/ model of leadership.
******* Take the big decisions to the members for a vote.
*** Find way to raise money without dues: for instance, selling GNU/Linux merchandise to your members and to others.
*** Consider securing formal legal standing for the group, such as
incorporation or tax-exempt status.
*(**** Elect formal leadership for the LUG as soon as practical: Some helpful officers might include President, Treasurer, Secretary,
Meeting Host (general announcements, speaker introductions, opening
and closing remarks, etc.), Publicity Coordinator (handles Usenet
and e-mail postings, local publicity), and Program Coordinator
(organises and schedules speakers at LUG meetings).
While there are officers (well, maybe a President...), NONE have ever been ELECTED and instead consist of the SAME few people laughingly asked to be part of the vague (and as yet unidentified) members of the Steering Committee by Hans. Again, who are these people steers; where are they documented; what are their functions? Who have they been for the past 10 years? How were they selected?
****** Provide ways for members and others to give feedback about the
direction, goals, and strategies of the LUG.
****** Archive everything the LUG does for the Web site.
I think ibe af we want change then we need to decide what we want to happen. If we want to become a not for profit organizchangau'll still hation then we need to find someone with the spare time to follow it through. But we all have day jobs and families and lives in general.
It's easy: It's written project - if one person drops the ball, the paper and steps still exist, just assign another; if you lose a driver to New York on a road trip, the course is easily defined. It's just paper and legal hoops plus some fund raising.
But Non-profit status does require Officers, and a structure. It's a corporation that is managed via a group, essentially. Powerful stuff for grants and education and open source sponsorship.
I do have some spare time so if someone who was working the not for profit project wants to contact me off list i am willing to take a look at the process.
Right now aside from our events becoming a not for profit is a very group empowering goal and one of the only ones i can see as a group desired task.
See - I hear people say these things ALL THE TIME, and have been approached (as the Hackfest inceptor and Administrator for many years now) by a huge number of people who were never asked about important decisions (like the website and especially the ability to submit copy and archive presentations) and/or were qualified, and ready to volunteer for a great project (like the Non-profit status), of which everyone was enthusiastic (for 5 years now), and yet, no delegation or project ever occurred. Why? What keeps the great work and growth from happening?
These are not personal attacks on Hans. I agree Brian is awesome! This is simply part of the recommended steps for LUG growth.
--
A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.
Stephen