On Thu, 2010-02-18 at 15:19 +0000, Thomas Dalton wrote:
On 18 February 2010 14:28, River Tarnell
<river(a)loreley.flyingparchment.org.uk> wrote:
Thomas Dalton:
The idea is that members join to support us with
their time, their
ideas, their moral support, etc. People that want to support us
financially do so by donating.
I don't really follow this. You want to charge people to let them support
you with their time? Why can't they donate their time to you without
joining?
They can donate their time without being a member, but they wouldn't
get a say in how the charity is run (at least, not directly). A lot of
people would like to have a vote if they are going donate their time,
and that is what requires membership. We charge for membership because
we want people to so at least some commitment before they to vote, and
getting their chequebook out does that. We could waive the fee for
people that are already donating their time and really can't afford
the fee, but if the fee is only £5 then that won't be many people.
I joined at the cheaper, £6 rate - or whatever it was during the
fundraiser. That's when unemployed and on minimum benefits. Yes, I
thought about it somewhat before spending the money when I did - but I
made the commitment because I want to see WMUK a funded and
*influential* UK charity. When it's up for renewal I'd like to think
having some say is easily worth the £12 full fee.
There's a variety of issues to deal with around membership fees. For a
start, yes, you want the "join" message far more prominent during
fundraisers.
Then, to expand on Charles' point, adding my own thoughts, I would want
a mechanism to automate the payment - as would most people who might be
persuaded to leave the default fundraiser page, go to a Wikimedia UK
donate page, and add on a membership fee to join WMUK. You want it to
recur, and *this is the point you offer a discount - right down to the
unemployed rate*. You offer an option to take a one-year membership, and
get some sort of e-newsletter (plus a welcoming email) *OR* you can pick
an option to auto-renew at the full rate and fill out a direct debit
mandate.
In itself, this adds administrative cost overheads; you have to comply
with the Data Protection Act.
So, politely, I'd say please don't do any special membership promotions
until there is infrastructure to keep the money flowing in.
I'm mostly active on Wikinews; I know Paul Williams - recently resigned
WMUK VolCo - did a lot of work there too. Wikinews would really like to
have low-cost, if not free, access to an ID printer card for accredited
reporters.
Such equipment has, in my opinion, a possible longer-term benefit to any
Chapter's members. I'm sure a number of the Commons shutterbugs would
love to have something to help negotiate 'more privileged' access to
museum collections. For example, out-of-hours access with a tripod
and/or lights; access to collection material not normally or currently
on display.
It all costs money, and it won't happen overnight. I'd rather see the
board talk things over with the WMF and perhaps invest some money in
improving the core WMF fundraiser system to better help chapters promote
themselves and maintain income. At the same time you want benefits for
members. As WMUK builds relationships with other groups &c in the UK
there will be an opportunity to offer privileges to members because
museums or such want to help us show them in the best light. Too cheap,
too many people could game it.
Of course, that'd leave us a little under a year to work out how to
really jump membership on the back of the WMF main fundraiser.
Beforehand you need to work out how to manage some sort of "privileged"
membership card; the Blue Peter Badge for Wikimedians! ;-)
--
Brian McNeil <brian.mcneil(a)wikinewsie.org>
Wikinewsie.org