I'm not sure this is the world's best idea. Companies are going to be
reticent to hand over cheques to us based on the promise that we'll be a
charity by the time the cheque is cashed, and without involving lawyers I'm
not sure we could get any other kind of promise of future money that would
satisfy HMRC/the CC.
Secondly I'm not sure anyone wants to listen to a charity cold caller, worse
still one who comes armed with a Powerpoint presentation. Thirdly, the list
of organizations I presume you'd like to approach for Wikimedia sponsorship
is pretty similar to the list of ones we're already approaching for
Wikimania sponsorship, and we really don't want to be "hitting" the same
people twice in a very short period of time as they're liable to think we're
fools and drop us in the ignore bin.
There are a lot of people on this list, I would suggest funding this initial
£5000 internally is by far the most sensible option and if we are really
forced to go external we should be looking for a single company prepared to
stump up whatever we can't (e.g. Virgin). My life membership suggestion is
one idea (
http://www.pledgebank.com/wikimediauk-life ), though the response
as yet hasn't exactly been massive, collecting as many normal memberships as
we can is another, asking some of the richer individuals associated with WMF
for the money is another still (seriously has anyone done this yet?) and a
hybrid approach of all of these is another still (and I imagine, the most
likely to succeed).
I would be worried about both the long term viability of WMUK and our
perception externally if we cannot at least cross this first hurdle based on
only the level of our internal support. Charities, as a rule, are started by
their most reliable donors.
Tom
-----Original Message-----
From: wikimediauk-l-bounces(a)lists.wikimedia.org
[mailto:wikimediauk-l-bounces@lists.wikimedia.org] On Behalf Of
Businessfirst
Sent: 24 July 2008 01:05
To: wikimediauk-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org
Subject: [Wikimediauk-l] Sponsorship
I sent an email to the list yesterday, but it's stuck in moderation till
Saturday (attachment >10 K size). Till then, here's the text email without
the attachment. Anyone wanting the attachment sent off-list can email me
with subject "attachment please".
Paul Sinclair
----- Forwarded Message ----
To: wikimediauk-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org
Sent: Tuesday, 22 July, 2008 5:47:48 PM
Subject: Sponsorship
If there was a presentation (word or powerpoint) for Wikimedia UK, then
someone could visit a number of sites such as the Cambridge Science Park,
that have business/educational ties and see if we can sign up a number of
them for £500 - 1000 each. Basically, if we act like we're entitled to
think at that level, we might get a surprise. We could ask for more, but to
start with this at least should be feasible. We should be able to get 10 -
20 businesses signing up for that kind of sum. What have we got to offer
them as a "starting point"?
Can we use this thread to brainstorm whom we might approach. Example
criteria would be:
- Places with a number of suitable companies (central london, central
manchester, university science parks, etc)
- Places with a specific interest (education, knowledge, open source,
minorities and other groups that would benefit from "self help" technologies
such as wikis can provide, places that have been favorable before)
- Philanthropical bodies (foundations, charities, individuals)
More info:
In overview, as a market led approach, we need to brainstorm CATEGORIES of
places groups and people that have good odds of interest (go where the
prospects are), brainstorm
SPECIFIC places groups and people WITHIN THOSE CATEGORIES, and when
that's done consider what SUPPORTING MATERIAL we might need to approach
them and what we will OFFER "why they should want to".
To kick-start the 3rd of those, I've attached a draft [will be sent
hopefully Saturday, due to moderation] showing how we might present
ourselves to banks and sponsors. It can probably be improved on, or added
to, but shouldn't get too long. if someone with Powerpoint skills wants to
make a graphic presentation, or someone with technical skills wants to add
impressive sounding information, great. It's a targetted document, meaning,
it has an aim. The aim is to present the chapter's goals and credibility to
people in a way that will make them want to support us, and to put WMUK
front centre stage of the work in the UK. In the spirit of the wiki, it's
open to be worked on. I'm away the evening, so I can't discuss, but if
someone wants to start a second thread for it, go right on!
Let the ideas flow... :-)
Paul Sinclair
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