[Foundation-l] Putting the Foundation back in WMF

[Thomas Dalton]

> Apparently, the WMF has a problem to foresee how much each year's
> donation campaign will bring in, and how the coming year's budget
> can be made to fit this.  Perhaps each year will raise less and
> less money, and that we already have the best years behind us.
> Is there a way we could reach better long-term stability?  Should
> the WMF set up a long-term fund and move some of this year's money
> there, as a reserve for future meager years?  If the interest rate
> is 4% then a fund which is 25 times bigger than the budget can
> support it in whole for ever.  But even a smaller fund might be a
> good help.  Should donors be given the option of giving to the
> current budget or giving to the fund?  Has this been discussed?

I believe one of the things the auditors suggested with building up a
reserve fund large enough to fund (I think) 6 months of activities. I
think the board did intend to try and do that, but I don't think the
budget includes putting anything towards it...

Being able to fund activities off capital gains would be very useful,
but really it requires large endowments to work. Building up a fund
from small fundraisers isn't going to work.