On Thu, 2010-02-18 at 15:19 +0000, Thomas Dalton wrote:
On 18 February 2010 14:28, River Tarnell river@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! ;-)