[Foundation-l] Omidyar Network Commits $2 Million Grant to Wikimedia Foundation

[Thomas Dalton]

2009/8/27 Anthony <wikimail at inbox.org>:
> I agree that companies often misuse the term "partner" for people who aren't
> actually "partners" (although I can't think of an example, can you?).

Big banks often do it. I remember reading a news article about Goldman
Sachs announcing its new batch of partners. They were all high ranking
employees and, as far as know, remained so, just with a new title.

> That said, Omidyar Network is an LLC.  As a multi-member LLC, you can choose
> to run as a corporation, or as a partnership.  Considering that Omidyar
> Network is basically a venture capital business, it most likely runs as a
> partnership, and not a corporation (for tax reasons).  So if Omidyar Network
> is an LLC treated as a partnership, it has partners, and I highly doubt that
> it would list someone as a "partner" on its website unless that person was
> actually a partner.

That certainly sounds plausible.

> It is relevant because if Halprin is a partner with Omidyar Network, LLC,
> and doesn't receive any guaranteed payments, then he isn't being paid by
> Omidyar Network, LLC to do any particular job.

He isn't sitting on the WMF board on behalf of Omidyar either way, so
what different does it make?