[sudo-discuss] Dealing with funding

[Hol Gaskill]

Definitely need to come up with a standardized way of reporting income and expenses.  Agree with never getting hooked by a donor, but it should be OK to have additional programs mostly dependent on funding from ideologically compatible donors.  At all times we should be trying to diversify funding as much as possible.

Would like to return to the idea that we should be generating other revenue streams into the picture of whatever standardized reporting format we choose.  More importantly, if one program is generating revenue while flying the sudo room flag, the going assumption is that those doing the work in that program decide how to reinvest that money within the program in the form of inventory, services, capital improvements.  Do we ask programs within sudo room that have cash flow to follow certain reporting requirements?  I think it would be good, and not for the reason you might assume.  I think by opening up finance and operational info, the blueprint would be out there for people to apply in forming their own sudo-compatible program.  For the Sudouino, my thinking is to turn any amount over say 1.5x the amount of required working capital into the general sudo room budget.  For something like sudo mate which requires more equipment, I could see 100% going back into inventory and capital improvements for years as long as there's room to grow, that is if it's anything like the beer brewing program i set up at 21st coop.  I've said something about this maybe a year ago, but seems like we're at the point where these details are actually becoming relevant.

How do people feel about openness and decisionmaking in do-ocratic sudo affiliated enterprises?  Should we impose any sort of reporting requirements on them?  I think we need to figure out a standard and robust way of sharing the info and documenting how much revenue is making its way back into the general revenue, but I wouldn't want it to devolve into a sense of the larger sudo room group's decisionmaking authority being injected into micromanagement of the strategic planning of folks who handle the nuts and bolts operations of a group or program.

Thanks for bringing this up Marc.  Also Max, let's come up with an idea to get feedback on at the next meeting, what do you say?

cheers,
hol



>  * All income and expenses should be open and transparent, including who gave us grants and how much, though anonymous donations from individuals should still be allowed.
>
>  * sudo room should not allow recurring grants or major donations from other organizations to fund any recurring critical operations costs since that would give those organizations significant power over sudo room through their ability to defund critical operations.
>

>Critical operations costs are things such as rent, utilities. Stuff that is required for sudo room to continue operation.
>
>What do you think?
>
>-- 
>marc/juul


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