[LGM] Sponsoring LGM

[Øyvind Kolås]

On Tue, Feb 19, 2019 at 5:58 PM Frank Trampe <frank.trampe at gmail.com> wrote:
> Despite our efforts over the last few years, we have so far been unable to get an American umbrella organization. For this reason and for simplicity's sake, it is my preference that we direct all funds through K8 at this time. This does not come with the benefit of 501(c)3 deductibility, but we can at least legally accept the money.

LGM has been hosted in multiple European countries, Canada and Brazil.
As a group of organizers we have not, as far as I am aware, been
trying to get an specficially *American* umbrella organization with
tax benefits for US entities. For candidate umbrella organizations I
do not think we should consider such tax deductibility of donations
neither a plus nor a negative since I do not think many that are
supporting LGM financially consider US 501(c)3 implications for taxes
a make or break in terms of support or not. Nor do I think such
benefits outweigh making more libre software entities operate on US
terms. Due to the countries where we go - and where many people are
from - it also would be more natural to seek out an umbrella
organization based in European banking, organization law and software
patent climate.

As a representative of GIMP which is one of LGM's largest and most
consistent financial sponsors, over the years GIMP has used its own
donations for sponsored financial cost of LGM in various ways. LGM
started with GIMP contributors wanting a broader venue; inviting
like-minded projects. Some years we have paid the financial cost for
the hosting venue. As well as in some years when GIMP members also
were reimbursed through the LGM process - paying the remainder that
the pledgie and other sponsoring were insufficient for coverage.

This year GIMP will as usual pay the travel cost for its
team/delegation, and has decided to pick up the bill for having C3VOC
of Chaos Communication Club do the video recordings, as well as what
has become a tradition in later years, a social event one of the
evenings. As LGM has grown it has become less natural for GIMP to
spend its donations on the travel cost for other projects, but we
continue to want to fund the event that we consider beneficial to
GIMP.

/pippin