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Options - open discussion
- David Luchukshifted the discussion to opened a discussion on potential options for increasing revenue by highlighting possible changes to membership fee structures, potential to pursue a membership drive, opportunity to seek targeted funding through crowdsourcing and fee-for-service approaches such as external certification.
- Jim St.Clair observed that these options are mutually supportive and all ultimately tie back to demand in the market for Trust over IP expertise and products.
- Drummond Reed asked about the role Linux Foundation plays in determining how Trust over IP spends its operating budget.
- Darrell O'Donnell added that our Foundations needs to better understand what we have access to from Linux directly.
- David Luchuk reiterated that Linux Foundation aims to fully understand what Trust over IP aims to achieve with its budget so that the community benefits as much as possible from services it offers to projects.
- Will Groahraised the possibility of generating revenues by seeking sponsors for media content, such as webinars and podcasts.
- Karl Kneissuggested Trust over IP aim to learn from external organizations such as ID2020 about how they generate revenue and mange their program operations.
- Drummond Reedsuggested Linux Foundation projects be the starting point for learning about how other initiatives are funded and structured.
- He also shifted the discussion to the question of membership fee structure and the possibility increasing the highest level of fees for large Steering members in our Foundation.
- John Jordansuggested that increasing Trust over IP's connection to Linux Foundation leadership, so that our work is more visible and better understood, will help create opportunities to grow.
- Jim St.Claircommented on the possibility that Trust over IP could seek grant funding, in some cases, and offer expertise as an independent body as a service with fees attached.
- Darrell O'Donnellraised the difficulty this could create in terms of portioning the work, credit and revenue among participants.
- John Jordanindicated he wasn't convinced this sort of activity was in scope for our community.
- Jim St.Clairasked for clarification on Trust over IP's legal status and its ability to apply for grants, charge fees, offer services.
- David Luchuk committed to seek further clarity from Linux Foundation.
Conclusions and Next Steps
- Drummond Reed suggested that Trust over IP should set itself the goal raising its profile with, and getting the attention of, Linux Foundation leadership to further its goals and pursuing options to increase revenues.
Action items
- David Luchuk to follow up with Linux Foundation and JDF to ..to request information regarding how other Linux projects generate revenue and structure their operations, as well as to clarify Trust over IP's legal status and ability to generate new revenue through various means.