Drupal Association New Zealand
Submitted by fiasco on Wed, 2010/02/03 - 9:26pm.
So at DrupalSouth we talked about what was to become of Drupal conference in the future. Who was to organize it? Should there be a committee?
Another topic discussed at DrupalSouth was the idea of Drupal training. Both for clients and developers.
What immersed in my mind was that any Drupal activity within in New Zealand should have a professional front. An association. The Drupal association could then be the public facing body of Drupal in New Zealand and could organize or oversee future Drupal conferences and any other Drupal related events/activities including training.
How would it work?
Firstly, we need a group of people willing to raise there hand and be apart of the association. Ideally, people from all over the country who are inclined to host local Drupal events, anything from camps to beers after work. My reasoning behind this is that these people will know what the New Zealand Drupal community want and I feel it is important that each region of New Zealand has its say in the Association. From these people we elect chairman, treasurer, etc.
Once we have a group of people, we can hand it over to them to decide what we do with conferences etc.
How could we fund this?
I imagine we will need funds for particular things - a website for one thing. Potentially, we could follow similar lines to what the Drupal Association does and charge a membership fee or maybe use the conferences to provide profit for us to run the association.
Where to from here?
These are only my thoughts, and I know other people had other ideas, I'm just trying to get the ball rolling because I am keen to see something happen. So lets get some feedback - what are the pros and cons. Who is keen to be apart of an association etc.
Josh (fiasco) Waihi
Comments
Submitted by Bevan Rudge on Wed, 2010/02/03 - 9:33pm.
There is some money to
There is some money to bootstrap this and/or the next DrupalSouth saved up from DrupalSouth Wellington.
Natasha gave pretty good reasons (in a different conversations) as to why it should be a charitable trust.
Submitted by Quartz on Wed, 2010/02/03 - 10:47pm.
Charitable Trust vs Incorporated Society
http://www.charities.govt.nz/guidance/benefits_charities.html
I had begun to write a long spiel about the difference between the two but this page http://www.societies.govt.nz/cms/incorporated-societies/learn-about-inco... says it more succinctly.
We could apply to register as a charity under the provision of that our purpose "advances education" or "benefits the community".
If though instead we met the Inland Revenue's conditions for donee status it may be that memberships and/or (private) attendance fees at DrupalSouth were tax deductible anyhow.
http://www.ird.govt.nz/forms-guides/number/forms-200-299/ir255-guide-cha...
Another angle to look at is what benefit the governance of THE Drupal Association may give us here in NZ, or whether they have sample deeds to share. Are we allowed to set up a Drupal Association of our own here? Should we not be supporting the one and only Drupal association?
With the 'facts' out of the way, I have to say I despise committees but I am enthused about DrupalSouth. I am also a little loathe to over-formalise our kiwi way of doing things, or to replicate the formality that THE Drupal Association have already established globally.
I am thrilled that there seems to be great excitement to see DrupalSouth continue, and judging by the doubling of numbers since the 2008 event, and therefore expecting perhaps 200 next time, there will be a greater need for people to shoulder the responsibility for the various aspects of it.
I do intend to write up more about what went into DrupalSouth this year, and I am sure that those involved in 2008 will also have things to contribute. With this information I think we can then decide if we need 'something more' or not. Edit: see here
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