On Jul 3, 2005, at 1:05 AM, Boris Mann wrote:
On 2-Jul-05, at 9:16 PM, Kieran Lal wrote:
CivicSpace Labs is now a non-profit organization.
Since all our code is Drupal code except install.php, the configure module, and soon to be obsolete Contact Manager.
*cough* install system *cough* :P
We are about as close a match to a Drupal foundation as you are going to get.
Does that work for you all?
Not unless you want to change your name to "The Drupal Foundation", appoint Dries to lead it, and canvas the developer community to make up the rest of the board :P
Seriously, Drupal needs its own independent entity, I believe. If you want to funnel money from US donors, that might be something work looking into.
Sure, understood. In the mean time I'll try to get you a rough idea of the costs and time it took set up CivicSpace Labs as a non-profit, which I believe is a 5013c. I am pretty sure it took several months, I'll let you know who our lawyers are. I assume we spent more than the $5500 you are about to take in legal and other fees(trademarks, banks, filing papers, phone calls) getting it accomplished. But Drupal might be able to get more legal aid than we were able to. If you need a stop gap solution since you dealing with lawyers, the IRS, and a mostly volunteer base and you have to get it done in 10 weeks or so then we would be happy to help make sure everybody gets paid on time. I assume there will be some costs associated with setting up a US bank account, getting checks, having legal contracts written up and reviewed. At CivicSpace labs we have been going through all of this for the last several months and it's expensive and takes time. So Drupal foundation, absolutely let's do it. We will help with advice and referrals as much as possible. Getting a Drupal foundation that can cut checks to the interns in the next 10 weeks...it's going to be tough but doable. Kieran takes off CivicSpace Labs hat. I have served on the Board of Directors of the Waterloo Cooperative Residence Incorporated and Appalachian Long Distance Hiker's Association. I have some knowledge of getting boards organized and running. I am not looking for a seat, just want to personally offer help to get the Drupal foundation up and running. Let me know what I can do to help. Cheers, Kieran
-- Boris Mann http://www.bmannconsulting.com