I have done some research into communities.
The experience of AIfIA seems closest to ours. "Seed loans from AIfIA founders
covered significant start-up and infrastructure expenses, enabling AIfIA to
achieve 501c6 status and establish bylaws and finances with professional
assistance by the end of 2002."
* September 2002: AIfIA's seed money: $7,301 (loans from founding members)
* October 2002: Infrastructure expenses (legal, accounting/bookkeeping,
incorporation) cost $5,966
* November 2002: AIfIA public launch; steady flow of new charter memberships
* March 2003: AIfIA Leadership Seminar at IA Summit raises $6,260 (as well
as $4,173 for ASIS&T)
* May 2003: $4,676 of founder loans repaid; remaining $2,625 converted to
donations
* July 2003: $14,106 in membership contributions to date
More info in the AIfIA Annual Report aifia.org/news/000179.php
A 501c6 (non-profit business league) is somewhat easier to obtain than a 501c3 (regular
non-profit). Donations and membership fees are not tax deductible for a 501c6,
but the organization is not taxed. (See world.std.com/obi/USG/IRS/501c6.dos)
I would personally prefer a 501c3 for CMS Labs, which would be an organization
collaborating with various schools in Content Management research. Then
companies could get tax deductions for research grants.
[Second thoughts: Companies do not need tax deductions. They can write off support for CMS Labs. It's individuals and foundations that need them. And perhaps to make collaboration with other orgaizations smoother.]
Hilary Marsh (recommended by Donna Fritzsche) chose to organize a local SIG
(NetContent/Chicago) under the Association for Multimedia Communications.
(www.amcomm.org/) She
recommended we consider doing the same under AIIM, for example. Frank Gilbane
has recommended AIIM for my CMS Consultants idea. (www.cmsconsultatns.org).
Here in Boston, P.J.Gardner, a graduate student at Bentley College created a
site for Information Architects as a class exercise. He professor suggested she
make it into real a Boston organization (www.boston-ia.org). She filed
for 501c6, got it, and has 110 members paying $60/year. Unfortunately her job
keeps her too busy to manage meetings at the moment.
I am planning to get involved in coordinating Boston meetings somehow. There are
some user experience meetings (UX), some IA, and I will tack in some CM. Maybe
we'll have revolving topics and places.
___________________________
I may have appeared a bit negative at the meeting when I declined the overall
direction of the CM Community effort. I do appreciate your confidence in me.
As I said, I am most interested in providing a number of infrastructure tools
and a knowledge base for this community. In particular, I would like CMS Labs to
be studying existing CMS intensely.
I would be glad to donate various tools to the CM Community - mailing lists,
forum, wiki, news aggregator, calendar, etc. and server bandwidth.
And I can loan or gift the operation with some startup funding.
I just don't think I should do the whole 4-6 months work that Lou described as
necessary to launch.
I look forward to a follow-up meeting at the Gilbane Conference.
