I’ve been wondering if Code4Lib could consider applying for membership +
fiscal sponsorship through Fractured Atlas, which is a non-profit that
provides fiscal sponsorship for non-commercial arts (/cultural sector?)
organizations that do not have 501 c 3 status. Here’s their page about
fiscal sponsorship:

https://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/fiscal/

Fractured Atlas primarily supports arts organizations, but considering the
nature of C4L’s mission, I think there’s a strong case to be made for C4L
as not entirely out of scope. At least it seems worth investigating, and if
Fractured Atlas can’t sponsor C4L they might have good suggestions for
other options to consider.

c4L would have to apply for membership: there is a $20/month membership fee
for organizations.  With fiscal sponsorship, there is a 7% admin fee on all
donations. On the plus side, it would be possible to request donations from
a broader range of sponsors.

Additionally, a stable fiscal sponsor that is outside of the
Library/Information Science field seems like a healthy way for C4L to
maintain independence.

- Morgan

*more links:*

https://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/fiscal/apply_instructions

https://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/about

*more info, from the fiscal sponsorship page:*

What is required for fiscal sponsorship?

   1. You must be a Professional or Organizational member of Fractured
   Atlas.
   2. You must submit the online application.
   3. Your project must be artistic.
   4. Your project must have some public benefit and be non-commercial in
   nature.

Are there any fees?

   - There is a base 7% administrative fee on all donations, with no
   additional fees for processing credit cards. As you raise over the lifetime
   of your project, the fee is reduced. These lower fees apply to grants and
   donations by check, but not to donations by credit card:

$0-$150K
7% fee on checks and grants
$150K-$500K
6% fee on checks and grants
$500K-$1M
5% fee on checks and grants
$1M+
4% fee on checks and grants

How and when will you receive the money raised for your project?

   - All donations are held for seven days. After seven days, the project
   may request the funds be sent via electronic fund transfer into their bank
   account. We process fund releases every business day.


On Tue, Jun 7, 2016 at 6:06 PM, Chris Moschini <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Having been through something like this in the past that went very badly, a
> small bit of advice:
>
> If the impetus for forming a company is protection from liability for the
> Annual Conference, form it solely for that purpose.
>
> Leaving it open-ended will bring in everyone's ideas. Many of them will
> conflict. That will breed sharp disagreements. With a company in the wings
> you have money on the line increasing the negative impacts available here.
>
> Some companies have a very clear singular charter to prevent this and I
> recommend constraining this one likewise, so everyone/anyone involved is
> aware of and expecting just that one purpose. That will give it clear
> direction and improve its chance at success.
>