[Debian-sponsors-discuss] Debian fundraising thoughts.

[Moray Allan]

On Sun, Mar 10, 2013 at 12:07:15PM +0100, Stefano Zacchiroli wrote:
> As per my other mail, an extra principle I'd like to have is: maximize
> untargeted donation, minimize targeted donations. That might even be
> turned into hard internal rules.

Yes, I would say that even if we immediately earmark a donation
internally, it is clearly preferable to receive donations to general
Debian funds rather than ones with a specified purpose.  This is a
general principle of charity fundraising, as even if the mixture of
earmarked gifts matches today's needs, it provides flexibility when
priorities change.  Where charities take too much in earmarked
donations, they can also have trouble paying for more boring costs
that don't have a high public profile, which can often include the
most important day-to-day ones.

Though note that many donors understandably prefer to give funds for
specific purposes, so to maximise fundraising a mixture of both types
is typically needed, while trying to push donors to make donations to
a general fund wherever possible.

-- 
Moray