Local Chapters and Communities Working Group/Meeting minutes/2019-09-03

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Attendance

Present

  • Clifford - US
  • Eugene - PH
  • Joost - BE
  • Maggie - US
  • Rob - UK

Not present

  • Ben - BE
  • Stefano - IT

Formally accept Maggie Cawley to the group

There were no objections. There is no process defined for this decision, so we just did a round and she was unanimously accepted.

Review the new Local Chapter application

The LCWG does not have any formal role in new applications. Currently it is the responsibility of the OSMF Board to review and approve applications. In the future, the LCWG might be willing to take on the responsibility for handling the application process. For now, LCWG could just provide guidance and input during the process.

Update the Local Chapters Working Group / Formally relaunch the LCWG

Joost has updated the wiki with our new membership. We need Terms of Reference for this working group. Key items we talked about:

  1. Making sure it actually makes sense to want to be a Local Chapter
  2. Support growing communities

Action items:

  • Joost will find his old draft and send it around for feedback. The WG members should then discuss and finalize the Terms of Reference for this WG before SotM.
  • Those who are attending SotM will present the WG to the Board.
    • Joost, Maggie, and Eugene will be attending SotM
    • (Post-meeting addition: Stefano will also be attending SotM)
  • Eugene will send a mail to osmf-talk about the re-launch of the WG to solicit volunteers who want to join the WG.

Relationship between OSMF and Local Chapters

Input from Rob prior to the meeting (note that this is just "thinking out loud" and not an official statement from OSM UK):

We (OSM UK) have been considering a response to the July posting on osmf-talk about the barrier to being a Local Chapter. Much of our response is around lack of clarity as to what the Local Chapter set-up is attempting to do. The summary of what we are considering sending to OSMF Board is that the stuff about trademarks is a false offer (if OSMF start banishing groups this is bound to end badly). They therefore need to decide what the Local Chapter arrangement is actually for. OSMF Board have to first answer why you feel the need to have Local Chapters in the first place. There appears to be four fundamental options here:

  1. Flow of information and resources from the top (OSMF) down to the Local Chapters. In order to provide resources in support of Local Chapters this might require OSMF to first determine the boundary of projects and/or strategic goals it is willing to support.
  2. Flow of information from the bottom upwards to OSMF. For example the Local Chapters representing their community in decision making by the OSMF.
  3. Flow of money from OSMF to Local Chapters to support the grass-roots. Similar to providing non-financial resources, this may require the OSMF to first determine the boundary of projects they are willing to support.
  4. Flow of money from the Local Chapters to the OSMF to support the project and global initiatives.

Not all options are mutually exclusive and it may be possible to combine them.

Discussed during the meeting

The benefits for becoming a Local Chapter of the OSMF needs to be stronger and more compelling. We think providing some funding from OSMF to Local Chapters should be considered. The role of Local Chapters in the Microgrants project should also be significant. Maybe they can administer the actual money if projects in their territory are accepted (as Local Chapters should be best placed to understand the needs of the community in their region and are registered non-profits).

Decide on a Chair

We decided to appoint Eugene (seav) as chair.

Next meeting

Eugene will set up a poll to schedule the next meeting sometime in October.

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