Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

cc-europe - Re: [CC-Europe] Updates for the staff call

cc-europe AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Cc-europe mailing list

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Ryan Merkley <ryan AT creativecommons.org>
  • To: cc-europe AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [CC-Europe] Updates for the staff call
  • Date: Thu, 11 Jun 2015 10:38:21 -0400

Hi all,

Thanks for the discussion and comments -- I'm sorry to not have engaged sooner. I wasn't on the CC-Europe list and so didn't see it until John W brought it to my attention. I am here now.

CC needs to seek donations from everywhere in the world. By comparison, Mozilla receives over 40 percent of its small dollar donor revenues from outside of the US, in all the regions where CC also operates. About two thirds of Wikipedia's funding came from outside North America in 2013/14. Donation cultures are different everywhere, but there are also people everywhere who are willing to give to support CC (and many already do). We have to figure out how to reach them and speak to them in a way that will be most likely to inspire them to give. I can't (and don't intend to) figure out how to do that without all of you.

We're working to develop the right messages and tactics for creativecommons.org, and my intention is to pilot those attempts in EN first, and then work with all of you to localize. Based on the Mozilla and Wikipedia experience, the three biggest factors that drive international donation rates up are localization, payment methods, and currencies accepted. The last two are much harder to implement than the first. On localization, we can work together to design and test (and re-test), and I hope that we will. If you're interested in working with me on that now, please send me an e-mail. Otherwise, there will be a more general call as we refine the EN strategy and prepare to consider other markets.

I'm committed, and happy to commit as you ask below, to working with affiliates and to consider the recommendations. As I mentioned in my previous e-mail, we will ensure all of you are aware of what we're planning in advance, and engage you in the discussion on how to do it.

CC has no choice but to become good at fundraising. It's my first priority, because it gives us what we need to support you, maintain the licenses, and execute our projects. This year, CC's direct investment and support in the community will be over a half a million dollars (travel, co-ordinators, Summit), and our budget is $3.2M. Last year's fundraising program was our most successful ever, raising $200k USD. So even with strong growth, we still have a ways to go.

I like Lisette's suggestion, and I'll gladly lead and/or participate in a discussion at the summit about fundraising and collaboration and design of programs along with affiliates.

Best,
Ryan

PS - One small point that I think is important. CC HQ's activities and policies are not being developed for the US market only. I'm also not American. I still accep the points about CC HQ having its own strategy, and that there are local affiliates with their own programs (including CC US), but I would ask that we attempt to be precise about CC HQ rather than calling it the US org.



On 2015-06-10 4:12 PM, Alek Tarkowski wrote:
3083501D-A794-40CE-B983-DAD714A1E3E4 AT creativecommons.pl" type="cite">
Dear all,

Maarten, I agree with what you write, especially the part about ownership. I think the whole issue is about us having a sense of not having a say in an issue that we have some stake in, build over the years.

John, it would be great if next time we could have an inclusive process and a consultation on funding-related matters. This has been mentioned for years. I still think it's a pity this current issue will be left as is. I like LIsette's idea about a workshop at the Summit - but this will only work if the HQ makes some commitment to be in this process and consider / adopt the results.

But there is a broader issue of governance behind all this. I think it's up to us as affiliates to come up with some proposals of issues about which we believe that we should have a say, and a proposal for a method to conduct this.

Best,

Alek

On Jun 10, 2015, at 15:36, Lisette Kalshoven <lk AT kl.nl> wrote:


Hi John, 

That is good news, looking forward to the digest of the call. 

Perhaps we can organise a session during the Summit where we can discuss the diversification of the messages per region? CC NL would be happy to contribute. 

Cheers, 

Lisette 

-- 
Kennisland | www.kennisland.nl | t +31205756720 | m +31613943237 | @lnkalshoven | skype: lisette.kalshoven

On 10 Jun 2015, at 14:31, John Weitzmann <johnweitzmann AT creativecommons.org> wrote:

Hi Maarten et al,

as a result of the pop-up issue and the discussion here on the list, we discussed in yesterday's staff-call the inclusion of the affiliate network in future donation-related tests and tinkering. I'll send the digest of the call in a separate email. The message was well received by all incl. the rather new staff members, so I think we're making progress here for everybody's benefit.

I also mentioned the next State of the Commons Report as a central focus point to get staff and affiliates working together on overall funding. There might even be potential in diversifying the donation messages for different parts of the world, for which the regional/local Affiliates could also offer their unique expertise.

Best
John

On Wed, Jun 10, 2015 at 1:17 PM, Maarten Zeinstra <mz AT kl.nl> wrote:
Hi John,

Thanks for the the update.

I do not completely share Alek’s concern. Some European affiliates use CC as way to communicate their policy/mission and CC is for them a brand name that we can use (within the limitations MoU’s) to attract funding in different projects under the names of the hosting organisations. I understand that CC Global as an organisation with a singular mission (unlike Kennisland and Centrum Cyfrowe) needs to get funding to do its work. What bothers me is that CC Global is making interventions in the website they control that can reflect poorly on affiliates. 

Also looking at the statistics ( I have access to CC’s Google Analytics ) Europe is about a third of all hits to their website (North and South America take another third, Asia takes another third and Oceania and Africa take the scraps). We don’t have North America's donation culture and not taking this global perspective into account might even hurt all of us in the long run. 

The disconnect that I am sensing here is that we as affiliates feel ownership over the licenses that we promote, push and advice on and that these are singularly used in US-centric policies.

Cheers,

Maarten


-- 
Kennisland | www.kl.nl | t +31205756720 | m +31643053919 | @mzeinstra



On 08 Jun 2015, at 16:19 , John Weitzmann <johnweitzmann AT creativecommons.org> wrote:

Hi CC Europeans,

FWIW: The basics of the general funding situation of CC's central org structure were discussed, even with several board members on stage, as early as 2013 in Buenos Aires. It became clear then that several of the "traditional" (US) foundations supporting CC were in the process of shifting their focus. Later, when Ryan joined, he laid out quite clearly before those attending the CC Europe meeting in Berlin that he set out to reform CC's donation structure. He also presented several of his ideas as to how he wants to achieve a more sustainable setup, f.e. with more small donations levered inter alia through the high volume of traffic on the CC website.

So, to be frank, I don't see too much reason for concern really, at least not for any additional/new concern on the part of affiliate teams. The donation pleas are nothing new and the tinkering around with the website in this Transifex-triggering way was a mishap. However, the wording and ways of asking for donations should be decided on with more consultation of the entire affiliate network. I'm convinced that this will be done in the future, see Ryan's message.

If any of you have more specific suggestions, concerns or questions - not limited to the donation thing - please let Gwen and me know on or off list. The next all-staff call is scheduled for tomorrow evening CEST and we are in that to represent you.

Greetz
John



On Sat, Jun 6, 2015 at 10:15 AM, Alek Tarkowski <alek AT creativecommons.pl> wrote:
John, Teresa, and everyone else

yes, this is a clear clash of donation cultures. and it's an issue that goes behind the relatively simple problem of us not being informed about a new translation string.

the email from Ryan only raises my concerns - there's a whole new strategy being implemented for the American CC organisation, but which affects strongly all affiliates. THis is because an average internet user does not distinguish easily between American CC org, the general CC brand and affiliate projects, together with institutions / people that run it. I wish we were consulted on this in any way beforehand.

Best,

Alek

On Jun 4, 2015, at 14:01, John Hendrik Weitzmann <jhweitzmann AT mx.uni-saarland.de> wrote:

on the content side of things ...

Am 04.06.2015 um 13:43 schrieb Teresa Nobre:
I think:
1) we do not need to reinforce our need for donations in such a short
message ("a non-profit that survives on donations"), but maybe it's my
European shyness and proudness speaking; 

nothing wrong with a little pride :)   to some extent this is a clash of
donation cultures probably

--
koordynator, Creative Commons Polska
European Policy Fellow, Creative Commons
Twitter: @atarkowski / @ccpolska









_______________________________________________
CC-Europe mailing list
CC-Europe AT lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/cc-europe


_______________________________________________
CC-Europe mailing list
CC-Europe AT lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/cc-europe


_______________________________________________
CC-Europe mailing list
CC-Europe AT lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/cc-europe

_______________________________________________
CC-Europe mailing list
CC-Europe AT lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/cc-europe

--
koordynator, Creative Commons Polska
European Policy Fellow, Creative Commons
Twitter: @atarkowski / @ccpolska
WWW: creativecommons.pl / oerpolicy.eu

polecam: 
uwolnij.podrecznik.org / otwartawiedza.pl / otwartezabytki.pl 










_______________________________________________
CC-Europe mailing list
CC-Europe AT lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/cc-europe

-- 
Ryan Merkley
CEO, Creative Commons
ryan AT creativecommons.org

+1 416.802.0662
@ryanmerkley

Get Creative Commons Updates http://bit.ly/commonsnews 



Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page