Funding for voluntary but necessary projects

[Capt Rivera]

Just my latest idea of the moment:

SIMS... etc.. [Sorry not going to list them all]

Programs, databases, etc... worthy endeavors that contribute to CAP [Read: Already contributing, not just a idea]...

Would it be possible to attain a NON-profit status for a single entity [NOT CAPNHQ] to help support these developers.

To use SIMS for example... I can't fathom how much time has already been invested and how much more will. There are free and easy ways to make donations as well as some users/squadrons etc might just want to see a project continue and contribute accordingly..

What i'm suggesting is ...  [Insert Org Name here]   -"Non-profot 50...."
it uses direct donations as well as garnered [AdSence? Goodsearch.com? etc...

takes this money however much or little splits it up and SELECTED [insert criteria] projects can get some funding...

It probably wouldn't be anything the person/team could really count on ... but every bit helps when your paying to volunteer and gas is $3.10/gal and climbing...

Thoughts?

Topic title spelling - MIKE

[LtCol Hooligan]

Josh,
Are you asking for units to donate money to the developers for their time?  To be honest, it seems like it would be easier to just donate the money to the unit the developer belongs to if that is what you are asking for.  Then his/her home unit pays the internet cost for keeping the server running, or the cost of gas to market the program.  I guess the big thing is we need to make sure we are not "paying" CAP members for their services.  This is the same thing as paying a CAP member who is an A&P to do maintenance on the planes- a big no no.  CAP Members cannot make money off of CAP duties.  There are indeed ways to create non-profits outside of CAP, but perhaps it would be easier to look for ways to do this inside CAP.

[Capt Rivera]

Josh,
Are you asking for units to donate money to the developers for their time?  To be honest, it seems like it would be easier to just donate the money to the unit the developer belongs to if that is what you are asking for.  Then his/her home unit pays the internet cost for keeping the server running, or the cost of gas to market the program.  I guess the big thing is we need to make sure we are not "paying" CAP members for their services.  This is the same thing as paying a CAP member who is an A&P to do maintenance on the planes- a big no no.  CAP Members cannot make money off of CAP duties.  There are indeed ways to create non-profits outside of CAP, but perhaps it would be easier to look for ways to do this inside CAP.

Why wouldn't a Non-profit Software developing entity not be able to pay its "staff"? I'm positive that there are many Non-profits that actually pay people to do things. For example, said entity would be able to disperse generated funds [if any come in] to the person/team working directly on some piece of approved software and allowing that software to be freely used by anyone.

The benefactors would not be working for profit or selling software they own the rights to. The non profit would simply be contributing to the furtherance of said projects. A program made by programmer X, allowed for free download by anyone can be used for anything, CAP etc.. That person would not be making money of off CAP. If you believe a law would be broken, please show it to us.

To say that the SIMS program as well as the other tools that have been developed and maintained is just a function of a duty is laughable & a disservice to the people who donated their IDEA, TIME, etc!

Do you realize the SIMS program could be a commercial product? That it would not break any law or regulation for Dennis to create something, market it and sell it for whatever profit he sees fit?

I also didn't say setting this up would be easy and I didn't promise it would even pay off or that the developers would want to garner any monetary support. If people in this organization only did things because they were easy, this organization would not even exist....

I really hate that the 1st response to almost every idea I've seen presented in CAP mentions how easy or hard it would be. But thats another topic....

for the record, I am NOT nor would I ever be a programmer and therefor would probably never benefit from such an endeavor.

[Eclipse]

There are lots of applications that "could" be a commercial product, and in fact, there's nothing stopping the developers from releasing it commercially, nor I would think, even charging units for it today.

They might have to remove all references to civil air patrol (references which could be put back locally with a simple script), but it could be sold as a generic "program management application".

Anything which potentially diverts funds form the corporation is going to be suspect, at best, benevolent or not.  Also, incorporating as a 501 is going to require a level of reporting, and potentially program oversight that the developers might not be interested in - today they can do whatever they want, whenever they want.

A better tactic would be to either buddy up with NHQ and make this the official program management application, complete with input and funding from NHQ, or tie it to a Group or Wing's operations do that they can fund it from the operating budget.

As it stands today, at a minimum, expenses incurred towards the project, (i.e. hosting costs, equipment, etc.) should be tax deductibles for the developers.