Plone Event Financial Policy

approved by the Foundation Board on January 26, 2017

The Plone Event Financial Policy is 

effective as of January 26, 2017.

Most past Plone conferences and symposia were organized by individuals, organizations, and companies completely independent of the Plone Foundation. The organizers made use of their own financial resources (bank accounts, credit, accounting systems and services) and, crucially, assumed the financial risk of hosting the event. Financial losses due to unmet attendance goals or unexpectedly high costs would be handled by the organizers only. Conversely, the organizers were free to retain or disburse as they wished any financial surplus, once all costs were accounted for.

In recent years, the Plone Foundation has agreed to be the financial agent for conferences and symposia:

  • In 2011, the Plone Foundation agreed on a trial basis to be the financial agent for the San Francisco conference.

  • In 2014, the Foundation agreed to be the financial agent for the Plone Symposium Midwest in Oshkosh.

  • In 2015 and 2016 the Foundation was the financial agent for the Bucharest and Boston conferences, respectively.

Beginning in 2018, the Foundation is willing to be the financial agent for Plone events under the following conditions:

  • The Foundation will assume the financial risk of hosting the event, agreeing to cover financial losses.

  • The Foundation will grant the organizers use of Foundation banking and PayPal accounts, its accounting systems, and access to its Treasurer (the added work hours will NOT be covered by the Foundation).

In exchange for assuming the financial risk:

  • The Foundation Board will receive regular updates from the organizers.

  • One or more members of the Board will be involved in the planning of the event to ensure minimally that the Foundation's risks are mitigated, and to assist in making the event a success. The Board will have final authority on all financial decisions related to the planning and running of the event.

  • The Foundation will receive the event's financial surplus, once all costs are accounted for.

The proposal must state explicitly whether or not the organizers are asking the Foundation to be the financial agent for the event.