[steering-discuss] Update on the Foundation

Dear friends,

The Steering Committee would like to provide you an update regarding
the status of the establishment of our Foundation.

We have spent quite some time evaluating the legal, fiscal, financial
and practical options that were available to us. Assessing these took
us considerable efforts and the involvement of lawyers we would like to
thank.

We finally came to the following decision. We will incorporate a
Foundation in Germany (called "Stiftung" in German) in early 2011. A
german foundation will provide us with many advantages of various
kinds, among them, 100% tax-deductible donations.

In order to incorporate there we will however need some initial capital
and resources (around fifty thousand (50,000) Euros). If we do not
manage to collect this sum in a reasonable amount of time, we will
switch to our second best option and incorporate a charity in the
United Kingdom, which is much cheaper.

We will of course keep you updated. Meanwhile, the donations to the
German OOoDEV association are still accepted and much welcome !

The last days of 2010 will be busy with Season's Holidays as well as
the release of LibreOffice 3.3 and the LibreOffice website.

Until 2011, we wish you all the best for the New Year.

On behalf of The Document Foundation Steering Committee,

Dear friends,

The Steering Committee would like to provide you an update regarding
the status of the establishment of our Foundation.

We have spent quite some time evaluating the legal, fiscal, financial
and practical options that were available to us. Assessing these took
us considerable efforts and the involvement of lawyers we would like to
thank.

We finally came to the following decision. We will incorporate a
Foundation in Germany (called "Stiftung" in German) in early 2011. A
german foundation will provide us with many advantages of various
kinds, among them, 100% tax-deductible donations.

Hello Charles, et al.

"100% tax-deductible donations."

Just to be clear here, you mean that donations to this foundation will
be deductible by the individual making the donation?

_or_

The foundation will incur no tax-liability by receiving monetary
donations?

In order to incorporate there we will however need some initial capital
and resources (around fifty thousand (50,000) Euros). If we do not
manage to collect this sum in a reasonable amount of time, we will
switch to our second best option and incorporate a charity in the
United Kingdom, which is much cheaper.

Could you put some sort of time-frame to "reasonable"?

[just your folks thoughts on what reasonable is here]

We will of course keep you updated. Meanwhile, the donations to the
German OOoDEV association are still accepted and much welcome !

The last days of 2010 will be busy with Season's Holidays as well as
the release of LibreOffice 3.3 and the LibreOffice website.

Until 2011, we wish you all the best for the New Year.

Thanks to all the SC members for their efforts here.

Best wishes,

Drew

Hello Drew,

> Dear friends,
>
> The Steering Committee would like to provide you an update regarding
> the status of the establishment of our Foundation.
>
> We have spent quite some time evaluating the legal, fiscal,
> financial and practical options that were available to us.
> Assessing these took us considerable efforts and the involvement of
> lawyers we would like to thank.
>
> We finally came to the following decision. We will incorporate a
> Foundation in Germany (called "Stiftung" in German) in early 2011. A
> german foundation will provide us with many advantages of various
> kinds, among them, 100% tax-deductible donations.

Hello Charles, et al.

"100% tax-deductible donations."

Just to be clear here, you mean that donations to this foundation will
be deductible by the individual making the donation?

_or_

The foundation will incur no tax-liability by receiving monetary
donations?

Donations, provided you are under the German tax law (you live in
Germany or have a subsidiary in German) will be 100% tax deductible by
you. That fiscal advantage might, depending on the ongoing legal works
surrounding one common law for European Foundation, be extended to
other european memberstates.

>
> In order to incorporate there we will however need some initial
> capital and resources (around fifty thousand (50,000) Euros). If we
> do not manage to collect this sum in a reasonable amount of time,
> we will switch to our second best option and incorporate a charity
> in the United Kingdom, which is much cheaper.

Could you put some sort of time-frame to "reasonable"?

[just your folks thoughts on what reasonable is here]

I don't really know, but if we're stuck with 3 thousand bucks at the
end of February it might be time to reconsider options. (that's just my
own perception).

>
> We will of course keep you updated. Meanwhile, the donations to the
> German OOoDEV association are still accepted and much welcome !
>
> The last days of 2010 will be busy with Season's Holidays as well as
> the release of LibreOffice 3.3 and the LibreOffice website.
>
> Until 2011, we wish you all the best for the New Year.

Thanks to all the SC members for their efforts here.

And happy new year to you, thank you for your efforts!

Best,
Charles.

> >
> > We finally came to the following decision. We will incorporate a
> > Foundation in Germany (called "Stiftung" in German) in early 2011. A
> > german foundation will provide us with many advantages of various
> > kinds, among them, 100% tax-deductible donations.
>
> Hello Charles, et al.
>
> "100% tax-deductible donations."
>
> Just to be clear here, you mean that donations to this foundation will
> be deductible by the individual making the donation?
>

Donations, provided you are under the German tax law (you live in
Germany or have a subsidiary in German) will be 100% tax deductible by
you. That fiscal advantage might, depending on the ongoing legal works
surrounding one common law for European Foundation, be extended to
other european memberstates.

Charles,

Thanks, that is what I assumed and just wanted to be sure.

>
>
> >
> > In order to incorporate there we will however need some initial
> > capital and resources (around fifty thousand (50,000) Euros). If we
> > do not manage to collect this sum in a reasonable amount of time,
> > we will switch to our second best option and incorporate a charity
> > in the United Kingdom, which is much cheaper.
>
> Could you put some sort of time-frame to "reasonable"?
>
> [just your folks thoughts on what reasonable is here]

I don't really know, but if we're stuck with 3 thousand bucks at the
end of February it might be time to reconsider options. (that's just my
own perception).

Looking at the account statements Thomas has been publishing -

What 2022 [with inflation that could slip to 2030, I suppose] isn't
going to be soon enough for you? :slight_smile:

Still with the decision being to form in Germany and a price tag of
50,000 Euros it seems that a bit more then two months would be in order.

When you folks came to the decision there must of been some idea of
where the monies would come from, yes? Is it assumed that most will come
from a small number of large donations then and two months being
sufficient time then to garner actual donations or pledges from these
few large sponsors?

Thanks again

Drew

> > >
> > > We finally came to the following decision. We will incorporate a
> > > Foundation in Germany (called "Stiftung" in German) in early
> > > 2011. A german foundation will provide us with many advantages
> > > of various kinds, among them, 100% tax-deductible donations.
> >
> > Hello Charles, et al.
> >
> > "100% tax-deductible donations."
> >
> > Just to be clear here, you mean that donations to this foundation
> > will be deductible by the individual making the donation?
> >

> Donations, provided you are under the German tax law (you live in
> Germany or have a subsidiary in German) will be 100% tax deductible
> by you. That fiscal advantage might, depending on the ongoing legal
> works surrounding one common law for European Foundation, be
> extended to other european memberstates.

Charles,

Thanks, that is what I assumed and just wanted to be sure.

>
> >
> >
> > >
> > > In order to incorporate there we will however need some initial
> > > capital and resources (around fifty thousand (50,000) Euros).
> > > If we do not manage to collect this sum in a reasonable amount
> > > of time, we will switch to our second best option and
> > > incorporate a charity in the United Kingdom, which is much
> > > cheaper.
> >
> > Could you put some sort of time-frame to "reasonable"?
> >
> > [just your folks thoughts on what reasonable is here]
>
> I don't really know, but if we're stuck with 3 thousand bucks at the
> end of February it might be time to reconsider options. (that's
> just my own perception).

Looking at the account statements Thomas has been publishing -

What 2022 [with inflation that could slip to 2030, I suppose] isn't
going to be soon enough for you? :slight_smile:

Still with the decision being to form in Germany and a price tag of
50,000 Euros it seems that a bit more then two months would be in
order.

Well what I'm saying is that it will depend where we're at in 2
months.

When you folks came to the decision there must of been some idea of
where the monies would come from, yes? Is it assumed that most will
come from a small number of large donations then and two months being
sufficient time then to garner actual donations or pledges from these
few large sponsors?

Yes, you get the idea. Although I would certainly not dismiss donations
of 500, 1000, 2000 euros. They do make a real difference.

best,
Charles.

Hi Charles,

Yes, you get the idea. Although I would certainly not dismiss donations
of 500, 1000, 2000 euros. They do make a real difference.

If the Stiftung is not yet in existence, how, in concrete terms, is the
"whip around" done ? By donating to OOoDEV ? Some kind of pledge system?
I'm interested in the practicalities rather than the theory, because I
have issues donating money to a non-profit that is not the one for which
the money is intended - no offense intended against OOoDEV mind you,
which has handled things fine as far as I can tell to date.

Alex

Alex,

Hi Charles,

> Yes, you get the idea. Although I would certainly not dismiss donations
> of 500, 1000, 2000 euros. They do make a real difference.
>

If the Stiftung is not yet in existence, how, in concrete terms, is the
"whip around" done ? By donating to OOoDEV ? Some kind of pledge system?
I'm interested in the practicalities rather than the theory, because I
have issues donating money to a non-profit that is not the one for which
the money is intended - no offense intended against OOoDEV mind you,
which has handled things fine as far as I can tell to date.

Yes you would at first donate to the OOoDEV. Please know, however, that this
entity is not acting out of the blue and that it has as one of its
activities the mission to help to create the foundation.

best,
Charles.