[Osmf-talk] Financing the OSMF

[Simon Poole]

Clarification: the OSMF has not received any funds from the Knight
Foundation.

While I wouldn't completely rule out applying for a project grant, doing
so would be somewhat at odds with letting private initiative prove that
they have something worthy of integration with OSM, as we have done up
to now. Examples P2, iD, any of the non-"Mapnik" layers on the Website
and so on. Case at hand: adding a 3d building layer. There have been
some requests for the OSMF to put infrastructure in place for a 3d
building layer and provide such a layer ourselves. On the other hand, we
at least 4 such maps available in the OSM eco system and at least one of
them is currently global, and I expect more down the road. Obviously we
are getting closer to the situation were we could simply include such a
layer from a 3rd party, why would we want to disrupt that process by
rolling our own?

Anyway I am digressing and while I have nothing against thinking outside
the box  and big visions, I do want to provide the reality check that on
Sunday our new financial year will begin, and depending on the SOTM
results we will start eating in to our reserves at our current level of
spending.

Simon