[Strategic] Working groups budgeting guidelines

[Milo van der Linden]

Hello list,

As discussed during the meeting yesterday, I will work out a concept for the
budgeting guidelines together with woodpeck and wonderchook.

As I think it is wise to share ideas as soon and as rough as possible and be
transparant, I am simply dropping ideas and concepts on this list. All are
free to respond, but woodpeck and wonderchook are specifically requested to
help me out ;-)

Basically (in my own humble opinion) , there are two perspectives and entry
points to the process:

1) From a working group perspective, working groups need to state what they
estimate is needed (to be called: Working group planning) and have tools to
report and evaluate
2) From a sponsoring perspective, sponsors need to clearly state what
funding they want to make available (money) and how (once, periodically) and
(optional) for what purpose (to be called: Sponsor contract). It would be
good if the working group perspective provides the reporting that can be
used to show sponsors what is being done with their funds.

In this thread I will focus on the working group perspective

Step 1: Working group planning template.

I think it would be wise if all working groups fill out a template at the
start of each financial year, clearly stating their activities, what they
require and what they expect to achieve. This is no budgeting template, but
it forms the base for it and already shows a general indication of what they
think they require.

(see http://www.dogomaps.net/osmf-wg-planning-template.odt for an initial
template)

Step 2: Working group budget template.

This will be a spreadsheet that every working group needs to create, it
should be fit to have them estimate budget in advance, and at the end of a
financial year, close the budget with real figures so it can be evaluated.
The spreadsheet will also indicate whether the budget for the next year
should be in- or decreased. My example also shows that relocation of budgets
can also be made visible.

(see http://www.dogomaps.net/osmf-wg-budget-template.odt for an initial
template)

Please let me know what you think; Is this a move in the right direction? Or
am I completely lost?

I intend to continu setting up a general document that will be called the
"budgeting guideline" it will reference any templates I create along the
way.
I will try to create some flowcharts too that will easily explain the
budgeting-related processes.

Hope to hear from you!

Kind regards,

Milo van der Linden
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