Re: [Debconf-team] [Debconf-discuss] Travel sponsorship BoF: minutes

[Ian Jackson <ijackson@chiark.greenend.org.uk>]

Holger Levsen writes ("Re: [Debconf-discuss] [Debconf-team] Travel sponsorship BoF: minutes"):
> the problem is, or rather was in previous years, that we never knew 3 months 
> in advance, how much money we would have. This year, IIRC, we didnt know 
> whether we had enough money to run the conference until two weeks in advance 
> or such.

I think the right answer is to guess and cushion the shortfall and/or
surplus from general Debian funds.  We have a lot of money in the
bank, and here we are with a problem that can be sorted with money -
and we don't on average even need to spend that money, just lend it to
ourselves.

> So IMO the (first) problem is how to get 50k (to use a random number) 3-4 
> month in advance. 

Borrow it from Debian general funds.

Another problem that arises from the effort to spend exactly the right
amount of money is this last-minute reallocation of funds from one
sponsored attendee to another.  If we were willing to guess at the
numbers we could tell possible sponsorship recipients something like
this:

  We are pleased to offer you for sponsorship for travel to Debconf.
  Up to a maximum amount X, only, we will reimburse you your actual
  expenses on presentation of receipts at Debconf.

  Please try to keep your costs as low as possible: flights are best
  booked approximately 8 weeks in advance, and trains should be booked
  at the appropriate booking horizen.  If you keep your expenses small
  then other attendees can benefit from the money in future - and we
  are more likely to offer you sponsorship next time.

Ian.