Sponsorship Information

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A. Developing Nation Fund and Sponsor

B. Association Sponsor

A. Developing Nation Fund and Sponsor

Background - Some people in developing nations feel that the most critical role that the GSDI Association might play is to provide hands-on educational materials and workshops that relate practically to SDI technology, organizational and policy issues. Providing a face-to-face forum for communication and education allowing for human capacity building appears to be one of the highest desired priorities. However, concerns have been expressed about dues and travel expenses by the various sectors in developing nations. Some sectors in developing countries will be unable to pay dues at any level. This concern has as much or more to do with in-country politics and bureaucracies as it does with cost.

Purpose - Organizations and institutions in low-income nations with programs and missions consistent with the purposes of the GSDI Association often have great difficulty in consistently raising funds to travel to and participate in the major international GSDI Association conferences and meetings. The purpose of the Developing Nation Sponsors designation is to encourage industry, government and individual members to make additional contributions that will pay the dues for government, professional or private sector organizations in developing nations. This will allow representatives of organizations in developing countries to attend and fully participate as official voting council members in the annual meeting and attend training workshops, conference presentations, and participate in spatial data infrastructure discussions.

Board Affirmed – Developing Nation Sponsors are solicited as part of the annual dues request process. An individual or organization may choose to donate from $10 to a $100,000 or more to support this program. Those who sponsor the entire annual membership fee for one or more organizations in the developing world (minimum of $2500) are recognized on the web site, at the annual international conference, and through other means as a Developing Nation Sponsor for that year. One hundred percent of funds received through this program are placed in a common pool to support the direct travel, hotel, per diem, workshop fee, and conference fee expenses of representatives of national organizations from developing nations. Direct expenses to administer the program up to but not exceeding10% also may be charged. Applications by developing nation organizations to receive support from the fund and distribution of the funds are administered by a Developing Nation Support Committee established by the GSDI Association Board. Significant donors will be invited to serve on or contribute to the committee deliberations if they so desire. Developing Nation Sponsors may indicate a preference for applying their donation within a region of the world, a specific country, a specific sector, or even a preference to apply the donation to a specific organization and support the travel expenses of a specific person affiliated with such organization. Although not legally obligated to do so, such donor requests will be respected in the Committee deliberations when possible.

B. Association Sponsor

Purpose - The GSDI Association Sponsor designation provides an incentive after the initial establishment of the GSDI Association for new and continuing sponsors to continue to join in making significant financial and intellectual contributions in support of the general operations of the organization over time.

Affirmed (drawn from bylaws) - Any full, associate or individual member contributing beyond their annual dues an amount of $30,000 or more in cash, personnel, software, hardware, or other in-kind goods or services (exclusive of grants or contracts requiring deliverables) may be designated by the GSDI Board as a "GSDI Association Sponsor." The Board of Directors will determine whether a company has met the cash or in-kind requirements to be designated as a GSDI Association Sponsor. Designees shall be entitled to all benefits accruing to such designees as determined by the Board of Directors. Benefits might include but are not limited to prominent recognition in the conference materials and selected publications of the GSDI Association, opportunities to address the Board, free conference registration for their delegates, and free exhibitor space during the year in which such sponsorship is provided.