Consider donating your conference budget
The biggest financial impact the FSFE faces in these times of physical distancing is the cancellation of Free Software conferences, including our own events. To keep the software freedom movement solid and alive, please consider to donate a part of your conference budget to Free Software organisations, including the FSFE.
Last week we wrote about how the SARS-CoV-2 virus affects the FSFE. Booths and talks have been some of the main channels over which we inform people about software freedom and the FSFE’s work. Losing these due to cancellation of events also means a heavily limited visibility for our topics and our organisation.
For example, last year we participated in over 60 events in 11 European countries. This is more than one per week on average, with every event contributing to spreading our message and growing our community. These events are some of our best opportunities to explain and discuss Free Software issues in personal conversations. This is the same situation with our information material and merchandise: last year, we sent out over 800 information material packages around the world and sold over 1.100 shirts and hoodies. For the last few weeks we are no longer able to participate in events or effectively handle requests for our information materials and merchandise - and it is unclear how long this situation will last.
In the case of our events, like the annual Legal and Licensing Workshop or the “Public Money? Public Code!” conference, it is a direct financial burden we take due to missing sponsorships, non-refundable costs and work that we have already invested.
In a time when humanity needs to work together to find solutions for a crisis, we cannot afford to reinvent the wheel again and again. Global problems need global solutions! It is Free Software that enables global cooperation for code development. We will keep doing our best for software freedom and humanity, even while staying home. We will keep our campaigns running and start new ones, take part in consultations, produce our Software Freedom Podcasts and inform more on our digital channels.
We know these are difficult times for everyone: many others are struggling as well, and some even more seriously. But if you are in the position to do so, please support the future of our movement by donating a part of your conference budget to organisations for software freedom; including the FSFE.
In these difficult times specifically, but also in general, we would like to thank our volunteers who form the foundation of the FSFE with their invaluable contributions, and our supporters and donors who enable our work for Free Software.
Your help is highly appreciated. Thank you so much!