General Assembly of the Decidim Association

Attendees: Andrés, Ángela, Antonio, Bru, Carol, David, Eli, Fran, Gala, Ivan, Juanli, Maite, Núria, Pablo, Pau, SÍlvia, Txema, Xabier

Welcome

First assembly of 2022

We aim to celebrate a second assembly during Decidim Fest 22, in person and hybrid format. Save the date

Accounts and results presentation 2021

Income

mainly from grants. Also there are incomes from membership fees.

Expenses

Includes hired staff (administration) and development contracting. Also administration costs (policy with coop57, administration, etc).

2022 Budget

We continue with a very similar structure

Income

from subsidies from the City Council, Government of Catalonia (Generalitat) and membership fees (there will be more!). We plan to incorporate contributions from companies and organisations.

Expenses

. The big difference is the addition of the contract of staff for the maintenance of the source code. We will better adjust some administrative costs.

2022 projects

• Projects framed in the framework agreement signed with the Generalitat de Catalunya and the Barcelona City Council.
• We focus on code maintenance tasks
• This year the maintenance will be done with Andrés (technician of the Association), and the maintenance contract of the City Council of BCN: Platoniq, and Mayno ( outsourced by Platoniq).
• We continue with prioritising developments (tasks not prioritised by any contract of any association)
• Replace the text editor, the current one is not maintained.
• Standardise the file uploading system on Decidim
• Antispam technique
• Newsletter improvements
• Administration tasks (relationship with suppliers, relationship with administrations)

Trademark policy

Decidim and the Decidim logo are registered by the association, they cannot be used as a commercial product (cannot be sold).

If used, the credit has to be referenced.

Across Legal was consulted on whether it makes sense to register the trademark in other continents. It is complicated and expensive, and they recommend not to do so for the time being.

Partners policy

• How can organisations participate?
• We had already defined the profile of individual members, but we still needed to define the profile of legal entity members.
• We propose a fee policy for these collective members, gradual and linked to the income of these entities: it will be based on the income that these members generate from the "use" of Decidim.
• A different % is distinguished for for-profit entities (3%) and another for non-profit entities (1.5%).
• The body that will validate the entry of these members, as established in the statutes, is still pending. For the time being, this will be assumed by the Coordination Committee.
• Other ways of collaborating as an organisation: donations through open collective (opensource project) and the possibility of collaboration with entities and organisations through collaboration agreements.
• open collective: there is a Decidim webpage to channel the economic relationship with the members. It also allows donations from individuals or organisations that are not members.

Others, questions and interventions

• On the policy for accepting legal entities as members:

We have seen that there is no difference in the statutes of voting rights between natural and legal persons.

It seems that the only limitation is to be part of the coordination committee.

This point can be developed in an internal regulation, but for the time being it will be left with equal representation rights in order to implement the incorporation of legal persons.

• Why isn't there more revenue from other sources?

There has not been enough time and experience during 2021.

There is a desire to start looking for other ways. The institutions themselves say that direct subsidies are not sustainable.

On 30 May, a meeting of several related associations with a similar structure is planned to think about hiring someone who could be in charge of finding funding.

The provincial councils have been approached (they could be included in the framework agreement), but for the moment it seems complicated.

Proposal of funding bodies (Pin):

• https://urgentactionfund.org/ women rights (security, feminist innovation…) 
• https://institute.aljazeera.net/en/fellowship#overview journalism / fakenews 
• https://www.opentech.fund/funds/internet-freedom-fund/ open and accesible creation of technology / impact 
• https://europeanaifund.org/ EU, mainly AI and policiy
• https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/what-we-fund/ policy/ advocacy, creation and social citizen involvement. Mozilla Foundation 
• https://www.derechosdigitales.org/sobre-el-fondo-de-respuesta-rapida/ LAC quick response funds
• https://www.ssrc.org/programs/just-tech/just-tech-fellowship/ depends on the year 
• https://digitalfreedomfund.org/grants/ Shuttleworth Foundation. strategic rights litigation 
• https://www.shuttleworthfoundation.org/ project funding to foster open knowledge 

• App: is expected by the end of this year - spring 2023. Linked to UX redesign
• Change of political scenario in 2023?

This is being considered with uncertainty.

There is the possibility of becoming a foundation / association of public utility.

At the moment there is no concrete plan.

• Openness to funding from private resources is welcomed.

It is said that there are foundations that are eager to learn about Decidim and eventually fund it.

• Will Decidim's organisational chart be redefined?

For example, to include a communication committee that could participate in the search for funding.

It was commented that it would be desirable to reactivate some working groups that are "dormant" and that the organisation chart is by no means static.

• To foresee new activities that are susceptible to funding by other entities.

This is the idea behind the development of a strategic plan from now on.