[freegeek-startup] random questions

[lar]

Some replies from PDX:

On 12/11/06, Eric Brown <ericbrow at gmail.com> wrote:
> 1.  About how many donors require a receipt for tax purposes?  In
> other words, do you have many people that just want to get rid of the
> stuff and don't care for a receipt?
We encourage everyone to take a receipt (making them up creates a
record of each donation, so we can track trends). Sometimes a person
doesn't want one: our policy then is to just ask for their zip code,
so we have a little information to associate with the record.

> 2. For the build program, how do you deal with a computer that is
> partially built when someone has to leave?  Do they have their own
> storage cubby or work space?
Our build area has space under the counters where people put
computers-in-progress. The idea is that people should put a label with
a date on the machine so that we can cull abandoned machines after a
certain amount of time. This doesn't always work, but it's better than
nothing. (I don't know if you use the build paperwork that we do, but
it's stored separately and can be matched up with the gizmo number on
the system so we know whose it is.)

> 3.  I'm finding filing paperwork, and actually starting work, is a
> chicken and egg kind of problem.  I'm sure some of you started working
> before you had your tax id number.  How do you go about collecting
> funds, signing leases, or doing business in general before you're
> "official"?
Sorry, i don't have the answer to this. I wasn't really involved in
much of the adminiatrative stuff back in the day.

> 4.  How many board members have you started with?  I realize the state
> minimum for me may be different than the rest of you, but is there a
> good working number out there?
We currently have seven. The bylaws call for at least five but not
more than 11. In the past, we've had very hands-off boards that,
despite their small size, had difficulty attaining quorum. With the
positive response you've gotten, you probably won't have that problem!
I guess the key thing is not number, but what role you want the board
to take and what skills you want to have represented. A very active
board should probably have more people so the tasks can be spread
around.

Hope some of that helps.

laurel