Simon PooleAug 11, 2023

The downsides of being frugal.

The #OpenStreetMap Foundation spends, even with a slightly more ambitious budget this year than previously, less than %1 of what WMF/Wikipedia does, but is struggling to make ends meet.

There is no threat a la the infamous Wikipedia ads that the project will shut down, but without the funds activities will have to be cut back significantly.

If you consider OSM valuable consider https://supporting.openstreetmap.org/

OpenStreetMap Foundation – Supporting the work of the OpenStreetMap project

Show threadkristbaumAug 12, 2023
@simon Wasn't there some discussion some years ago to put OSM under the WMF umbrella? Wouldn't that still be an option, or is this unrealistic?
Show threadSimon Poole

@kristbaum not that I know of (and I know a fair bit :-)).

While the organisations are similar in many ways they are also very different. Not to mention that the WMF generally functions as the example of the kind of organisation the OSMF shouldn't turn in to (in a friendly way I point out).

So, unrealisitic, I would say

Aug 12, 2023 at 8:15amWeb
Show threadkristbaumAug 12, 2023
@simon Ah then I probably imagined that ;) But aside from how well either foundation is run, won't OSM profit massively from more resources and a bit less reliance on corporate donations? Or is this a too strong cultural difference between the two organisations?
Show threadSimon PooleAug 12, 2023
@kristbaum the later.