Topic: Good Donation Amount

[newburns]

What is a good donation amount to use as a standard? Or better yet, what does everyone else donate? Do you use a percentage?
I have been asked to partner with another IT Hosting Company to install SME in some clinics and small doctors offices. I will roughly make $400 or more. What is a good donation amount from my profit, not considering adding the cost to the overall job total?

[purvis]

If your donating from a business. It is a cost.  Accounting 101.
It should be treated as a cost to your job and not  a donation.

[guest22]

How about this:

Add 1 extra labour hour to the invoice to your clients _per_ sever. Thus an SME Server donation of extra services do not show up on the invoice as such, avoiding discussions on a stange line entry on the invoice.

Then you can make a donation to SME Server for that 1 extra hour worth net $ and request an invoice from SME Server. Then consider doing this once per quarter year per server lifetime.

Customer is happy with a stable platform
You don't pay yourself for someone else has the benefit of usage (Your Customer)
You benefit from the SME Server forums, wiki,, contribs, bug resolving and builds. Thus adding to your professional value.
SME Server has a future so it can keep serving new and existing home/business users

My 2cents.

guest

 

[newburns]

Thankyou, so essentially, an estimated $80-$120 per SME installation at $80/month - $120/quarter.

That's what I was looking for. A good standard to declare before I begin. The ultimate goal is to have more, but the bare minimum should be something. I just want to establish my bare minimum.

[guest22]

@all readers, this amount may _seem_ high, but please do not forget:

1. Businesses around the globe benefit hugely from SME Server as cost effective alternative to the very costly 'established' players like e.g. MS etc.
2. Open Source does not mean cost free. Somebody has to nstall, maintain and keep/gain knowledge. (Argument towards businesses)
3. Commercial business operate to make a profit, contribs.org operates to have an existence at all
4. For non commercial business, consider adding the extra hour per half/year only.
5. Contribs.org adds massive value to your knowledge so you are able to deploy, help and assist with SME Server installs more effectively
6. Your donation and the customers 'extra hour' are probably 100% tax deductable if not the complete amount (depending on your invoice to customer)
7. You don't pay anything yourself, and SME Server/contribs.org plays an important role in your commercial endeavours
8. You keep to keep track of a small part of your administration to make the donations to SME Server per quater year, that's all we ask from you.

guest

[Stefano]

@all readers, this amount may _seem_ high, but please do not forget:

1. Businesses around the globe benefit hugely from SME Server as cost effective alternative to the very costly 'established' players like e.g. MS etc.
2. Open Source does not mean cost free. Somebody has to nstall, maintain and keep/gain knowledge. (Argument towards businesses)
3. Commercial business operate to make a profit, contribs.org operates to have an existence at all
4. For non commercial business, consider adding the extra hour per half/year only.
5. Contribs.org adds massive value to your knowledge so you are able to deploy, help and assist with SME Server installs more effectively
6. Your donation and the customers 'extra hour' are probably 100% tax deductable if not the complete amount (depending on your invoice to customer)
7. You don't pay anything yourself, and SME Server/contribs.org plays an important role in your commercial endeavours
8. You keep to keep track of a small part of your administration to make the donations to SME Server per quater year, that's all we ask from you.

guest

I would use the FB's "like" button if I could

Thank you, excellent post