Re: Some quick questions

[Patricia Fraser <trish@thefrasers.org>]

Okay, I'm getting into this! Tony & other Qlders, congrats on a great
start - now let's see how well we can help you keep going!

(I'm yer southern Secretary, in case you can't be bothered scrolling to
the bottom...)

> These questions are for anyone in the established
> computer bank projects.
> 
> What is the status of your organisation as a
> charity/non-profit ?

Okay, the application is in - we have just received a letter back asking
for more info. So, I guess it's pending...
> 
> What are the perks here for a company who wants to
> donate stuff to a computer bank - do they get tax
> deductions etc, can you ellaborate on this ? 

Once that status is confirmed, we expect them to get deductions - that's
one of the main reasons we're doing it. We have found that it's not
entirely necessary, but we hope that it will encourage corporate donors
to give us some of the newer stuff that currently they're hanging onto
until the book value is zero...
> 
> Do you bundle internet access in with the computers
> that you donate, what are the arrangements for this?

Not at this stage. We've had some modem donations, and we do give those
out, but we haven't been able to arrange a freebie with an ISP yet. Good
luck with the Qld ISPs; you may have better luck.

Down here we have several flat-fee ISPs who are quite cheap; Bill has
also been researching the free services like goconnect and freeonline,
and can fill you in on those.

> Have you been able to get ISPs to donate dial up
> accounts to go with the computers?

See above...
 
> Do you see a need for an "ISP Bank" project ?

Could be useful; how would you work it, do you think?
> 
> What ratio of technical/non-technical people does your
> organisation need to run smoothly ?

80% techie, 20% admin seems to work pretty well.
> 
> What types of companies/organisations have you found
> to be the best sources of donations?

All sorts - get yourselves publicised (newspapers, radio) and you'll
find it just starts rolling in. Get your government and tertiary
education networks going; those guys have a *lot* of computers.
> 
> What does your organisation do for space in terms of
> both storage and places to assemble systems and train
> the end users ?

This was a major hassle until Bruce, the CBV Hero, found Horticultural
Hall for us. This is a Heritage building, managed by Parks Victoria,
which is used by all sorts of community groups - we have a lockable room
and storage there, and use the hall for workshops &c. Do you have a
Heritage Queensland, as in a Government Body? otherwise, try church
halls, that sort of thing, and see what you can do there.
> 
> Have you been able to get donations of space ? 

See above! It took us about 14 months to find this, and until then we
had computers all over Melbourne...!

Keep it up!

8-)

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Trish Fraser, Sunbury, Australia
trish@thefrasers.org
http://www.computerbank.org.au/victoria
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ComputerBank Australia -- http://www.computerbank.org.au/