(Posted at https://earth-regenerators.mn.co/events/er-fund-governance-weekly-call-a?instance_index=20220304T020000Z)
By way of follow-up to this evening’s Call A discussion (3/3/22), here are some quick notes from my perspective about the E-R Fund and related issues:
1. We started with a review of the outstanding requests — for Benji, Rachel, Diogo, and Alpha (for the current status see the meeting notes), and essentially agreed that we were generally in favor of addressing these requests, but could not do so until we know what’s in the ER Fund, and how it relates to the separate Barichara Fund. (It was suggested that Rachel’s request might be redirected to the Barichara Fund because she is currently onsite and the request relates to her work there.)
2. I raised the question of creating an ER Financial Picture, and identifying the questions we need to answer and the data we need to answer them.
3. In addition to setting up the accounts it might be helpful to do a Miro board picture of how the funds relate to each other as well as how they’re connected to the Patreon or GoFundMe accounts, and how these relate to (a) the multiple types of capital, or polycapitals, (b) the cryptocurrency funds and platforms, (c) Travis’ concept of Liquid Giving, (d) the Regen.Network relationship, (e) the Ecoversity, (f) the Right Livlihood Fund, and (g) the meta-conversation about fund structures and governance, and of doing economics differently.
4. Midi and JP discussed the use of Loomio, and will look to extend the invitation and quick review of the platform to those of us who are not on it.
5. It was suggested that there be a Donate button on the ER site — which brings up the question of which platform to use, whether and how to accept cryptocurrency donations, whether there are US donations looking for a tax receipt, etc. It was suggested that we consider Open Collective instead of Patreon.
6. There was discussion of using the blockchain to distribute funds, because of the costs and challenges of transferring funds internationally, though there may also be challenges in converting the crypto to local currencies where needed.
7. I suggested we look at the Common Good platform — see information here and here — as another way of exchanging funds.
8. We discussed the need to bring together a group involving Todd Youngblood, Travis Kriplean, Stan Curtis, Midi, Gail, Penny, and others with Joe to offload the responsibilities that he is currently dealing with to a system that can manage them more effectively.
9. Just to keep track of the many issues involving our Fiscal Sponsorship of ER, I’ve created a simple WordPress site perhaps mainly for my own use but ultimately open to all of the members who might be interested, and in order to provide greater access and transparency: http://e-r.possibleplanet.org/
10. For example, it’s unclear where this kind of update ought to be posted, e.g., here, under Call B, or in the Creating the Earth Regenerators Fund Course generally, or the Earth Regeneration Fund Group, etc.