To Fund or Not to Fund...

[Chris Mason]

Members of the Donations Work Group have spoken with some Work Groups
at camp and off-camp about using a fiscal sponsor to receive funds
online and through check donations, in order to have money for urgent
needs and for future flexibility and growth of the movement. Many
people are working very hard, both at camp and in the community, to
create a diversity of tactics within the Occupy Pittsburgh movement.
We feel the Occupy Pittsburgh movement is a fluid - and hopefully
growing - collection of individuals that can move freely within the
movement. But, in order to have a better idea of which activities of
the movement may benefit from funds or additional funds, the Donation
Work Group is asking members in the online Work Groups to comment (and
we're also speaking with those at camp we haven't yet).
Do you think it is beneficial for Occupy Pittsburgh to secure a fiscal
sponsor while it works out a way to become independent? And do you
feel that funding will help or hurt the movement? And what role
should the General Assembly play in financial decisions? Thank you for
your input!

[etta]

hey chris!

i appreciate all the effort the donation crew has gone to waying all
the issues
and working on proposals.
that said. i am not concerned with securing a fiscal sponsor until we
find a better solution.
i think the sense of urgency thwarts good decision making. and i
support doing something
that people really feel good about.
i think the general assemble should definately be a part of financial
decisions.

i also think we can do a lot of stuff without funding. it acutually
pushes us to be more creative.
i like the idea of working groups being their own fundraisers. tho i
havent, like you all, weighed all
the variables. it seems like food and med supplies are most pressing
needs from my unthoughtful
end.

we all need to feel good about this. its really important. money is
what we are fighting over in the big picture
and i believe it is up to us to "be the change we want to see" and
figure out new ways of operating.

thanks for opportunity to express opinion.

etta

[Cheryl Sedlock]

I think a funding page of the occupy website would be helpful, and
discussion about it at the general assembly. On it, it would be great
to see a what needs to be donated, what has been donated, and a place
for people to request monetary donations for specific items or uses
and if monetary donations are given, what the monetary funds are used
for. Basically a very open and transparent place to see where
donations are going and what is still needed. I agree that we should
do as much as we can without money but if we have opportunites for
fiscal sponsers without stipulations from those sponsors, that we
could at the least save that money and decide collectively the best
use of the funds.

thanks!
Cheryl