[Inpycon] [PSF-Members] [x-post] Register 'Pycon-India' or 'Python-India'?

[Steve Holden, Chairman, PSF]

Hi, Vid:

vid wrote:
> Hello PSF members,
> 
> As you may be aware, Pycon India recently concluded and we were
> discussing[0] details about registering a Pycon-India
> society/association/organisation -mainly for Tax purposes.
> 
> [0] http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/inpycon
> 
Congratulations on your successful conference! reading Noufal's
conference blog took me back to PyCon 2003, the first such event over
here (where we had only 250 delegates).

> Registration will enable the volunteers to approach sponsors directly
> as opposed to the current situation of routing it through another NPO.
> During the discussions on the list, the following suggestions arose :
> 
> 0. Register an organisation solely for conferences : Pycon-India.
> 1. Register it as an organisation, 'Python-India', that will take on
> the umbrella activity of spreading Python in India.
> 
> The legalese for both would differ in the Memorandum of Article (MoA)
> and it was suggested that the PSF be contacted for their take on this.
>  Please share your views on the above.
> 
> Note : This mail is CC'd to the Inpycon list so please feel free to
> mail your replies to the list "inpycon at python.org"
> 
> Thanks,

You are probably aware that the Python Software Foundation has charity
non-profit (501(c)(3)) status in the USA. When it was formed conferences
weren't really something the directors had thought about, but they
agreed to underwrite PyCon. Fortunately that first conference made a
profit, and so there was no need to call on PSF funds.

Thus an informal arrangement grew up between the PSF and PyCon, and all
finances have been run through the PSF. This year, however, the
conference made a loss of more than $200,000. While our reserves were,
thankfully, sufficient to withstand this loss it has highlighted the
wisdom of separating the conference organization from the Foundation's
other activities.

In our case, of course, the Foundation also has the primary duty of
protecting and curating the intellectual property vested in the Python
language. Since Python India would not be encumbered in this way such
considerations may not be as important to you. The main thing is to have
a financial umbrella that can be used as the focus of event
organization, and hopefully can remove liability from the individuals
who actually arrange things.

I have considered trying to separate PyCon from the PSF on a formal
basis, but the advice I have had is that non-profits in the USA are best
advised not to start subsidiary (commercial) corporations without very
good reason. We (the PSF) are already contractually committed to funding
PyCon through 2012, so any changes we may decide to make in that
direction will be relatively long term. I see it mostly as a matter of
isolating the Foundation from financial risk, thereby avoiding putting
the intellectual property in jeopardy.

Trevor Toenjes raised the issue of a potential "chapter" relationship
between Python India and the PSF. This is something I have promoted in
several public talks, but which as yet has no formal backing from the
Board. I have not yet done sufficient research to know whether there are
any legal impediments to forming such relationships. There are other
organizations such a the EuroPython Society and the PyCon UK Society
which are also incorporated as non-profits in their appropriate
jurisdictions, and with whom we might similarly consider such a
relationship.

One thing I am fairly confident about, though, is that it won't depend
on the chapter organization having a particular name. I don't therefore
think you need to consider using the name "Python Software Foundation"
for India, any more than I would think it necessary to ask the
EuroPython Society to change its name were they to incorporate as a PSF
chapter. "Python India" or "PyCon India" would both be fine by me, and I
wish you luck with your incorporation.

Fraternally yours
Steve
-- 
Steve Holden        Chairman, Python Software Foundation
Visit Us At                       http://python.org/psf/
Watch PyCon on video now!          http://pycon.blip.tv/