[Linux-aus] Application for grant: venue hire for FOMS

[Silvia Pfeiffer]

Dear LA committee, dear LA,

As you are aware, FOMS - the Foundations of Open Media Software
workshop - has taken place for several years now in the week ahead of
LCA.

FOMS brings together open source software developers around open media
software to address and fix burning issues that will help move open
media software into the limelight. Issues such as the support of Ogg
Theora/Vorbis for HTML5 in Firefox, Webkit, Chrome and other browsers,
or the definition of an open audio api are key issues of concern. Much
good code and new technologies originate at FOMS.

In recent years we have always managed to find a sponsor for the venue
of FOMS - NICTA, the Victorian Government, a university room as part
of the LCA hire.

Wellington, however, seems to be a really difficult location. Our
venue sponsorship with a company just fell through. We have now tried
multiple organisations and nobody is prepared to give us a room for
the 3 days of this year's FOMS for free.

We have, however, managed to get a special offer from Standards New
Zealand, which comes to roughly A$950 - all other offers are a
multiple of this price.

FOMS is working on a fairly tight financial basis where sponsorship
money goes towards flying in open source developers - which,
incidentally, typically end up being LCA attendees/helpers.

Thus, as representative of the FOMS organising committee, I would like
to request sponsorship from LA for the A$950 for FOMS 2010 venue hire.
We are more than happy to put the LA logo on the Website to credit the
sponsorship.

Please let me know if you require more information.
BTW: the workshop will already be in 8 weeks.

Thanks very much for any help you can provide.

Best Regards,
Silvia.
---
Silvia Pfeiffer
FOMS Organising Committee
President Annodex Association