[Linux-aus] Linux Grant Application - Hubcaps to Creative Hubs: Open Source

[Adam Nielsen]

> There are also terms in the budget which are not familiar to myself
> (and probably others including) "2 Days Academic Level A.8 + OnCosts"
> and "40hrs HEW4 + OnCosts", could you expand on what these mean?

Academic A.8 and HEW4 are standard pay levels used for university
employees.  Most institutions will have a HR page where they list these
levels and what the corresponding salary is.  On-costs are things that
the employer has to pay on top of what the employee sees (e.g.
superannuation, leave entitlements, etc.)  This type of request is
quite normal for a "professional" grant, and I think this is one of the
most professional grant requests we have yet seen.

Basically these two items are a request to pay someone's regular
salary, to get two days of an academic's time, and a week of a
professional staff member's time.

I'm in two minds about whether LA grants should cover salaries.  It
seems that we could get more benefit by funding those projects where
people will donate more of their time, but then hopefully if you pay
someone you will get the job done faster.  And we don't seem to have a
shortage of grant funds.

I guess if the data is ultimately beneficial to the Linux community
then it is probably worth it.

Cheers,
Adam.