Reimbursement Guidelines for Events & Activities
Contents
The GNOME Foundation sets aside a budget each year to help local organizers put on GNOME-related events and activities throughout the year. The specific budgets for these events and activities are usually posted about on their designated wiki pages, or announced via email, usually to foundation-list@gnome.org and engagement-list@gnome.org.
If you recently put on a GNOME-related event or activity and are looking for reimbursement, here are some useful tips for how to ensure that we are able to process your reimbursement.
Before the event or activity
Verify Reimbursement Payment Options
Make sure that you are able to receive money through one of the payment options that we provide, and verify which option is the best for you. You may need to sign up for a user account and get verification before you are able to receive money for some services.
Currently, the payment options we provide are:
TransferWise - usually best for international transfers due to lower currency conversion fees than some other providers
PayPal - works well for US transfers, usually has high currency conversion fees
Bank Transfer - there is often a heavy transfer fee associated for recipients, and there is always a heavy fee for the GNOME Foundation. We recommend this only for large reimbursements (< $200 USD)
US Check - some other countries may accept US checks, but we usually only recommend this option for people living in the United States
Our bank account is in the United States. You may need to call your bank or contact the payment providers to understand all of the fees associated with transfers to your region. Understanding the fees that you might be charged is your responsibility as we normally are unable to reimburse for transfer fees.
Keep receipts
Make sure you keep any relevant receipts and follow any specific guidelines that are announced (such as only being allowed to use the funds towards food, not alcohol). If you have any questions, you should contact anyone listed as a point of contact for that event, or else email the Board at board@gnome.org.
Take photos
Having events and activities around the world helps us raise awareness around GNOME, so keep that in mind when you host your events and activities. The more you post about what you do, the more you inspire others to hold similar events, and the more awareness you spread to new users and contributors.
It's easy to get sucked into the event when you're there, so remember to schedule in some time to take some photos of the event. The more the better! If you need to delegate this task, you may want to ask someone to else to take photos and send them to you later.
Always be sure to respect people's privacy and ask them before if you can take a picture of them.
After the event or activity
Publicize the Event
Write a blog post and mention that your event was sponsored by the GNOME Foundation. Many people like to include a sponsorship badge, which you can download here.
If you don't have a blog, you can publicize the event on other social media accounts, but the more publicity the better!
Fill out the reimbursement spreadsheet
Download a reimbursement template spreadsheet and complete it to the best of your ability.
We prefer sending money through TransferWise in your local currency to minimize transaction fees. You can learn more about TransferWise and sign up for an account here.
Send an email to the reimbursement contact
Send your reimbursement request to the contact listed on the event-specific wiki page. In the body of the email, include the total amount requested, as well as the following:
- Link to any social media or blog posts you made
- A photo or scanned copy of your receipts
- Your fully completed reimbursement spreadsheet
The contact listed for reimbursement will review your submission and let you know if he or she has any questions. Once approved, the reimbursement will take a few additional days to process. On average, reimbursement may take about 2 weeks from the day you submit it, but it can vary. Do not hesitate in following up if needed.
Thank you for helping to make GNOME awesome!