Annual Partner Dues
- Heather Greer Klein
Financial Contribution Models
Samvera recognizes there is a diversity of organizations within the Community. As such, it has developed two models for providing contributions. The first applies to the class of Partners from academic, non-profit, or similarly situated institutions. The second applies to the class of Partners that are considered a Service Provider; that is, they provide services to others for a fee.
In addition, Samvera wants to value the in-kind contributions Partners bring to our Community, while also being cognizant that the Community needs a regular and sustainable source of income. To honor these contributions and to recognize that financial situations can fluctuate, a method has been devised for providing a discount to both classes of Partners should the Partner have a financial circumstance that necessitates the need to reduce their financial contribution to the Community. A Partner facing a financial difficulty should contact that Samvera Board, board@samvera.org.
Please note that in March 2024, the Samvera Partners and Samvera Board agreed to a 5% increase to Partner dues which will take effect January 1, 2025.
Academic or Non-Profit Institutions
Not all academic, non-profit, or similarly situated institutions are in a position to contribute large sums of money. In broad terms, the model allows that each Partner is expected to contribute financially per fiscal year based on their size.
Contribution Model
The contribution model outlined in Figure 1 refers to academic institutions, non-profits, and similarly situated organizations.Ā
Ā | Institution Classification (Based on JSTOR) | Ā Ā Sustain | ||||
Very Small | Small | Medium | Large | Very Large | ||
JISC Bands | ||||||
10, 9, 8 | 7, 6 | 5A, 5B | 4, 3 | 2, 1 | ||
Minimum Contribution | $500 | $1,000 | $5,000 | $7,500 | $10,000 | $15,000 |
Figure 1. Contribution Model for Academic, Non-Profit, and Similar Institutions
Note the contribution is what is required as a Samvera Partner at minimum, partners are welcome to contribute higher dollar amounts if they so wish.Ā
Samvera Service Providers
Not all Samveraās service providersĀ are in a position to contribute large sums of money; many are small organizations that are tightly coupled to the Community.Ā
Contribution Model
The model provides that Samvera service providers pay an annual fee each fiscal year to the Samvera Community; the annual fees are based on the number of hours billed by the service provider on Samvera-based projects or hours spent on maintaining services for customers (e.g. hosting services) during Samveraās fiscal year.Ā Note that the number of billed hours is self-reported. It is expected that service providers are either tracking this information or can provide an estimation.
Samvera Service Provider Classification | ||||||
Ā | Very Small | Small | Medium | Large | Very Large | Sustain Ā Ā Ā Ā |
0 - 3000 Billed Hours | 3001 - 7,500 Billed Hours | 7,501 - 15,000 Billed Hours | 15,001 - 22,500 Billed Hours | 22,501+ Billed Hours | ||
Minimum Contribution | $500 | $1,000 | $5,000 | $7,500 | $10,000 | $15,000 |
Figure 2. Contribution Model for Samvera Service Providers
Note the contribution is what is required as a Samvera Partner at minimum, partners are welcome to contribute higher dollar amounts if they so wish.
Discount Process
In the eventuality of financial difficulty,Ā the Partner is asked to contact the Samvera Board (board@samvera.org) to discuss the issue further.