

Ask HN: How do you convince your company to donate to open source projects? - skrabbit

Have any of you convinced the corp you work for to donate funds to open source projects that you use? How did you convince management to do so?
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It's all about what's in it for the company or the executive that has to pony
up the funds. Want to donate to the w3, but the company isn't sold on it? Are
you competitors a part of w3? If so, why? If not, what could your company get
out of it that could be helpful?

Business decision are based on a few drivers: 1) passion 2) ego 3) talking
points 4) ROI 5) strategic objectives

If you can't plant the seeds as to how the donation aligns with one or more of
the aforementioned points, it probably won't happen.

For example, if your company wants to hire more technical talent: 5

If your boss likes to speak at events or be involved in cross functional,
cross industry teams, for whatever reason: 1 or 2

If a leader needs to demonstrate "out side of the box thinking " or "good
corporate / community partnerships": 3

If your leader can make the company more money, or otherwise put the company
in a better position by influencing the next generation of XYZ's standards: 4
or 5

That's how you put your best effort forward, but that still may not get the
funds flowing. Best of luck!

