Re: GSoC - continue: answer to Google's question

[David Kastrup]

Graham Percival <address@hidden> writes:

> If the money gets to sent to the FSF as a vendor under the google
> checkout system, it shows up in their bank account.  As a registered
> non-profit, they need to account for money coming in and out,
> otherwise it looks like they're doing money laundering.
>
> Maybe they have a set policy for dealing with GSoC and won't blink an
> eye at forwarding that money to a personal paypal account.

AFAIR, they have the default policy of taking the GSoC payments and, if
asked by someone (mentor? project maintainer?), to reissue it.  I
remember that the initial approach was to just take it, and that was
when I declared that I would not offer to act as a mentor if the money
set aside for that task was just going elsewhere.  I believe they
changed that initial policy in the mean time.

> If so, there's no problem.  But I would doubt that they have such a
> policy -- and getting the FSF investigated due to tax evasion or
> something would suck.  I like to be extra-cautious when it comes to
> money and legal affairs.

The FSF are perfectly equipped to deal with money and legal affairs as
cautious as necessary.  But you should not wait until the last minute
for checking out the details and getting them to act.

I seem to remember that Karl Berry was somewhat involved with the GSoC
guidelines for the FSF: perhaps informally asking him how to proceed
might get you on track fastest.

-- 
David Kastrup