Free Geek Startup Trademark Use Application

This is a page concerning a policy or procedure in development.
Once fleshed out, we'll consider it for adoption as official policy at Free Geek.

We still need to break the following into step one questions and step two questions.

Why are we doing this?

We need some way to ensure that new Free Geeks actually understand what "Free Geek" means, and that they're involved in the larger Free Geek community. We also want to help ensure that new startups have a feasible startup plan.

Introduction

This list of questions can be overwhelming to consider, but it's not as overwhelming as actually starting up a new Free Geek. When allowing a new startup to affiliate or use the Free Geek name, we don't require that every last thing is ready. That could stifle a startup right off the bat, which is not what we're trying to do. But we do want to know that new folks have at least thought about it all and have an idea of what they're getting into.

We are in the process of breaking this application into a two part process. Here's the basic outline of the process:

Step One

Make sure you understand what a Free Geek is and establish communication with the mothership:

• Read the Free Geek Principles
• Decide: are you applying to
  1. be an affiliate? OR
  2. use the Free Geek name?
• Familiarize yourself with the basic documentation:
  • Free Geek Startups
  • Getting Your Own Free Geek Started
  • Mission Statement
  • Free Geek Bylaws
  • Site Analysis Guidelines
  • E-Waste Best Practices
  • Free Geek Definitions
• Join the Free Geek Startups mailing list
  • Introduce yourselves to the rest of us
• Copy the basic application for preliminary status (below) into an email, answer the questions, and mail to franchise@freegeek.org
• We will review the basic application and make a determination about your application for preliminary status as a Free Geek or affiliate

Step Two

Once you've achieved preliminary status a more thorough application process starts. In this stage we'll help the applicant through the processes of:

• Incorporation
• Setting up your decision making bodies
• Getting your bylaws together
• Learning how to run your business in a democratic and inclusive way without bogging down in too much process
• Researching the recycling industry in your area
• Building up your infrastructure
• Recruiting volunteers to help out
• When ready, submit a much more lengthy application for ongoing status as a Free Geek or affiliate

Basic Application for Preliminary Status

Read the instructions above, and mail this application with answers to franchise@freegeek.org. We will then consider your application for preliminary status.

put application here

The following questions should be asked of the people applying to be a startup:

• Have you reviewed the documentation?
• Are you applying to
  1. be an affiliate? or
  2. use the Free Geek name?
• Do you agree with the Free Geek Principles and the Free Geek Mission Statement?
• How does your volunteer group make decisions?
  • How are decisions recorded?
  • How do you encourage participation?
• Please explain the difference between a for-profit recycling and reuse company and a Free Geek style organization?
• How any people are already in your group?
  • What kinds of skills do your volunteers have?
  • What kinds of skills do you need to recruit?
  • How much time do you estimate your volunteers be spending on making Free Geek work?
• Infrastructure for communicating with other Free Geeks:
  • Have you joined the Free Geek Startups mailing list?
  • Do you know how to contact us via IRC?
  • Do you know how to contact us via phone?
  • Do you know how to contact us via snail mail?

Final Application for Ongoing Status

Background Research and Development Plan

• Have you made contact with local recycling partners?
• What facilities will you likely be using for disposal of e-waste?
  • Have you researched their recycling practices?
    • Do they send e-waste overseas? Where?
    • Do they use prison labor?
    • What do they process that ends up in a landfill?
• Do you know how much it will cost you to recycle:
  • Batteries?
  • Monitors?
• Do you know how much you are likely to make off of
  • Processors?
  • Circuit boards?
• Have you made contacts with other community organizations...
  • that work with free or open source software?
  • that work with communities of people who lack technology or technical skills?
• Volunteer recruitment
  • Do you already have volunteers that are willing to work on a weekly basis?
    • How many volunteers?
    • How many hours per week?
  • How do you plan to recruit more volunteers?
• Start up funding
  • How much startup funding do you already have?
  • How much will rent for your initial space likely cost?
  • How do you plan to raise more startup funds?

Infrastructure

• Your own infrastructure:
  • Do you need hardware to help you get started?
    • If so, do you know how to apply for a grant from the mothership?
  • Do you understand what software the other Free Geeks are using for infrastructure? (Free Geek in Portland has a Software Overview page.)

New Questions

• Who signed (or will sign) the following documents (if you have or are applying for them)?
  • lease for space
  • articles of incorporation
  • bank account
  • bylaws
  • loan
  • foundation grant application
• Describe your role in the organization.
• Who is (or will be) answering questions from the general public?
• Describe how your decision making process will change as you grow?
• How many people do you anticipate will be on your paid staff?
• Which will you be using to make decisions, formal consensus or majority rule or some other process?
  • Why?
• How do you determine who will be in your main decision making group?
• Do you have experienced meeting facilitators working with your group? If not, how will you recruit them?