Freedonia Grant

Freedonia's Goals/Mission

In our 2007 Granting Period, Freedonia will prioritize applications that focus on economic alternatives. This may include:

.Organizing around economic issues, with a focus on economic alternatives .Organizing around alternative economic models .Research and development of practical ecomomic alternatives .building capacity and tools within groups working to address economic alternatives

Freedonia Mission Statement

Freedonia was founded in 1997 by Gary Moffatt as an expression of his lifetime commitment to anarchism and to building social and economic alternatives to capitalism. In keeping with this anti-authoritarian vision, Freedonia is a catalyst for the development of movements promoting radical democratic and systemic change.

Freedonia supports projects which:

   * generate, explore, analyze, and promote practical democratic social and economic models;
   * demonstrate or test models of democratic economic and/or political organization;
   * demonstrate or test approaches to implementing anti-authoritarian social change;
   * enhance ability to generate anti-authoritarian social change through development and expansion of skills, tools, and participation.
   * enhance practical co-operation among groups that share Freedonia's vision; 

In addition to funding projects, Freedonia also

   * Builds relationships with and among groups we support
   * Provides referals to other resources
   * Leverages other resources to advance our goals
   * Builds our own fund and capacity
   * Shares information about our work and vision
   * Reflects our commitments in our investment policy statement

THE GRANT QUESTIONS

Parent/Sponsoring Organization (if any):

Free Geek Portland, Oregon

Names of Officers/Officials (if any)

Board of Directors

Ifny LaChance

Scott Nelson

Simeon Veldstra

Signing Officers

David Repa

Sean Hill

Aim/Mission of Organization/Group:

Free Geek is a non profit community organization that recycles used technology to provide computers, education, Internet access, and job skills training to those in need in exchange for community service.

Year founded:

2006

How does your structure and mandate support Freedonia’s mission statement?

Free Geek supports Freedonia's mission statement in two main ways.

• Free Geek operates in a non-hierarchal structure. Our decisions are consensus-based, and all of our communications are available to the public. Free Geek's transparency and dedication to inclusion is proof that a more positive way is possible for people to interact and conduct daily affairs.
• Free Geek offers an alternative economic model in the form of trading proportional amounts of personal labour for items needed.

Name/Title of Project:

Start-up

Goal(s) and Objective(s) of Project – What do you hope to achieve by the project?

Our goal is the successful start-up of a sustainable community technology centre in Vancouver. To achieve this goal we have six main objectives:

Computer Recycling

Computer donations are Free Geek's exclusive source for computer hardware, both for the equipment we provide to the community and for building our own infrastructure. By accepting all computer equipment, in any condition, we aim to present Free Geek as a convenient recycler for individuals, organisations, and small businesses. To date, we have already received twenty private donations, and four corporate donations.

Besides donations, our recycling program will create two revenue streams. So far, we have observed that two-thirds of our customers need to dispose of monitors; Free Geek charges a $10 disposal fee for each donated monitor. This fee covers costs associated with the responsible environmental disposal of unusable monitors. Second, as part of the recycling process, non-repairable and obsolete equipment will be broken down into base materials, such as steel, aluminum, and copper. These commodities will be sold to our recycling partners. We aim to recycle as locally as possible, in conjunction with organisations maintaining 'best practices.'

Computer Adoption

Free Geek's Adoption program allows individuals to exchange work in our recycling operation for a starter computer system of their own. During their time at Free Geek, volunteers will be exposed to computers on several different levels. Volunteers work in three basic areas, receiving, recycling and testing. In receiving, they learn to identify hardware and become familiar with the use of the mouse and keyboard by testing them. In recycling, volunteers learn how computer components fit together. Testing teaches volunteers how to insert and remove components from computers and how to run diagnostic software. After completing 24 hours of work, volunteers receive their computer and participate in an introductory class on computer use.

Computer Building

This program is Free Geek's most technically demanding. As the name suggests, the Build program creates all the computers needed for our other programs. Volunteers are taught how to build computers working exclusively with used parts. The tested hardware is assembled into standardized desktop computers that are then loaded with Free/Open Source operating systems and applications software. Each system passes a quality control test before it is released to an adopter. In exchange for the more detailed training necessary to begin this work, volunteers in the Build program agree to complete six computer systems. After completing six systems, volunteers are invited to keep the sixth computer for themselves. The remaining five computers are distributed into the community through our Adoption and Hardware Grants programs.

Computer Education

The education program's motto is: "If we give someone their first computer, we need to teach them how to use it." Introductory classes on computer use form the core of a curriculum that will be expanded to include computer building, Linux command line basics and advanced computer programming languages such as Perl and Python. Our classes are taught by experienced volunteers, many of whom have worked together to get Free Geek off the ground. The teachers will work together to organise classes and curriculum to support each of Free Geek's program areas. Education is ongoing for volunteers, from the moment they enter Free Geek's doors to long after they receive their computer systems and have them set up in their homes. We believe that everyone has something to learn and everyone has something to teach. Additionally, volunteering time, taking classes, and gaining hands-on experience with computers are all excellent resume building skills for those looking to increase their chances for employment.

Computer Hardware Grants

While our first priority is building and supporting the systems that we give to our volunteers through the Adoption program, extra systems and other hardware will be granted to other non-profits and social change organizations, not individuals. A non-profit may choose to sponsor an individual who is unable to participate in the Adoption program. We will be granting hardware to non-profit and social change organizations local to Vancouver, British Columbia.

Computer Thrift Store

We anticipate that, in time, Free Geek will receive more equipment than can be refurbished efficiently. In addition, equipment donated will not necessarily arrive in equal amounts (i.e. approximately 10 good keyboards are donated for every usable computer). This surplus equipment and other donations that have some retail value, but do not meet program requirements, will be sold through the Free Geek Computer Thrift Store. Monitors, printers, keyboards, cables, and speakers will be among the many items available in the store. By selling surplus equipment, Free Geek further works towards putting working, usable equipment back into circulation. The Free Geek store will also sell various products such as t-shirts, mugs, stickers, and items made from recycled computer parts. The thrift store is a vital part of the Free Geek financial strategy for self-sufficiency.

Strategy(ies) and Activity(ies) of Project – How will the project work toward its goal(s)?

We have already presented our aims and intent to the original Free Geek in Portland, Oregon and have secured permission to use their name.

Scheduled public meetings occur on a monthly basis with impromptu organising and action being done through internet relay chat (IRC), email lists, and small informal meetings.

Individuals have been organised by interest and skill into workgroups designed to tackle our various start-up needs. Each of these workgroups has a mailing list through which much informal organising is done between meetings.

These workgroups are:

• Governance
Governance issues are sensitive and affect all other areas of operation. We are moving toward a March 2007 inaugural AGM at which we will shape our bylaws and solidify our definition of consensus-based decision making. Discussion is currently centring on the issues of consensus and how to define a Free Geek member as these will largely govern how we make future decisions.
• Location
We are in the process of sourcing a centrally-accessible location to operate from. The location will be near major transit routes to assist our volunteers in reaching us and must have enough space to work on received computers and sell from our computer thrift store. This search is largely being done by word of mouth with discussion focusing on how each location will affect our overall strategy and other goals.
• Recycling
As much of our intake will be in the form of unusable computers and hardware, recycling is a major priority. We are in the process of interviewing local recyclers as possible partners in our recycling program. This interview process includes querying them on their own processes and values, and making sure they meet our standards of responsible recycling.
• Software
We are deciding which software will be installed on the computers we build and what software we will use for our internal operations. All software will be licensed under the Free or Open Source models, an area where our start-up coordinators have a great deal of combined experience.
• Communication (Publicity/Fund raising/Outreach/Events)
Fundraising and making the Free Geek name well known are extremely important tasks. We are currently in the process of applying for grants and seeking private donations to cover the capital requirements of our start-up. We have also organised a Free Geek movie night and a "Linux Clinic" to provide support for and raise the profile of the software we will be distributing. Lastly, we have been finalising our business plan, and generating documentation regarding Free Geek.
• Content (Website/Listserve)
Our website is regularly being redesigned to present an accessible face to anyone seeking to learn who we are and what we do.
• Curriculum (Education)
While we don't have a facility to work out of, we are still providing education through our "Linux Clinic". The Education group decides what to teach in the clinic and who will be on hand to help people who come to the clinic nights. This group will also be a forum for volunteer teachers in the future.
• Health & Safety
As electronics carry the hazards of injury and toxic materials, we recognize the need to organise around health & safety. This is in the early stages and will become more active upon finding a location and beginning to develop our processing procedures.

Area(s) of Work – The project addresses the following of Freedonia’s identified priority funding areas.

• "Organizing around economic issues, with a focus on economic alternatives"
Free Geek will directly address the economic disparity between those who are able to afford expensive, up to date computer equipment and those who cannot.
• "Organizing around alternative economic models"
Free Geek offers an alternative economic model through its volunteer programs. Volunteers can obtain free computers and access to the Internet in exchange for their labour. There is no money required by this model in order to receive goods.
• "Research and development of practical economic alternatives"
Free Geek will already be using an alternative economic model that was created by Free Geek in Portland. However, we aim to improve upon this model by adapting it to the direct needs of our communities.
• "The building of capacity and acquisition of tools for groups working to create economic alternatives."
Free Geek needs a space with which to practice and develop its alternative economic model. Freedonia funding would go towards the cost of acquiring such a space.

Why is this project necessary?

The Free Geek project is necessary for several reasons.

Every year the Greater Vancouver Regional District buries 20,000 tonnes of computers, monitors, printers, and TV sets in landfill sites.[1] Not only is this waste highly hazardous to human/animal health and the environment, but much of it is still highly usable or its basic components recyclable.

Free Geek will help to stop dangerous waste from making its way into the general environment. Through responsible recycling, hazardous materials can be reclaimed and recycled or re-used, diverting them from the landfill.

We will also be able to stem the tide of useful equipment being thrown away before it ceases to function. For economic reasons, many organisations and individuals go without computer tools which could help to improve their access to information and communication networks. Free Geek will identify and redirect these tools into the hands of those who need them.

The current digital divide in Vancouver is another reason Free Geek is necessary. Many of societies most vulnerable people have little or no access to the Internet. In these modern times, it can be the difference between finding apartments, jobs, and government assistance or not. Free Geek seeks to bridge this divide.

Likewise, Free and Open Source software is in a position to challenge the dominant consumer-controlling economic model of proprietary software. As all of the machines we produce will be loaded with FOS software, we will act as a strong advocate of an alternate method of software creation and sharing.

[1] Electronic trash to be banned, William Boei, Vancouver Sun, Wednesday, September 27, 2006

How does your project relate to Freedonia’s program goals?

Free Geek is being placed at the forefront of the movement to deal responsibly with the great volume of what is currently electronic waste.

We will provide an alternative to the standard recycling model by using these past-prime goods as an engine to alter the economic balance in the favour of those who are often bypassed by the benefits of technological advancement.

Our inclusive, open styles of governance and education will ensure that those we seek to benefit will have the maximum amount of say in how we actually act.

Why is your organization/group best qualified and able to undertake this project?

We are a diverse group of individuals with a wide range of experience in all of the areas required to achieve success in this undertaking. We have combined experience in:

• Community organisation and activism
Bicycle activism, Spartacus Books, Indymedia, Free Geek Portland
• Non-profit operation
Spartacus Books, Indymedia, Free Geek Portland
• Computer hardware and software
Software development, general computer expertise, Free and Open Source software advocacy, computer science students and graduates
• Recycling logistics
Professional recycling industry experience
• Consensus-based governance
Spartacus Books, Indymedia, Free Geek Portland,
• Occupational Health and Safety
Construction Safety Officer

Geographical Region/Scope of Project:

The Free Geek project will focus on the Greater Vancouver Regional District of BC, but hopes also to provide the groundwork for other similarly motivated projects starting up in other areas.

Who will benefit from the project?

The Free Geek project will provide a general benefit to all by helping to relieve pressure on the environment due to the release of toxic electronic waste into the landfill.

Due to economic circumstances, a large portion of our volunteers will likely have limited experience with and infrequent access to computers. Free Geek will provide these people with useful hardware and skills training to put it to good use.

How will you involve the project’s beneficiaries, and communicate with them?

As a large portion of our direct beneficiaries will be our volunteers, they will be integrated into and even help to direct our operations. Communications will begin with volunteer training and go right up until software training when a volunteer walks out the door with their own computer.

The majority of our meetings will be open and accessible. We are developing a consensus model which will allow participation in the decision making process based upon meeting attendance and involvement.

Project Evaluation – How will you determine the effectiveness and impact of the project?

Effectiveness and impact will be measured through multiple channels:

• Financial stability
Our ultimate goal is to produce a financially sustainable non-profit organisation which is able to achieve our mission.
• Statistics
Measuring the volume of donations which would otherwise likely end up in the landfill will give us a sense of the impact we are having on waste diversion. The volume of hardware we provide to other non-profits and our volunteers will show the economic impact we are having upon our target audience.
• Feedback
Feedback from our volunteers will tell us how we have performed in providing them with the tools and instructions required to help with their work and to make use of the hardware they have received. This feedback will be facilitated by an open meeting structure and consensus-based decision making process.

Proposed Starting Date:

May 1, 2007. (or earlier)

Estimated Completion Date:

Ongoing

Budget – Please provide a detailed budget for the project (this may be submitted as an attachment).

a) Total cost of the project $56,000

b) Amount requested from Freedonia $10,000

Other funding sources for the project (if any):

Other sources for funding include:

Current
• $10 disposal fee on CRT monitors
• Private donations
Future (once a location has been secured)
• Thrift store revenue
• Recycling materials revenue

Other relevant information that will help us assess your application (please feel free to include attachments):

Our Website - freegeekvancouver.org

Sister Website - freegeek.org