Sponsoring ZOO-Project

The development and maintenance of the ZOO-Project is supported by volunteer time and also by organizations contracting developers, by organizations, users, and other volunteers contributing improvements.

Many tasks such as processing bug reports, writing documentation, testing, translations, web site updates and user support often require more than purely volunteer effort and time. Some new features of broad interest are not yet implemented because of they may not be the immediate priority of core-developers.

In order to provide funding to support the maintenance, improvement, and promotion of the ZOO-Project, the Project Steering Committee (PSC) is seeking sponsors to provide financial support via the ZOO-Project Sponsorship program. Funds will be managed by the PSC and disbursed at the discretion of the ZOO-Project PSC.

Sponsorship should not be seen as a way to control the development of the project directly, but rather as a way of ensuring the longevity and overall health of the project, by funding work that is regarded as vital but otherwise undersupported by the contributions of core-developers.

Sponsorship Uses

The primary intended use of the sponsorship funds is to hire a maintainer on a contract basis. The responsibilities would include:

• Addressing bug reports - reproducing them, then fixing them or passing on to another developer.
• Extending the programming language support, and running the compliance tests for international standards.
• Improving and translation of documentation.
• Other improvements to the ZOO software as well also related libraries and software.
• General user support on the mailing list.

Sponsorship funds may also be used to contract personal for specific improvements in the ZOO-Project, or for the provision of resources such as web hosting, funding of code sprints, or funding of project promotion.

Sponsorship Benefits Sponsoring the ZOO-Project provides the following benefits:

• Ensures the sustainability and health of the ZOO project.
• All sponsors will be listed on the project Credits page, ordered by contribution class (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze) with a link back to the sponsor.
• Sponsors will be permitted to indicate they are project sponsors in web and other promotional materials, and use the ZOO-Project logo.
• Sponsor input on project focus and direction will be solicited via a survey.

• Sponsors will received a degree of priority in processing of bug reports by any maintainer hired with sponsorship funds.
• Sponsors will receive a detailed annual report on the use of sponsorship funds.

Sponsorship Process Sponsors can sponsor ZOO for any amount of money of at least 500 Euro. At or above the following levels a sponsor will be designated as being one of the following class:

• 10000+ Euro: Platinum Sponsor
• 2000+ Euro: Gold Sponsor
• 1000+ Euro: Silver Sponsor
• 500 + Euro: Bronze Sponsor

Sponsorships last one year, after which they may be continuing with a new payment, or allowed to lapse.

Organizations or individuals interested in sponsoring the ZOO project should contact the PSC Chair (gerald.fenoy at geolabs.fr, +33 670-082539) with questions, or to make arrangements.