[CSL board] PARTIAL list of CSL projects

[Dan MacNeil]

A list of projects might help deliberations.

I'll go back and look at recent discussion with an eye to pulling out
action items for me (SWOT, 5 year goals & ??)

Particularly Melissa's good post:

http://lists.thecsl.org/pipermail/divinerightofkings/2007-July/000457.html

MVHUB
If we have to choose one program, this is it.

This is a web site/database of social services that is:

	http://mvhub.com

	1) Easy to use
	2) Up to date
	3) Producing Measurable Results
	4) In successful use for 4 years
	5) Free software

Users find it easier to type search terms and click submit than they do
to navigate screens of check boxes.

80%+ of all program and Agency records have been updated or confirmed to
be up to date within the past 6 months. Every 6 months, each agency and
program contact get an email asking them to confirm or update their
records. Most agencies do this.

We can measure exactly how many referrals we've made and we have the
logs and reports to prove that the information in the database is up to
date.

IMNSHO, This is the program to support beyond others because the
software is better than any other software with its purpose in the
country and has the potential to help the most people.

Last May till this October we have $20,000 in funding for this initiative.

Our big strategic goal is to build a community of developers and
volunteers around the software.

Our biggest tactical opportunity is the chance to have mvhub be part of
Fred's Software Engineering class in the fall.

Our biggest tactical problem is that John Miller, the developer at this
point is not inclined to stick on past his current contract.

I'm inclined not to pursue Parker Foundation funding for this **if** we
can find TA/adjunct money from the CS dept to pay John.

If Parker money is the only money available, we should go with that.

I am inclined to purse CDBG (community development block grant) money in
the fall and early winter.

HOSTING
We provide email, web hosting and other services for 30 organizations. See:
	http://thecsl.org/go/sales/services/

We collect about $300 per year in voluntary fees. About 1/3 of our
customers pay $60 each.

This is and will be a huge, huge loss leader for us.

	$2,500	bandwidth (paid by UML)
	$45,000	sys admin labor (volunteer)
	$2,500	equipment (paid by community foundation)
	------
	50,000

Given we make on average $20 per customer, the break even point is:

2500 customers = $50,000 / $20

Despite the prospect of never making money on this project, I would
characterize it as our second most important.

We are competing with organizations that offer service for $10 month
(with a year long commitment):

	http://thecsl.org/go/sales/compete/

We provide what would cost $100 per month in service to about 10
organizations. (the other 25 or so we serve, don't ask for much service)

This is not $36,000 that these organizations would spend on their own.

Hosting gives us a bunch of small "real" scripting projects for volunteers.

Hosting gives us the knowledge we need to run web applications.

Given that hosting is the place that Free software dominates, it is
important that we host.

Our biggest tactical problem is that there is about 60 hours of deferred
maintenance that needs to be done. John Miller is working on MVHhub,
Jack Doherty is taking a while to come up to speed and I've been
distracted by the Boomer grant.

TRAINING

We are doing zero training now.

Probably the only way we are going to get better volunteers

ON-SITE SUPPORT

CUSTOM SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT