The Bylaws Revision Committee's proposed amended section about solicitation of funds will, if passed, take care of this question that has been raised about soliciting donations to pay for server space (or anything else). Here's how the revised version goes: Section 3. Solicitation of funds on a USGenWeb affiliated web site is prohibited. It is permissible, however, to provide a link to a non-USGenWeb affiliated personal web site where genealogical services or materials are offered for sale. It is also permissible to acknowledge any entities who host or provide server space at no cost and to include a link to that entity's web site. If a coordinator lists materials or services for sale or hire by third parties, such as genealogical societies or commercial interests, the home or index page may include a link to the listing, but the materials and services themselves may not be listed on the home or index page. Any such listing of materials or services for sale or hire by third parties should include a disclaimer on the listing page saying that The USGenWeb Project and the site coordinator make no warrantee as to the contents or accuracy of any of the materials for sale by these third parties, nor the expertise of any professional researchers listed. ***** Solicitation of funds on a USGenWeb affiliated web site is prohibited. It seems to me that this wording would avoid any question of whether a state can put up a page soliciting or encouraging donations, even to pay for server space. In my opinion, that is how it should be. Shari Handley

At 05:23 PM 8/18/2003 -0400, you wrote: >The Bylaws Revision Committee's proposed amended section about >solicitation of funds will, if passed, take care of this question that >has been raised about soliciting donations to pay for server space (or >anything else). Here's how the revised version goes: > >Section 3. Solicitation of funds on a USGenWeb affiliated web site is >prohibited. It is permissible, however, to provide a link to a >non-USGenWeb affiliated personal web site where genealogical services or >materials are offered for sale. It is also permissible to acknowledge >any entities who host or provide server space at no cost and to include >a link to that entity's web site. If a coordinator lists materials or >services for sale or hire by third parties, such as genealogical >societies or commercial interests, the home or index page may include a >link to the listing, but the materials and services themselves may not >be listed on the home or index page. Any such listing of materials or >services for sale or hire by third parties should include a disclaimer >on the listing page saying that The USGenWeb Project and the site >coordinator make no warrantee as to the contents or accuracy of any of >the materials for sale by these third parties, nor the expertise of any >professional researchers listed. > ***** > >Solicitation of funds on a USGenWeb affiliated web site is prohibited. >It seems to me that this wording would avoid any question of whether a >state can put up a page soliciting or encouraging donations, even to pay >for server space. In my opinion, that is how it should be. > >Shari Handley It seems to me that this would make very little difference in the operation of the IAGenWeb Project. Instead of linking to a page within the IAGenWeb Project website, the link on our main page would need to lead patrons to a page on the Friends of IAGenWeb website. -Isaiah