Funding models

The approaches available from a funding point of view have been identified by Stephen Downes as http://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/page.cgi?post=33401 :

• Endowment Model: on this model, the project obtains base funding for content creation and dissemination.
• Membership Model: on this model, a coalition of interested organizations is invited to contribute a certain sum, either as seed only or as an annual contribution or subscription.
• Donation Model: public fund cost of creation and dissemination of resources.
• Conversion Model: In this model, you give something away for free and then convert the consumer of the freebie to a paying customer.
• Contributor Model: in this model, contributors pay for the cost of maintaining the contribution, and where the provider thereafter makes the contribution available for free.
• Sponsorship Model: in this model, the cost of content creation and dissemination are supported by sponsors in return for advertising space/promotion.
• Institutional Model: educational institution pays for content creation and dissemination as part of its mission/mandate.
• Government Model: similar to the institutional model, where the content creation and dissemination of resources relevant to governmental aims and objectives are funded centrally by the state.

Open Educational Resources - Downes' presentation