The challenges of funding SETI

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Steve Croft
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Message 1687401 - Posted: 3 Jun 2015, 18:00:56 UTC

Getting a steady stream of funding for SETI research is a challenge, as BSRC Director Andrew Siemion explains in this short video. https://youtu.be/jY5cQTKlYSs
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Message 1687447 - Posted: 3 Jun 2015, 21:06:44 UTC - in response to Message 1687401.  

Getting a steady stream of funding for SETI research is a challenge, as BSRC Director Andrew Siemion explains in this short video. https://youtu.be/jY5cQTKlYSs

Perhaps even more when http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/sah_budget.php the latest budget is from 2011! Steve, perhaps you could get this updated?
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Message 1687895 - Posted: 5 Jun 2015, 0:31:07 UTC - in response to Message 1687447.  

Getting a steady stream of funding for SETI research is a challenge, as BSRC Director Andrew Siemion explains in this short video. https://youtu.be/jY5cQTKlYSs

Perhaps even more when http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/sah_budget.php the latest budget is from 2011! Steve, perhaps you could get this updated?


+1 on that request :)
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Message 1689779 - Posted: 10 Jun 2015, 13:22:43 UTC

Maybe a new way of funding through partnership with "domestic astronomical societies" will be more promising. Why? We get TAX RETURN for a domestic scientific funding! ;)


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Message 1690554 - Posted: 12 Jun 2015, 18:15:23 UTC - in response to Message 1687447.  

Sigh. There are a lot of pages that we need to update!

I think this budget is still fairly representative but I'll see if we can get this updated. No promises. :)
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Message 1690582 - Posted: 12 Jun 2015, 20:46:22 UTC - in response to Message 1690554.  

Sigh. There are a lot of pages that we need to update!

I think this budget is still fairly representative but I'll see if we can get this updated. No promises. :)

Budget, or wish list?
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Message 1690793 - Posted: 13 Jun 2015, 13:37:22 UTC - in response to Message 1690554.  

Sigh. There are a lot of pages that we need to update!

I think this budget is still fairly representative but I'll see if we can get this updated. No promises. :)

As I've mentioned earlier, there is a way to do a fund raising & do it on our benefit that is tax deductible.

How?
1. Make an open letter to all astronomical societies in all known countries with idea to have a fund raising for SETi@home (or just SETi).
2. Coordinate the job with them, let astronomical societies do all the work (the ones that agree).
3. When astronomical societies gather all the money - send it to SETi/Planetary society.
4. On the end of the year we get tax deduction for "giving money domestically to science project of astronomical societies".

Easy...but people have to sit down & write the letters!
Also, an idea has to be made - what to give astronomical societies for their work? Participation in some project, mention in text, visit to Planetary society for the top fund raisers (to be equal to all societies, make it a $ per capita raised).
;)


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Message 1690825 - Posted: 13 Jun 2015, 14:32:43 UTC - in response to Message 1690793.  

Sigh. There are a lot of pages that we need to update!

I think this budget is still fairly representative but I'll see if we can get this updated. No promises. :)

As I've mentioned earlier, there is a way to do a fund raising & do it on our benefit that is tax deductible.

How?
1. Make an open letter to all astronomical societies in all known countries with idea to have a fund raising for SETi@home (or just SETi).
2. Coordinate the job with them, let astronomical societies do all the work (the ones that agree).
3. When astronomical societies gather all the money - send it to SETi/Planetary society.
4. On the end of the year we get tax deduction for "giving money domestically to science project of astronomical societies".

Easy...but people have to sit down & write the letters!
Also, an idea has to be made - what to give astronomical societies for their work? Participation in some project, mention in text, visit to Planetary society for the top fund raisers (to be equal to all societies, make it a $ per capita raised).
;)

You are making two unspoken assumptions in that proposal.

1) Each individual country's Astronomical Society (even assuming that it has one) is registered/recognised/certified or whatever to receive tax-free donations or to reclaim tax paid in its own domicile.

2) That the Astronomical Societies themselves have the power to support SETI-type activities in other countries. Each society will have its own 'governing instrument' - charter, constitution, or whatever it is commonly known as in its country of domicile. This charter will have drawn drawn up by the founders of the Society (and possibly amended since then), and will state what 'purpose' the Society exists to fulfil, and what 'powers' it may exercise towards any of those purposes.

A well-written constitution may well have as a final catch-all power "and any other activity in furtherance of the said purposes as the members may from time to time deem appropriate in general meeting", but not everyone will. And - partly because of the tax benefits involved - constitutions are always written so as to be difficult to amend: to avoid the current committee gifting themselves a holiday on the moon, for example.

Unless the letters that people write show at least some basic research into whether their request is both legal, and within the powers of the organisation they are writing to, it is likely that they will receive very little attention. The round filing tray awaits if you don't do it well.
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Message 1691623 - Posted: 15 Jun 2015, 13:09:52 UTC - in response to Message 1690825.  

Sigh. There are a lot of pages that we need to update!

I think this budget is still fairly representative but I'll see if we can get this updated. No promises. :)

As I've mentioned earlier, there is a way to do a fund raising & do it on our benefit that is tax deductible.

How?
1. Make an open letter to all astronomical societies in all known countries with idea to have a fund raising for SETi@home (or just SETi).
2. Coordinate the job with them, let astronomical societies do all the work (the ones that agree).
3. When astronomical societies gather all the money - send it to SETi/Planetary society.
4. On the end of the year we get tax deduction for "giving money domestically to science project of astronomical societies".

Easy...but people have to sit down & write the letters!
Also, an idea has to be made - what to give astronomical societies for their work? Participation in some project, mention in text, visit to Planetary society for the top fund raisers (to be equal to all societies, make it a $ per capita raised).
;)

You are making two unspoken assumptions in that proposal.

1) Each individual country's Astronomical Society (even assuming that it has one) is registered/recognised/certified or whatever to receive tax-free donations or to reclaim tax paid in its own domicile.

2) That the Astronomical Societies themselves have the power to support SETI-type activities in other countries. Each society will have its own 'governing instrument' - charter, constitution, or whatever it is commonly known as in its country of domicile. This charter will have drawn drawn up by the founders of the Society (and possibly amended since then), and will state what 'purpose' the Society exists to fulfil, and what 'powers' it may exercise towards any of those purposes.

A well-written constitution may well have as a final catch-all power "and any other activity in furtherance of the said purposes as the members may from time to time deem appropriate in general meeting", but not everyone will. And - partly because of the tax benefits involved - constitutions are always written so as to be difficult to amend: to avoid the current committee gifting themselves a holiday on the moon, for example.

Unless the letters that people write show at least some basic research into whether their request is both legal, and within the powers of the organisation they are writing to, it is likely that they will receive very little attention. The round filing tray awaits if you don't do it well.

to answer you:
ad 1) yes, that is why u ASK them...NOT TELL them! if they want to participate willingly?
ad 2) assuming that they never tought of donations (which is apsurd, 'cause they get donations at least from state or city 4 their work), they can CHANGE the charter or contitions on NEXT COMMITEE...

as to why would they do it?
- maybe some publicity & giving a hand to SETi...
- maybe some involvement with SETi on intelectual level...
etc.

to put it in the same cup with the other charities: If "they" (charity organization) doesn't give me a cetficate, I'm not donating anymore! Why would I? Even an email 4 gratitude is OK...
same thing if they donate to non-profit organization which I lead...I give back the information about donated equipment...where it was delivered or how was it implemented, etc... ;)


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Richard Haselgrove Project Donor
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Message 1691636 - Posted: 15 Jun 2015, 13:46:15 UTC - in response to Message 1691623.  

ad 2) assuming that they never tought of donations (which is apsurd, 'cause they get donations at least from state or city 4 their work), they can CHANGE the charter or contitions on NEXT COMMITEE...

I'm sure they thought of donations inward, as you say - but the question is whether they have the power to make donations outward.

And it's very rare for a committee to have the power to change the constitution (for the anti-corruption reason stated earlier). It should normally require an Annual, or Special, General Meeting of all members. Look at the United States constitution - just 27 amendments in 226 years, and some of those (18, 21) simply cancelled each other out.
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Message 1692098 - Posted: 16 Jun 2015, 9:29:25 UTC - in response to Message 1691636.  

ad 2) assuming that they never tought of donations (which is apsurd, 'cause they get donations at least from state or city 4 their work), they can CHANGE the charter or contitions on NEXT COMMITEE...

I'm sure they thought of donations inward, as you say - but the question is whether they have the power to make donations outward.

And it's very rare for a committee to have the power to change the constitution (for the anti-corruption reason stated earlier). It should normally require an Annual, or Special, General Meeting of all members. Look at the United States constitution - just 27 amendments in 226 years, and some of those (18, 21) simply cancelled each other out.

BUT, if u ask A.S. now:
1.some of the will contact SETi & accept the proposition...
2. of the others, some would say: we don't have legal coverage to do that...let us change that & we'll try to be there in 2016...
3. & some will not answer or will not want to participate @ all...

so...it comes back to SETi to have initiative, if SETi wants some money @ all?
if they want to be "society of the World", then people inside SETi should think about a "World game", not only "American way"...otherwise, we'll leave Americans to fund SETi...
;)


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Message 1692395 - Posted: 17 Jun 2015, 2:36:52 UTC

Wow, I had no idea SETI was bundled with UFOlogy (especially given that UFOlogists like to accuse SETI of being a red herring!).

I hope this new strategy works out. I think a big part of the problem is that what you're doing hasn't been popularized. Need more Neil deGrasse Tyson!
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Message 1694138 - Posted: 21 Jun 2015, 1:35:44 UTC

oh,I think you should read this book.《The threebody problem》
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Message 1694209 - Posted: 21 Jun 2015, 7:12:18 UTC

Kane - that is NOT what Andrew said. He said SETI suffers in some peoples minds being associate variuos pseudo-sciences including UFO-ology.
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Profile MOMMY: He is MAKING ME Read His Posts Thoughts and Prayers. GOoD Thoughts and GOoD Prayers. HATERWORLD Vs THOUGHTs and PRAYERs World. It Is a BATTLE ROYALE. Nobody LOVEs Me. Everybody HATEs Me. Why Don't I Go Eat Worms. Tasty Treats are Wormy Meat. Yes
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Message 1699354 - Posted: 7 Jul 2015, 21:31:37 UTC

Someone needs to Explain, in A Video, or 'Paper', why Anyone should 'Donate' Precious Monies and Time to A Project 'Seemingly' on 'it's' Last 'Legs'.


If The 'Crunched' Data 'is' So Scientificly Important, why No Scientific Body, Persons, Entities 'Rushing' to Get Their Hands On 'it', and 'Analyze' 'it', for As Heard Ad Nauseam, Forever, 'The Most Important Discovery Human History Will Ever Know(Find)'?


No One Else, In Da Vrold, besides '12 People or 15', and A Few Crunchers, 'Care' About This 'Data' beiing 'Crunched'. No One.


Wouldn't 'Interested' Parties be Standing In Line for A Chance to Do Their Own Analyses of S at H Data?


And Would PAY GOoD Monies to S at H for The Opportunity, which has been Drilled Into Minds as 'So Important'.

If Sophisticated Analysis of S at H 'Data' 'is' Never Going to be done, why continue Da Charade? S at H will Never get Enough
Money and No One Seems Interested, outside a few crunchers, to provide 'it'. Or Provide Their Own Expertise and Resources.

The Vids Produced seem to Point To, present data, past data, and future data as being Worthless.


TIME FOR NO FUNDS. How 'bout Dat?


Yep.

May we All have a METAMORPHOSIS. REASON. GOoD JUDGEMENT and LOVE and ORDER!!!!!
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Message 1699482 - Posted: 8 Jul 2015, 12:20:21 UTC - in response to Message 1699354.  

Someone needs to Explain, in A Video, or 'Paper', why Anyone should 'Donate' Precious Monies and Time to A Project.......
......
......
TIME FOR NO FUNDS. How 'bout Dat?

Didn't you donate yourself recently??
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Message 1699487 - Posted: 8 Jul 2015, 12:38:44 UTC - in response to Message 1699482.  

Someone needs to Explain, in A Video, or 'Paper', why Anyone should 'Donate' Precious Monies and Time to A Project.......
......
......
TIME FOR NO FUNDS. How 'bout Dat?

Didn't you donate yourself recently??

They posted nearly the same exact message, which is now hidden, in Mark's funding drive post. Then proceeded to make a donation. I'm honestly not sure if they are trying to troll or what they are doing. Thankfully we have message filtering.
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Profile MOMMY: He is MAKING ME Read His Posts Thoughts and Prayers. GOoD Thoughts and GOoD Prayers. HATERWORLD Vs THOUGHTs and PRAYERs World. It Is a BATTLE ROYALE. Nobody LOVEs Me. Everybody HATEs Me. Why Don't I Go Eat Worms. Tasty Treats are Wormy Meat. Yes
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Message 1699537 - Posted: 8 Jul 2015, 15:46:55 UTC

I Admit I Know Nothing and Am The Most Filtered Person on Message Boards, but BOLDED Below 'is' What I Feel are The Challenges of FUN ding S E T I:

Donations to SETI@home in July 2015:
Number of Donations: 9
Total Donations: $ 660.00
Smallest Donation: $ 10.00
Largest Donation: $ 100.00
Average Donation: $ 73.33
Median Donation: $ 100.00
Donation Rate (per day): $ 85.62
% of Volunteers that have Donated: 0.00%

Donations to SETI@home in July 2014
Number of Donations:18
Total Donations: $ 1510.82
Smallest Donation: $ 10.00
Largest Donation: $ 500.00
Average Donation: $ 83.93
Median Donation: $ 22.50
Donation Rate (per day): $ 48.74
% of Volunteers that have Donated: 0.00%

Donations to SETI@home in December 2014:
Number of Donations: 690
Total Donations: $ 41286.53
Smallest Donation: $ 10.00
Largest Donation: $ 4500.00
Average Donation: $ 59.84
Median Donation: $ 25.00
Donation Rate (per day): $ 1331.82
% of Volunteers that have Donated: 0.04%

Waiting for Answers to Why No One in The World, are Rushing to Doors of S E T I and Paying S E T I for Their Data.

Yep.

May we All have a METAMORPHOSIS. REASON. GOoD JUDGEMENT and LOVE and ORDER!!!!!
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Message 1699552 - Posted: 8 Jul 2015, 16:29:19 UTC

% of Volunteers that have Donated: 0.00%


If only some really dedicated volunteers, say a 200? Can we find 200 really dedicated persons? Who could contribute on a monthly base to seti. Say, 50$.



The project would have a budget of 120.000$ a year...


Can someone make/start a list of monthly contributors who can afford donating 50$ a month to Seti?


(I know everyone gives time and electricity)

Maybe then we could have some real analisis of our results sitting idle on the database.
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Message 1699581 - Posted: 8 Jul 2015, 17:29:33 UTC

Who is in?
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Message boards : News : The challenges of funding SETI


 
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