GiveHub question and member survey

[Kieren]

Hi all,

Two quick questions:

1. Have any of you used Nominet's GiveHub, where members are able to put forward a charity for up to £10,000 in funding? If so, what are your thoughts? If not, why not? What stops you from using the system and applying?

2. Have you taken the member survey? (Did you know there was a member survey?) It's an effort by Nominet to get feedback on what you think about engagement efforts and what could be done to improve them. I'll be keeping an eye on the results as a new Board member and your rep, so the more data the better i.e. please spend 5 mins filling it in.

It's here: https://online1.snapsurveys.com/interview/a8c387ca-b96d-4429-b077-ebc8481fc88b

Cheers


Kieren

 

[JMI]

The archetypal intellectual... Edwins son?

 

[Kaleido]

The archetypal intellectual... Edwins son?

The archetypal witless comment.

 

[Kieren]

Have any of you used Nominet's GiveHub, where members are able to put forward a charity for up to £10,000 in funding? If so, what are your thoughts? If not, why not? What stops you from using the system and applying?

Kieren

On this, Nominet has opened up a proper review trying to find out what you as members think about GiveHub. Just email [email protected] and say you want to take part.

Here's why I think you should bother:

• Nominet created GiveHub as a test bed for members to say where they think Nominet should spend its excess revenues
• It's fair to say it has not been a great success - very few members have bothered
• Nominet doesn't have a sense of why there isn't much interest
• This is an opportunity for you to explain why

As your rep on the Board, I will be closely following what members say and using that to argue for changes that benefit members and Nominet overall.

The more of you that provide your input, the stronger the case will be for effective change. Likewise, if very few people respond, Nominet will end up deciding for itself what to do with the money - and it is a lot of money we're talking about: currently £600,000 set aside for GiveHub and potentially millions of pounds in the larger public benefit pot.

So do please take part. It will genuinely be worth your while. Just email: [email protected] and say you want to give your views on GiveHub.


THE DETAILS


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Taken from here: https://community.nominet.uk/t/15-minutes-to-participate-in-some-givehub-member-research/1100
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GiveHub was launched in August 2021 and we would like to conduct some qualitative research to better understand what you think about it.

The research will simply consist of a short telephone or video call discussion with a researcher at Enventure, the same company that undertakes the member survey. This ensures your feedback is anonymous. You do not need to have any prior knowledge or involvement in GiveHub and we would really like to hear from any member.

We already have a number of people that have volunteered through the wider member survey but the more people we get, the better the research.

If you would be willing to participate, please email [email protected].

Your data will be processed in accordance with our Privacy Notice. Your answers will be analysed and treated by Enventure in accordance with General Data Protection Regulations and the Market Research Society Code of Conduct. For their privacy notice please click here.

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[martin-s]

Here's an idea. Rather than wonder what to do with all the lovely money you have and don't need, reduce the "excess revenue" by bundling the bungled .uk back with .co.uk.

If you have both registered, you just pay one renewal.

Even asking this question is part of what I see as being wrong with Nominet tbh

 

[Paullas]

I agree with Martin on this. Why not invest the money back into the business and members and offer more benefits to the members when at the end of the day is this why we pay membership fees?

It frustrates me seeing Nominet throwing money left right and centre at projects then when i email for technical help all i get is an email 4 days later telling me to look at the website.

Just my little small opinion

Paul

 

[Kieren]

Here's an idea. Rather than wonder what to do with all the lovely money you have and don't need, reduce the "excess revenue" by bundling the bungled .uk back with .co.uk.

If you have both registered, you just pay one renewal.

Even asking this question is part of what I see as being wrong with Nominet tbh

So Martin - genuinely - please provide this feedback in the form of why you aren't interested in GiveHub.

You haven't applied for anything through GiveHub because... you don't think the money should be going to third parties anyway? You feel that applying is giving credibility to a program you don't agree with? You haven't look at it because you're busy... uninterested... uncertain?

Any and all feedback is valuable. I'm serious

 

[Kieren]

I agree with Martin on this. Why not invest the money back into the business and members and offer more benefits to the members when at the end of the day is this why we pay membership fees?

It frustrates me seeing Nominet throwing money left right and centre at projects then when i email for technical help all i get is an email 4 days later telling me to look at the website.

Just my little small opinion

Paul

Thanks Paul,

So do please provide this feedback to Nominet but in the form of explaining why you haven't participated in GiveHub.

Because... you think the money should be going to improving customer service?

I'm dead serious - I'll be watching this process closely and making the case for changes based on what members say. If you don't say it, there's nothing to base changes on.

 

[diablo]

I agree with Martin on this. Why not invest the money back into the business and members and offer more benefits to the members when at the end of the day is this why we pay membership fees?

It frustrates me seeing Nominet throwing money left right and centre at projects then when i email for technical help all i get is an email 4 days later telling me to look at the website.

Just my little small opinion

Paul

Agreed. Customer service isn't what it once was.

I support Public Benefit, but there are two issues for me: the first is Nominet using the annual surplus to fund vanity projects and bonuses (which has largely come to an end) and the second is why does Nominet need to run such a large annual surplus in the first place.

GiveHub helps distribute this surplus, but does nothing to reduce it. It's akin to council departments who blow their budget at the end of a financial year so that they get the same amount next year.

 

[martin-s]

So Martin - genuinely - please provide this feedback in the form of why you aren't interested in GiveHub.

Another example of Nominet not actually engaging with the membership. Good engagement would be just accepting the damn feedback in the way it is given, rather than forcing people to do it your prescribed way.

 

[xdnet]

Disclosure: I'm on the GiveHub panel who review submissions.

I'd just like to note here that GiveHub is only a small part of the total public benefit spend from Nominet, so while I'd likely also agree that surplus should be curbed when it's excessive - it should be considered within the wider picture of what Nominet is doing with the surplus.

I'd suggest it's worth considering that no matter what Nominet will always have a surplus of some kind, and likely will always donate part of it to good causes - would you rather it was decided on by members, with member input, or left to staff and execs to decide which projects to fund?

Personally I think one of the good things about GiveHub is it moves the process to being member driven and member decided.