Hey all:
To simplify payment of ongoing hosting, I've set up a Patreon, and I'd encourage you to join if you're able to: https://www.patreon.com/urbanMSP
We'd need to raise about $500/yr to cover hosting costs, minor incidentals, and the transaction and tax cost I will pay by receiving via Patreon. That's about 8 members at Wirth level, 4 at Lowry, or 2 at Empire Builder.
If there's more support than that, I'm happy to do additional hourly work to improve the tech infrastructure. (Web dev is my day job.) Currently I do this as-needed (when things break only) on a volunteer basis.
UrbanMSP Patreon live - please consider supporting
- sdho
- US Bank Plaza
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Re: UrbanMSP Patreon live - please consider supporting
Had some questions about our hosting costs: there are cheaper options out there for sure, it's just a significant lift to get it moved reliably, and best done while I'm doing other phpBB upgrades. My goal is to get this to "taking care of itself" as much as possible, so if we get a few sustaining members through this but not enough to cover our current full cost, I'm open to volunteering the hours to get this updated and moved to cheaper hosting.
Re: UrbanMSP Patreon live - please consider supporting
you should set up yearly contribution options too. I think you would get less credit card/processing fees doing that.
- sdho
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Re: UrbanMSP Patreon live - please consider supporting
Unfortunately we'd need become a bigger account than I ever expect to be if we do that: https://support.patreon.com/hc/en-us/ar ... r-overview. The transaction fee difference isn't huge actually, but yeah I would prefer to offer that if it were an optionCOLSLAW5 wrote: January 15th, 2025, 11:53 am you should set up yearly contribution options too. I think you would get less credit card/processing fees doing that.
Re: UrbanMSP Patreon live - please consider supporting
Thanks for setting up. Easy way to contribute. I lurk here mostly but still find it a great resource to scratch my urban planning and design itch!
- sdho
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Re: UrbanMSP Patreon live - please consider supporting
Thanks Bill, and to the other two paying members so far, Matt and Eric. Collectively contributing $180/yr (before fees). Would be great to get a few more so we don't need to do the call for donations twice a year, but if we don't, I will proportionately reduce my one-off hosting contribution asks.billhelm wrote: January 16th, 2025, 11:46 am Thanks for setting up. Easy way to contribute. I lurk here mostly but still find it a great resource to scratch my urban planning and design itch!
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Re: UrbanMSP Patreon live - please consider supporting
I have financial flexibility to up mine. It would nice to get some others though! 

- sdho
- US Bank Plaza
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Re: UrbanMSP Patreon live - please consider supporting
We're up 2 more, so 6 total / $360/yr gross. If we can get two more yet I think we're set, so I'd hold off for nowAnondson wrote: January 16th, 2025, 3:33 pm I have financial flexibility to up mine. It would nice to get some others though!![]()
Re: UrbanMSP Patreon live - please consider supporting
Thanks for setting this up!
Joey Senkyr
[email protected]
[email protected]
- sdho
- US Bank Plaza
- Posts: 748
- Joined: August 17th, 2013, 12:54 pm
- Location: The Urban Hometown®
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Re: UrbanMSP Patreon live - please consider supporting
UPDATE: Currently, we have enough members to meet our goal and be cost-neutral. People are still welcome to join and give us some redundancy — I'm sure some folks will need to cancel over time — but to be clear, this initial goal is met.
Thanks everyone for pitching in, particularly Joey for pitching in as a Thomas Lowry-level member
Since we also had some one-time donations, I will pitch in a bit of extra time this month to help get our phpBB install up-to-date, and possibly move hosts. Both these may require some brief downtime, but know it is for the health of the forum!
Thanks everyone for pitching in, particularly Joey for pitching in as a Thomas Lowry-level member
Since we also had some one-time donations, I will pitch in a bit of extra time this month to help get our phpBB install up-to-date, and possibly move hosts. Both these may require some brief downtime, but know it is for the health of the forum!
Re: UrbanMSP Patreon live - please consider supporting
Thanks sdho! And everyone that contributed/will contribute!