Report prepared for the Experts Meeting Towards the Implementation of a Global Invasive Species
Information Network (GISIN), 6-8 April, 2004. Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
K - vii
8/30/2004
for continuing funds for the operation of the regional nodes. There must be a way to encourage
and sustain the contribution of resources by all members in terms of their internal funding for
activities which are de facto their in-kind contribution to the development of the GISIN. Second,
although it is not intended that the Hub become a major central operation, it is also clear that
there are costs associated with coordination and support for decentralized, voluntary
participation.
The April meeting is possible through a small grant from the Bureau of Oceans and International
Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES) of the U.S. Department of State, with in-kind
donations and coordination by the US National Biological Information Infrastructure. Extensive
work needs to be done to identify long-term donor(s), as well as to determine any formal or
informal organizational affiliations to entities such as GBIF, GISP, and/or IUCN-ISSG.
Since the network will be built through the efforts of all its partners, the GISIN itself should not
be viewed as a source of funding for projects. Rather it is a facilitating mechanism to aid its
members and its projects find support for GISIN-related activities.
Support for the GISIN can come from many sources including:
In-kind contributions
Governmental donor organizations (e.g. OAS, GEF, World Bank, IDB, UNESCO, US
AID, FAO, etc.)
Private foundations and donors
Corporate sponsorship
Other possible sources of income to sustain the GISIN at the regional or global level include:
Dues
Grants/Contracts
Product Sales (May include training, data access, data products)
Advertising
Institutional/Corporate Sponsorships
OBJECTIVES
Year 1: Lay out a Strategy for the Long-term Sustainability of the GISIN.
Year 2: Have a major donor-supported GISIN program in place.
ACTIVITIES
Develop plans for the financial sustainability.
Develop and distribute via the Web and on CD a financial toolkit for members.
Appoint a special subcommittee to look at models for financing such efforts.
Explore the issue of charging for services among the other options.
3.4 Building Network Content
From the earliest meetings of experts on invasive species information management, it was clear
that the connection of regional databases was the way to begin to build substance and content
of the network. What is needed to achieve this is agreement on what types of information will be
shared, and in what formats.
Common data types of priority interest among GISIN experts (these are meant as starting points
and do not limit members from developing other common interests):
Scientific name
Common name
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