zlacker

This is absolutely the correct next step. When considering starting a pretty sizeable FOSS project in the past (was going to be AGPL-3, we had a team and had just left another project to start this), we considered registering an e.V. in Germany, for many of the same benefits. Ultimately, the team disbanded for other reasons, but if this was in place, we would have likely been able to start much earlier and the team would not have disbanded most likely.

We were concerned about finances and legal protection.

>>lionko+(OP)
To add some details actually; we were concerned about three major points:

1. The project would deal with user's data to some degree

2. The project was going to "annoy" an existing, much larger, project who would have likely tried to take some legal action to keep their "place at the top"

3. The project was going to both a) need to generate funds (and pay core developers), and b) be guaranteed to generate funds, based on our experience. However, we did not want to register a company as not having a company complicate things was one of the central goals of the split from the larger project. Try paying people a couple hundred bucks (less than minimum wage, more like Aufwandsentschaedigung) without having to jump through various hoops and without doing it illegally.

>>lionko+(OP)
An e.V. in Germany mostly makes sense if it is also charitable. You will have a hard time justifying that for an arbitrary FOSS project.

There are about 100 categories that are predeclared as potentially charitable and you have to fit into one of them. Most of them are weirdly specific like homing-pigeon breeding or model plane flying.

The only two that are broader and remotely realistic candidates for a FOSS project are religion and education.

If you don't want to start a cult you are left with education. That is as how organizations like Chaos Computer Club do it. Education means education for the general public though and it is not enough if you offer occasional courses for a niche topic. It has to be something that potentially interests everyone. The tax office is checking that and it is on you proof it to them regularly.

>>weinzi+Mh
https://techcultivation.org is a German broad-spectrum FOSS charity.

Chaos Computer Club is not a charity.

>>rendx+Rr1
Ah yes, you are right, I confused the parent with my local "chapter" (Erfa Kreis).

I believe the "Chaos Computer Club München e.V" is (or was at some point in time) charitable. At least their bylaws have the magic words:

"Durch die genannten Zwecke sollen Kultur, Bildung und Wissenschaft gefördert werden."

>>weinzi+SU1
Thanks for bringing the "Center for the Cultivation of Technology" to my attention. They're noteworthy because they are not a club but a charitable company (gGmbH). In the end the need to meet the same criteria but it is an interesting choice.