Re: [Wikimedia-l] WMF transfers $8.7 million to "Wikimedia Knowledge Equity Fund"

[Katherine Maher]

Hi folks,

Happy Sunday from San Francisco -- we've seen the questions on this list,
and we'll reply tomorrow when folks are back at work. Thanks for your
understanding!

Hope everyone is staying well and safe,

Katherine

On Sun, Dec 13, 2020 at 5:36 AM Isaac Olatunde 
wrote:

> I agree with Dan. A question about this should have been directed to the
> WMF and allow them to respond prior to raising it here (if that's even
> necessary in the first place.)
>
> Regards
>
> Isaac
>
>
> On Sun, 13 Dec 2020, 14:30 Dan Garry (Deskana),  wrote:
>
>> It seems disingenous to describe it as "secret" given that it was
>> willingly acknowledged in the the FAQ of the annual financial audit
>> .
>> The information provided in the FAQ is somewhat lacking, but these are not
>> the actions of people trying to sweep it under the rug.
>>
>> Let us politely ask for more information without being unnecessarily
>> alarmist.
>>
>> Dan
>>
>> On Sun, 13 Dec 2020 at 08:54, Yair Rand  wrote:
>>
>>> According to the recent Independent Auditors' Report of the WMF [1], at
>>> some point prior to the end of June 2020, an entity called the "Wikimedia
>>> Knowledge Equity Fund" was established, and $8.723 million was transferred
>>> to it by the WMF, in the form of an unconditional grant. The Fund is
>>> "managed and controlled by Tides Advocacy" (a 501(c)(4) advocacy nonprofit
>>> previously led by the WMF's current General Counsel/Board Secretary, who
>>> served as CEO, Board Secretary, and Treasurer there). Given that a Google
>>> search for "Wikimedia Knowledge Equity Fund" yields zero results prior to
>>> the release of the report, it is clear that the WMF kept this significant
>>> move completely secret for over five months, perhaps over a year. The
>>> Report FAQ additionally emphasizes that the WMF "has no right of return to
>>> the grant funds provided, with the exception of unexpended funds."
>>>
>>> The WMF unilaterally and secretly transferred nearly $9 million of
>>> movement funds to an outside organization not recognized by the
>>> Affiliations Committee. No mention of the grant was made in any Board
>>> resolutions or minutes from the relevant time period. The amount was not
>>> mentioned in the public annual plan, which set out rather less than this
>>> amount for the entire grantmaking budget for the year. No application was
>>> made through any of the various Wikimedia grants processes. No further
>>> information has been provided on the administration of this new Fund, or on
>>> the text of the grant agreement.
>>>
>>> I am appalled.
>>>
>>> -- Yair Rand
>>>
>>> [1]
>>> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/f/f7/Wikimedia_Foundation_FY2019-2020_Audit_Report.pdf
>>> ___
>>> Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at:
>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and
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>>> 
>>>
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-- 

Katherine Maher (she/her)

CEO

Wikimedia Foundation 
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Re: [Wikimedia-l] Wikimedia-l Digest, Vol 201, Issue 38

[Chris Keating]

>> >> the text of the grant agreement.
>> >>
>> >> I am appalled.
>> >>
>> >> -- Yair Rand
>> >>
>> >> [1]
>> >>
>> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/f/f7/Wikimedia_Foundation_FY2019-2020_Audit_Report.pdf
>> >> ___
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Re: [Wikimedia-l] WMF transfers $8.7 million to "Wikimedia Knowledge Equity Fund"

[Chris Keating]

So, the text in the FAQs is as follows:

"This year’s report says that the Wikimedia Foundation provided an
unconditional grant of $8.723 million to Tides Advocacy for the Wikimedia
Knowledge Equity Fund. What is the Wikimedia Knowledge Equity Fund?

A portion of our grant to Tides Advocacy will be used to launch the
Wikimedia Knowledge Equity Fund, a new fund that the Wikimedia Foundation
is establishing this fiscal year to invest in new grant-making
opportunities in support of groups that are advancing equitable, inclusive
representation in free knowledge. The remainder will be used to equitably
fund the annual operating expenses of other Wikimedia affiliate
organizations in service of our mission of free knowledge. The Wikimedia
Foundation is still setting up the specifics of the Knowledge Equity Fund
and will share more information in late 2020."



Which sort of answers "what", but not at all "why" ... we know Wikimedia
movement grantmaking is a complex area and the WMF has fairly good
experience in doing it. We also know that the WMF's record of outsourcing
anything relating to the Wikimedia movement is pretty disastrous, even
(especially?) where it's outsourced to an American consultancy, no matter
how focused on nonprofits. What exactly will Tides be doing, and why do we
think they are going to be any good at doing it? How is the movement going
to exercise scrutiny of this $10M?

Since the FAQs says more information will be available in "late 2020" maybe
this could be answered now?

Thanks,

Chris  / The Land







On Sun, Dec 13, 2020 at 1:29 PM Dan Garry (Deskana) 
wrote:

> It seems disingenous to describe it as "secret" given that it was
> willingly acknowledged in the the FAQ of the annual financial audit
> .
> The information provided in the FAQ is somewhat lacking, but these are not
> the actions of people trying to sweep it under the rug.
>
> Let us politely ask for more information without being unnecessarily
> alarmist.
>
> Dan
>
> On Sun, 13 Dec 2020 at 08:54, Yair Rand  wrote:
>
>> According to the recent Independent Auditors' Report of the WMF [1], at
>> some point prior to the end of June 2020, an entity called the "Wikimedia
>> Knowledge Equity Fund" was established, and $8.723 million was transferred
>> to it by the WMF, in the form of an unconditional grant. The Fund is
>> "managed and controlled by Tides Advocacy" (a 501(c)(4) advocacy nonprofit
>> previously led by the WMF's current General Counsel/Board Secretary, who
>> served as CEO, Board Secretary, and Treasurer there). Given that a Google
>> search for "Wikimedia Knowledge Equity Fund" yields zero results prior to
>> the release of the report, it is clear that the WMF kept this significant
>> move completely secret for over five months, perhaps over a year. The
>> Report FAQ additionally emphasizes that the WMF "has no right of return to
>> the grant funds provided, with the exception of unexpended funds."
>>
>> The WMF unilaterally and secretly transferred nearly $9 million of
>> movement funds to an outside organization not recognized by the
>> Affiliations Committee. No mention of the grant was made in any Board
>> resolutions or minutes from the relevant time period. The amount was not
>> mentioned in the public annual plan, which set out rather less than this
>> amount for the entire grantmaking budget for the year. No application was
>> made through any of the various Wikimedia grants processes. No further
>> information has been provided on the administration of this new Fund, or on
>> the text of the grant agreement.
>>
>> I am appalled.
>>
>> -- Yair Rand
>>
>> [1]
>> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/f/f7/Wikimedia_Foundation_FY2019-2020_Audit_Report.pdf
>> ___
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Re: [Wikimedia-l] Wikimedia-l Digest, Vol 201, Issue 38

[John Andersson]

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Re: [Wikimedia-l] WMF transfers $8.7 million to "Wikimedia Knowledge Equity Fund"

[Isaac Olatunde]

I agree with Dan. A question about this should have been directed to the
WMF and allow them to respond prior to raising it here (if that's even
necessary in the first place.)

Regards

Isaac


On Sun, 13 Dec 2020, 14:30 Dan Garry (Deskana),  wrote:

> It seems disingenous to describe it as "secret" given that it was
> willingly acknowledged in the the FAQ of the annual financial audit
> .
> The information provided in the FAQ is somewhat lacking, but these are not
> the actions of people trying to sweep it under the rug.
>
> Let us politely ask for more information without being unnecessarily
> alarmist.
>
> Dan
>
> On Sun, 13 Dec 2020 at 08:54, Yair Rand  wrote:
>
>> According to the recent Independent Auditors' Report of the WMF [1], at
>> some point prior to the end of June 2020, an entity called the "Wikimedia
>> Knowledge Equity Fund" was established, and $8.723 million was transferred
>> to it by the WMF, in the form of an unconditional grant. The Fund is
>> "managed and controlled by Tides Advocacy" (a 501(c)(4) advocacy nonprofit
>> previously led by the WMF's current General Counsel/Board Secretary, who
>> served as CEO, Board Secretary, and Treasurer there). Given that a Google
>> search for "Wikimedia Knowledge Equity Fund" yields zero results prior to
>> the release of the report, it is clear that the WMF kept this significant
>> move completely secret for over five months, perhaps over a year. The
>> Report FAQ additionally emphasizes that the WMF "has no right of return to
>> the grant funds provided, with the exception of unexpended funds."
>>
>> The WMF unilaterally and secretly transferred nearly $9 million of
>> movement funds to an outside organization not recognized by the
>> Affiliations Committee. No mention of the grant was made in any Board
>> resolutions or minutes from the relevant time period. The amount was not
>> mentioned in the public annual plan, which set out rather less than this
>> amount for the entire grantmaking budget for the year. No application was
>> made through any of the various Wikimedia grants processes. No further
>> information has been provided on the administration of this new Fund, or on
>> the text of the grant agreement.
>>
>> I am appalled.
>>
>> -- Yair Rand
>>
>> [1]
>> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/f/f7/Wikimedia_Foundation_FY2019-2020_Audit_Report.pdf
>> ___
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Re: [Wikimedia-l] WMF transfers $8.7 million to "Wikimedia Knowledge Equity Fund"

[Dan Garry (Deskana)]

It seems disingenous to describe it as "secret" given that it was willingly
acknowledged in the the FAQ of the annual financial audit
.
The information provided in the FAQ is somewhat lacking, but these are not
the actions of people trying to sweep it under the rug.

Let us politely ask for more information without being unnecessarily
alarmist.

Dan

On Sun, 13 Dec 2020 at 08:54, Yair Rand  wrote:

> According to the recent Independent Auditors' Report of the WMF [1], at
> some point prior to the end of June 2020, an entity called the "Wikimedia
> Knowledge Equity Fund" was established, and $8.723 million was transferred
> to it by the WMF, in the form of an unconditional grant. The Fund is
> "managed and controlled by Tides Advocacy" (a 501(c)(4) advocacy nonprofit
> previously led by the WMF's current General Counsel/Board Secretary, who
> served as CEO, Board Secretary, and Treasurer there). Given that a Google
> search for "Wikimedia Knowledge Equity Fund" yields zero results prior to
> the release of the report, it is clear that the WMF kept this significant
> move completely secret for over five months, perhaps over a year. The
> Report FAQ additionally emphasizes that the WMF "has no right of return to
> the grant funds provided, with the exception of unexpended funds."
>
> The WMF unilaterally and secretly transferred nearly $9 million of
> movement funds to an outside organization not recognized by the
> Affiliations Committee. No mention of the grant was made in any Board
> resolutions or minutes from the relevant time period. The amount was not
> mentioned in the public annual plan, which set out rather less than this
> amount for the entire grantmaking budget for the year. No application was
> made through any of the various Wikimedia grants processes. No further
> information has been provided on the administration of this new Fund, or on
> the text of the grant agreement.
>
> I am appalled.
>
> -- Yair Rand
>
> [1]
> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/f/f7/Wikimedia_Foundation_FY2019-2020_Audit_Report.pdf
> ___
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Re: [Wikimedia-l] WMF transfers $8.7 million to "Wikimedia Knowledge Equity Fund"

[Christophe Henner]

It is the endowment.

Le dim. 13 déc. 2020 à 10:37 AM, Yair Rand  a écrit :

> No, the Wikimedia Endowment is a separate thing.
>
> -- Yair Rand
>
> ‫בתאריך יום א׳, 13 בדצמ׳ 2020 ב-4:18 מאת ‪Michael Peel‬‏ <‪
> em...@mikepeel.net‬‏>:‬
>
>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Endowment ?
>>
>> On 13 Dec 2020, at 08:33, Yair Rand  wrote:
>>
>> According to the recent Independent Auditors' Report of the WMF [1], at
>> some point prior to the end of June 2020, an entity called the "Wikimedia
>> Knowledge Equity Fund" was established, and $8.723 million was transferred
>> to it by the WMF, in the form of an unconditional grant. The Fund is
>> "managed and controlled by Tides Advocacy" (a 501(c)(4) advocacy nonprofit
>> previously led by the WMF's current General Counsel/Board Secretary, who
>> served as CEO, Board Secretary, and Treasurer there). Given that a Google
>> search for "Wikimedia Knowledge Equity Fund" yields zero results prior to
>> the release of the report, it is clear that the WMF kept this significant
>> move completely secret for over five months, perhaps over a year. The
>> Report FAQ additionally emphasizes that the WMF "has no right of return to
>> the grant funds provided, with the exception of unexpended funds."
>>
>> The WMF unilaterally and secretly transferred nearly $9 million of
>> movement funds to an outside organization not recognized by the
>> Affiliations Committee. No mention of the grant was made in any Board
>> resolutions or minutes from the relevant time period. The amount was not
>> mentioned in the public annual plan, which set out rather less than this
>> amount for the entire grantmaking budget for the year. No application was
>> made through any of the various Wikimedia grants processes. No further
>> information has been provided on the administration of this new Fund, or on
>> the text of the grant agreement.
>>
>> I am appalled.
>>
>> -- Yair Rand
>>
>> [1]
>> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/f/f7/Wikimedia_Foundation_FY2019-2020_Audit_Report.pdf
>> ___
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Re: [Wikimedia-l] WMF transfers $8.7 million to "Wikimedia Knowledge Equity Fund"

[Yair Rand]

No, the Wikimedia Endowment is a separate thing.

-- Yair Rand

‫בתאריך יום א׳, 13 בדצמ׳ 2020 ב-4:18 מאת ‪Michael Peel‬‏ <‪
em...@mikepeel.net‬‏>:‬

> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Endowment ?
>
> On 13 Dec 2020, at 08:33, Yair Rand  wrote:
>
> According to the recent Independent Auditors' Report of the WMF [1], at
> some point prior to the end of June 2020, an entity called the "Wikimedia
> Knowledge Equity Fund" was established, and $8.723 million was transferred
> to it by the WMF, in the form of an unconditional grant. The Fund is
> "managed and controlled by Tides Advocacy" (a 501(c)(4) advocacy nonprofit
> previously led by the WMF's current General Counsel/Board Secretary, who
> served as CEO, Board Secretary, and Treasurer there). Given that a Google
> search for "Wikimedia Knowledge Equity Fund" yields zero results prior to
> the release of the report, it is clear that the WMF kept this significant
> move completely secret for over five months, perhaps over a year. The
> Report FAQ additionally emphasizes that the WMF "has no right of return to
> the grant funds provided, with the exception of unexpended funds."
>
> The WMF unilaterally and secretly transferred nearly $9 million of
> movement funds to an outside organization not recognized by the
> Affiliations Committee. No mention of the grant was made in any Board
> resolutions or minutes from the relevant time period. The amount was not
> mentioned in the public annual plan, which set out rather less than this
> amount for the entire grantmaking budget for the year. No application was
> made through any of the various Wikimedia grants processes. No further
> information has been provided on the administration of this new Fund, or on
> the text of the grant agreement.
>
> I am appalled.
>
> -- Yair Rand
>
> [1]
> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/f/f7/Wikimedia_Foundation_FY2019-2020_Audit_Report.pdf
> ___
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Re: [Wikimedia-l] WMF transfers $8.7 million to "Wikimedia Knowledge Equity Fund"

[Michael Peel]

https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Endowment ?

> On 13 Dec 2020, at 08:33, Yair Rand  wrote:
> 
> According to the recent Independent Auditors' Report of the WMF [1], at some 
> point prior to the end of June 2020, an entity called the "Wikimedia 
> Knowledge Equity Fund" was established, and $8.723 million was transferred to 
> it by the WMF, in the form of an unconditional grant. The Fund is "managed 
> and controlled by Tides Advocacy" (a 501(c)(4) advocacy nonprofit previously 
> led by the WMF's current General Counsel/Board Secretary, who served as CEO, 
> Board Secretary, and Treasurer there). Given that a Google search for 
> "Wikimedia Knowledge Equity Fund" yields zero results prior to the release of 
> the report, it is clear that the WMF kept this significant move completely 
> secret for over five months, perhaps over a year. The Report FAQ additionally 
> emphasizes that the WMF "has no right of return to the grant funds provided, 
> with the exception of unexpended funds."
> 
> The WMF unilaterally and secretly transferred nearly $9 million of movement 
> funds to an outside organization not recognized by the Affiliations 
> Committee. No mention of the grant was made in any Board resolutions or 
> minutes from the relevant time period. The amount was not mentioned in the 
> public annual plan, which set out rather less than this amount for the entire 
> grantmaking budget for the year. No application was made through any of the 
> various Wikimedia grants processes. No further information has been provided 
> on the administration of this new Fund, or on the text of the grant agreement.
> 
> I am appalled.
> 
> -- Yair Rand
> 
> [1] 
> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/f/f7/Wikimedia_Foundation_FY2019-2020_Audit_Report.pdf
>  
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[Wikimedia-l] WMF transfers $8.7 million to "Wikimedia Knowledge Equity Fund"

[Yair Rand]

According to the recent Independent Auditors' Report of the WMF [1], at
some point prior to the end of June 2020, an entity called the "Wikimedia
Knowledge Equity Fund" was established, and $8.723 million was transferred
to it by the WMF, in the form of an unconditional grant. The Fund is
"managed and controlled by Tides Advocacy" (a 501(c)(4) advocacy nonprofit
previously led by the WMF's current General Counsel/Board Secretary, who
served as CEO, Board Secretary, and Treasurer there). Given that a Google
search for "Wikimedia Knowledge Equity Fund" yields zero results prior to
the release of the report, it is clear that the WMF kept this significant
move completely secret for over five months, perhaps over a year. The
Report FAQ additionally emphasizes that the WMF "has no right of return to
the grant funds provided, with the exception of unexpended funds."

The WMF unilaterally and secretly transferred nearly $9 million of movement
funds to an outside organization not recognized by the Affiliations
Committee. No mention of the grant was made in any Board resolutions or
minutes from the relevant time period. The amount was not mentioned in the
public annual plan, which set out rather less than this amount for the
entire grantmaking budget for the year. No application was made through any
of the various Wikimedia grants processes. No further information has been
provided on the administration of this new Fund, or on the text of the
grant agreement.

I am appalled.

-- Yair Rand

[1]
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/f/f7/Wikimedia_Foundation_FY2019-2020_Audit_Report.pdf
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