I don't quite agree. Raising funds from institutions can sometimes even help improve your impact - it forces you to think beyond the usual lines of thought. It makes you think about further partnerships, which might also help your mission. In the longer run, it makes you less dependent of a single party, which helps with answering the constantly changing requirements for reporting to the Wikimedia Foundation (which are often with good intentions, but the constant changes also cost time).
But yes, there are instances where getting a grant costs more effort than you would like. At the same time, it helps you to be more flexible: the annual grants process is quite inflexible, as it limits the funds for a whole year - for the basis this is great, but for innovative projects sometimes external funding is more effective. Lets not reject the idea of external funding out of hand. There are positive sides and of course also negative sides. Lets first aim for grants where the positive sides outweigh the negative sides, also locally, and when the balance goes the other way discuss again. At the same time, I do feel a need to emphasize that I would consider it unjust if the FDC (If, I don't say it does) would either reduce an affiliate's budget because they don't raise external funds for whatever reason, but equally unjust if they would reduce funding because they already raise so much externally. Both would be wrong. Best, Lodewijk On Wed, Nov 26, 2014 at 6:02 PM, Gerard Meijssen <gerard.meijs...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hoi, > Fund raising costs money. It affects effectivity negatively. For this > reason it is a poor strategy to raise funds. > Thanks, > GerardM > > On 26 November 2014 at 13:16, Dariusz Jemielniak <dar...@alk.edu.pl> > wrote: > > > Let me reiterate: the FDC definitely DOES NOT try to dump fundraising on > > the chapters. > > > > However, we recognize that sometimes funding or inkind support is > > available more easily than elsewhere. We once had a situation that a > > chapter declared they could get external funding easily for a projected > > they applied for to the FDC, but they just didn't. Some chapters have a > > possibility to get office space for free or at a reduced price. Etc. It > > would just make sense to think if the movement's resources sparingly. > > > > If funds are not available, or if one tries and fails - that's totally > > fine. > > > > Best > > > > Dj > > 26 lis 2014 09:42 "rupert THURNER" <rupert.thur...@gmail.com> > napisał(a): > > > > > While I understand the arguments of the fdc in the light of the > policies > > > they are bound to, what you Gerard write , really hits the core of the > > > challenge we are facing. > > > > > > What I find the most hypocritical is that the wmf and the fdc want to > > dump > > > other organizations into fundraising adventures the wmf with all its > > > professionalism tried and found unsatisfactory. when sue Gardner > startet > > > there were four income channels. First, Business development, which > never > > > gave income. Second, get money from the rich, which gave a glorious > > > conflict of interest discussion e.g. when virgin doubled part of the > 2006 > > > fundraiser. I never heard of this one again. Third, get money from the > > > dead aka applying for grants to other foundations. This proved > expensive > > > compared to the result, mostly giving restricted funds which then > > resulted > > > in problems with reporting the success. Many of the chapters face this > > > today. And fourth, as now only remaining cornerstone, get money from > the > > > poor, aka fundraising banners on the website. > > > > > > The wmf today plays two roles, spending money and owning the website, > and > > > with it deriving the single right to collect money of it. Which is an > > > inherent conflict of interest imo responsible for 99% of the > > inefficiencies > > > we have today, including the local focus brought up by Gerard. > > > > > > Rupert > > > On Nov 26, 2014 8:05 AM, "Gerard Meijssen" <gerard.meijs...@gmail.com> > > > wrote: > > > > > > > Hoi, > > > > With all respect, these are pennies to the pound. When you have > people > > > > working professionally the choice is very much: are they to do a job > or > > > are > > > > they to raise funds and do a job. To do the latter effectively it > takes > > > two > > > > because the skills involved are different. > > > > > > > > I completely agree that it is possible to raise much more money. > > However, > > > > in the current model where the foundation monopolised fund raising > and > > > not > > > > doing the best possible job the amounts raised are not optimized. > > > Currently > > > > it is not needed. The notion that all money raised should go in one > pot > > > is > > > > foolish because the reality is that several chapter opt out of the > > > process > > > > altogether. Several of these make more money than they can > comfortably > > > > handle BUT cannot share for legal reasons, > > > > > > > > What we have is a political correct monstrosity that does not what it > > is > > > > supposed to do under the notions of political correctness. It would > be > > > much > > > > better when the whole process of fundraising and spending was changed > > in > > > > such a way that the process became more equal, A process where the > > > chapters > > > > can more easily take up jobs they are suited for. Why for instance > have > > > > developers go to the USA while they can live really comfortable in > > > > countries like India where there is an abundance of really smart and > > > > educated people ? Why not have technical projects run in India? (I > know > > > > reasons why not but they are not the point). > > > > > > > > We do not have metrics for many jobs. What we have we do not apply > > > equally > > > > or divide on equal terms. > > > > Thanks, > > > > GerardM > > > > > > > > NB Wikidata is underfunded > > > > > > > > On 25 November 2014 at 21:25, Anders Wennersten < > > > m...@anderswennersten.se> > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > As Nathan I see no contradiction. > > > > > > > > > > I would feel embarrassed if WMSE had used FDC funding in their > > > project > > > > > to get more female contributes. Also as it is rather easy to get > that > > > > > funded from within Sweden and semi-government financing > organisations > > > > (but > > > > > not for WMF to "get" that money for general use) > > > > > > > > > > But I feel quite comfortable that FDC money was used to buy the > > camera > > > > > that was used by a volunteer in ESC 2013 to take photos that has > been > > > > > uploaded to Commons and used in 60+ versions and been viewed > almost a > > > > > million times and believe our small donors would approve of that > use > > > > > > > > > > Anders > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Nathan skrev den 2014-11-25 20:45: > > > > > > > > > >> On Tue, Nov 25, 2014 at 2:38 PM, Liam Wyatt <liamwy...@gmail.com> > > > > wrote: > > > > >> > > > > >> Both of these policies are internally consistent and logical, > > > however I > > > > >>> believe that they are at least partially contradictory. I believe > > the > > > > FDC > > > > >>> is working on the best advice it has available, and I know that I > > > have > > > > >>> not > > > > >>> read *all *the most recent documentation about Chapter finances. > > > But, I > > > > >>> would like to know if there is a policy position from the WMF > Board > > > of > > > > >>> Trustees that clarifies what is expected of Chapters in this > area. > > > > >>> > > > > >> > > > > >> Can you elaborate just a little on how you find them to be > > > > contradictory? > > > > >> If we assume, as I think is reasonable, that the first principle > > > applies > > > > >> to > > > > >> funds raised by WMF and the second is directed at funds raised by > > > > >> individual affiliates, they don't seem to me to be in conflict. > > > > >> _______________________________________________ > > > > >> Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/ > > > > >> wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines > > > > >> Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > > > >> Unsubscribe: > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l > > > , > > > > >> <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org > > ?subject=unsubscribe> > > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > https://meta.wikimedia.org/ > > > > > wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines > > > > > Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > > > > Unsubscribe: > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > > > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org > ?subject=unsubscribe> > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines > > > > Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > > > Unsubscribe: > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines > > > Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> > > _______________________________________________ > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines > > Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> > > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines > Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> > _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe>
