I am often critical of WMF, but I can only support this decision. The idea of creating of an environment was widely discussed in the community, including this mailing list, and had a widespread support. WMF merely follows the community wish in this case, and it is great to know that a donor agreed to match this amount.
Cheers Yaroslav On Sat, Aug 19, 2017 at 12:58 PM, Vi to <vituzzu.w...@gmail.com> wrote: > Caveat: I support a definitely more frugal WMF so also the endowment. > > Try to read it from a different perspective. Before donating *lots* of > money donor wants to be sure WMF will be truly committed in pursuing the > plan of an endowment. Putting the same amount of money is a prove, for > donors, WMF truly wants to create an endowment. > > Vito > > 2017-08-19 10:33 GMT+02:00 Rogol Domedonfors <domedonf...@gmail.com>: > > > I was surprised to read the record > > https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Resolution:Approval_ > > of_Endowment_funding_(Fiscal_Year_2016-2017)_and_matching_$ > > 5_million_gift_from_Peter_Baldwin_and_Lisbet_Rausing > > of the decision to place $5M into the endowment. After the anouncement > by > > Lisa Gruwell on this list > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimedia-l/2016- > > December/085712.html > > there was a discussion of what might be done with the funds raised, and a > > number of suggestions were made for how these funds could be used to > > directly support the work of the volunteers who contribute the content to > > the projects, such as > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimedia-l/2017- > January/085835.html > > . > > > > It is disappointing that the Board has chosen not to fund support of this > > kind. What is more than disappointing, but positively disturbing is that > > the decision was made in the light of an offer from a donor to match the > > sum put into the endowment. I suggest that this was not a fair offer, > and > > the Board's decision was the wrong one. Effectively this donor has said > to > > the Board that they will pay the Foundation not to support the > volunteers, > > and the Board has agreed to follow their wishes. If the donor believes > so > > strongly in the necessity to build up the mission by means of an > Endowment, > > why did they not simply gift the money directly into the endowment > without > > conditions? Equally, if the donor believes so strongly that money should > > not be spent supporting the volunteer community, then I challenge them to > > say so explicitly in public and to defend their position. > > > > I call on the Board to explain to the community of volunteers precisely > why > > they have chosen not to offer that support to the community and to state > > that they will not allow future decisions of this nature to be influenced > > by the wishes of one donor, however generous. > > > > "Rogol" > > _______________________________________________ > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/ > > wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/ > > wiki/Wikimedia-l > > New messages to: 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 and https://meta.wikimedia.org/ > wiki/Wikimedia-l > New messages to: 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 and https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe>
