My personal position is it is critical to have a stable organization before growing. The WMF has achieved greater stability over the last 1.5 years so I think further growth is becoming again a good idea.
James On Mon, Aug 21, 2017 at 7:48 PM, Rogol Domedonfors <domedonf...@gmail.com> wrote: > I'm know that the WMF has determined that it should have some form of > endowment, The question is -- as is usual in question of this sort -- one > of balance: in this case, balance between current spending for the benefit > of the projects today, and accumulating capital for the benefit of the > projects tomorrow. I am asking the Board to say why they decided to strike > that balance where they did -- given the obvious need for that support > right now -- and whether it is appropriate for large donors to apparently > influence that decision. > > Reinhard > > On Mon, Aug 21, 2017 at 3:02 PM, Yaroslav Blanter <ymb...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > > 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> > > > _______________________________________________ > 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> > -- James Heilman MD, CCFP-EM, Wikipedian The Wikipedia Open Textbook of Medicine _______________________________________________ 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>
