Affiliations Committee/Chapter Limitations

  • Legal status: Chapters must be legally incorporated entities, and must follow all applicable laws and regulations in their home jurisdiction.
  • Non-profit status: Chapters must be non-profit organizations (or have an equivalent legal status in their home jurisdiction).
  • Open governance: Chapters must allow new members to join and have a governing body that is elected by and responsible to the members.
  • Compliance with bylaws: Chapters must submit their bylaws for approval prior to recognition, comply with those bylaws, and inform the Wikimedia Foundation if their bylaws change.
  • Compliance with agreements: Chapters must comply with their chapter, trademark, and grant agreements with the Wikimedia Foundation.
  • Public reporting: Chapters must publish regular activity and financial reports.
  • Political activities: Chapters must not engage in political activities unrelated to the Wikimedia mission, and may be subject to other restrictions on political activity based on laws in their home jurisdiction or grant agreements with the Wikimedia Foundation.
  • Public image: Chapters must not engage in activities that damage the reputation of the Wikimedia Foundation or the Wikimedia movement.