Affiliations Committee/Thematic Organisation Summary Matrix

Criteria

Wikimedia thematic organisations (and user groups that apply for recognition as thematic organisations) are expected to demonstrate a history of effective programmatic work. The Affiliations Committee will evaluate groups' history using three main criteria:

1

Diversity of Activities. Thematic organisations are expected to plan and conduct a variety of different programs and events; to balance online and offline projects; to strive for continuous activity; and to conduct programs and events at least once every two months.

2

Planning and Evaluation. Thematic organisations are expected to set specific goals and targets for programs, projects, and events before executing them; to measure the results of programs, projects, and events against those targets; and to report on those results to the Wikimedia Foundation and the wider Wikimedia movement.

3

External Partnerships. Thematic organisations are expected to engage in programmatic partnerships with external groups and organizations (for example, cultural, academic, or government institutions, and so on) to promote the Wikimedia movement and to add and improve content on Wikimedia projects.

All thematic organisations and potential thematic organisations will continue to be evaluated against the existing legal, governance, and viability criteria:

4

Aligned Mission. Thematic organisations are expected to have a mission similar to the mission and vision of the Wikimedia Foundation; and to adhere to the guiding principles of the Wikimedia Foundation and the Wikimedia movement.

5

Thematic Focus. Thematic organisations must have a clearly defined cultural, linguistic, or thematic focus; and are expected to structure their activities around that focus.

6

Legal Structure. Thematic organisations must be legally incorporated entities; must be non-profit organizations (or have an equivalent legal status in their home jurisdiction); must be legally independent from the Wikimedia Foundation; and must follow all applicable laws and regulations.

7

Open Governance. Thematic organisations are expected to operate under a set of governing documents (such as bylaws) which have been approved by the Affiliations Committee; to allow new members to join; and to have a governing body that is elected by and responsible to their members.

8

Active Contributor Involvement. Thematic organisations are expected to involve at least 20 active Wikimedia contributors (individuals with at least 300 contributions to a Wikimedia project under a registered account that has existed for at least 6 months and is in good community standing).

9

Capacity. Thematic organisations are expected to demonstrate capacity to meet future responsibilities and expectations (such as organizing programs and activities; recruiting volunteers and obtaining funding; maintaining compliance with legal obligations, chapter and grant agreements, and movement best practices; and so on).

Benefits & Limitations

Benefits

Limitations

Thematic exclusivity: Only one thematic organisation can exist for a particular cultural, linguistic, or thematic focus. Naming exclusivity: Thematic organisations are the only affiliates which may use names of the form "Wikimedia {Focus Topic}". Access to larger grants: Thematic organisations are eligible to apply for larger annual plan grants ($100K+) through the Wikimedia Foundation's Annual Plan Grants process. Access to trademarks: Thematic organisations sign a trademark agreement that allows non-commercial use of all Wikimedia trademarks. Access to fundraising: Thematic organisations may use Wikimedia trademarks for fundraising, and may have access to additional fundraising opportunities (such as payment processing for the annual Wikimedia Foundation fundraiser). Additional representation: Thematic organisations may send two (or more, in the case of thematic organisations with paid staff) representatives to the annual Wikimedia Conference. Selection of board seats: Thematic organisations may participate in the selection process for the Wikimedia Foundation's affiliate-selected Board seats.

Legal status: Thematic organisations must be legally incorporated entities, and must follow all applicable laws and regulations in their home jurisdiction. Non-profit status: Thematic organisations must be non-profit organizations (or have an equivalent legal status in their home jurisdiction). Open governance: Thematic organisations must allow new members to join and have a governing body that is elected by and responsible to the members. Compliance with bylaws: Thematic organisations 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: Thematic organisations must comply with their chapter, trademark, and grant agreements with the Wikimedia Foundation. Public reporting: Thematic organisations must publish regular activity and financial reports. Political activities: Thematic organisations 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: Thematic organisations must not engage in activities that damage the reputation of the Wikimedia Foundation or the Wikimedia movement.