EU policy/Funding/2015
This is a page to plan the budget and funding of the Free Knowledge Advocacy Group EU's 2015 activities.
Planned Budget
editBasic
30000 or 2500/month - paid time (Dimi @ 0,8 FTE)
2760 or 230/month - infrastructure (180 for coworking space desk and 80 telecom per month)
1000 - travel budget
33,760 Euro
Upgraded
2500 events in Brussels
2000 travel budget
2000 information materials (business cards, flyers, brochures, posters, banners, office supplies)
2000 for "Visiting Weasel Project"
8,380 Euro
Total (Basic+Upgraded): 42,140 Euro
Chapter Pledges
editWMUK: 6000 EUR
WMNL: 4000 EUR
WMSE: 3500 EUR
WMDE: 7000 EUR
WMAT: 2500 EUR
WMCH: 5000 CHF (4130 Eur)
WMPL: 2000 EUR
WMIT: 2000 EUR
WMFR: 4000
Preliminary total: 35,130 Euro
Actual Budget
edit30000 or 2500/month - paid time (Dimi @ 0,8 FTE)
2760 or 230/month - infrastructure (180 for coworking space desk and 80 telecom per month)
2370 - travel budget/events organisation/Visiting Weasel
35.130 Euro
Actual Expenses
editPaid time
editYear end: 30.000
Office&Infra
editInternet&Telephone January - 68.97
Internet&Telephone February - 83.97
Internet&Telephone March - 68.97
Proximus Old Contract + Internet April - 158.11
Voo New Contract + Internet May - 177.55
Internet&Telephone Voo - 49.9
Internet&Telephone Voo - 113.85
Co-working space rent - 1700
Internet&Telephone Voo - 47.9
Meeting Room for Big Fat Brussels Meeting - 60
Preliminary total: 2529.22
Maximum allowed: 2760.00
Travel & Events
editVisiting Weasel Scholarship 1 - 220
WM Salon & NGO Lunch Berlin - 242.54
E-Democracy Conference Burgas - 174.98
GLAM Conference Den Haag - 41.20
FoP EP Event Speaker Travel - 240.00
Wikimania - 357.57
Wikimedia Conference - 182.85
Travel related to #saveFoP - 469.81
Travel EP Event Speaker 2 - 116.89
Travel CopyCamp and School of Copyright in Warsaw - 270.19
Travel Paris for "Colloque: Réforme du droit d'auteur" - 110
Preliminary total: 2426.03
Maximum allowed: 2370.00
Overdraft to be taken from Infra budget: 56.03
Administration of funds
editWe have the problem that most chapters prefer to directly cover the bills for fixed costs, which leads to the situation that the same budget points have many overlapping pledges while others don't.
Possible solutions:
- Trying to take everyone's wishes into account and producing "packages" which Dimi bill directly to chapters.
- Having one of the established chapters taking over the administration, trying to pool the money or to bill chapters for particular activities.
- Create a separate bank account hosted in Belgium at Wikimedia Belgium, where the money is pooled and used globally for the project budget.
WMNL hosting the project
editThe chapter representatives have agreed that it would make most sense for the project and its funds to be hosted in one place. As WMBE is geographically most relevant, it was asked to take care of this. However, WMBE is the newest chapter and still lacks administrative structures. Thus, WMNL has agreed to host the project, as it already has the experience and capacity necessary. The funds have been gathered by WMNL and are transferred only after receiving bills and expense notes from the Wikimedian in Brussels.
External funding
editWe're trying to have at least part of the costs covered by third party funding like the EU's Europe for Citizens programme or the Shuttleworth Foundation. Necessary requests have been made but guarantees can neither be given nor expected at this point.
2015 Goals/Objectives/Targets
editWe will contribute to the policy process around copyright reform at the European Union level. Most of the important decisions about copyright law will be made at the EU level, addressing the current chaos of different copyright laws in EU countries. In 2014, we united 13 European Wikimedia Chapters in the Free Knowledge Advocacy Group (FKAGEU), and began to formulate policy priorities and positions. We also established an office infrastructure and working relationships with allies and EU institutions in Brussels. This year, we aim to strengthen relationships with non-movement net policy groups, involve many more Wikimedia community members in the policy process, and jointly affect the current copyright reform process towards improved legal conditions, with a focus on open works of government and freedom of panorama.
We are aware of the restrictions on legislative and policy activities that apply to the APG funds. Our advocacy activities are fully supported by chapter revenue and third-party funds. We list these activities in the FDC proposal, despite the fact that they will not be supported by APG funds, because they are part of the comprehensive annual plan. Without creating favourable policy conditions for Free Knowledge, much of our other work supporting volunteers and content creation may be less effective.
Goal
editWe engage in collaborative advocacy around EU copyright reform, involving additional Wikimedia contributors and volunteers, and working closely with the Wikimedia Chapters organised in the FKAGEU and other net policy allies.
Objectives and Targets
editObjective - 1.1 EU Members of Parliament - By the end of 2015, additional volunteer Wikimedians have established contact with MEPs and are actively consulting them on Free Knowledge issues.
Target - 1.1 Establishing ten new working contacts to MEPs in 2015, which result in ongoing consultations by volunteer Wikimedians (as qualified by meetings, email conversations, phone calls)
Objective - 1.2. Tools – We provide advocacy tools and materials to volunteers.
Target - 1.2 An EU advocacy contact database is available for Wikimedians and policy brochures in at least 3 different languages are shared with the Wikimedia Movement.
Objective - 1.3. Participation – We participate in all EU level dialogues, meetings and consultations that may affect the Copyright Dossier of the European Commission.
Target - 1.3 FKAGEU participates in all relevant EU copyright dialogues, meetings and consultations in 2015 and plays an active role in all opportunities.
Objective - 1.4. Wikimedian in Brussels - Wikimedians from EU Chapters have the opportunity to spend time at our Brussels office, supported by a stipend, to engage in hands-on advocacy activities.
Target - 1.4 By end of 2015 at least 2 volunteer Wikimedians have participated in the “Wikimedian in Brussels” work stipend and our EU advocacy activities.
Objective - 1.5. Partnerships - We develop additional partnerships with like-minded open source and free knowledge organizations active in EU net policy advocacy, and works with them on joint positioning and projects.
Target - 1.5. Addtional working partnerships are established and existing ones are deepened (as qualified by shared vision and goals, joint projects, joint policy statements, collaboratively organized events, # of additional volunteers engaged in advocacy activities) in 2015.
WMF Strategic Priorities
editAdvocacy is a crucial role of Wikimedia chapters. By advocating on behalf of free knowledge at strategically selected levels of decision-making in Europe and national states, We strive to create the policy environment that will enable volunteers to and chapters to effectively work towards all five movement priorities. FKAGEU is building collaborative capacity among EU chapters and their communities to actively engage in the EU policy making process, which is where many movement sensitive decisions are going to be made in the near future. With our EU level activities, we are building agreement, collaborative capacity and unity among EU chapters, we develop partnerships with allied organisations, and we find new ways of involving our contributors in advocacy.
On all advocacy activities, we are eager to share our learnings with the movement, and to contribute to building movement and volunteer advocacy capacity overall.