Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/General Support Fund
Who?
Individuals, groups, Wikimedia affiliates or organisations from Wikimedia movement
What?
For annual or strategic plans that require sustained support and for larger projects and programs.
When?
4 months processing time, 2 rounds in a year
How much?
On average 10,000 - 300,000 USD of unrestricted funding[1]
2023-24 round 2 submissions closed. 2024-25 round 1 info coming soon.
How to apply
edit- Read about what we fund and who can apply below.
- Required step: Contact the Regional Program Officer as you start to think about your application. They will help to understand what round to apply for and will support you in the process.
- For new applicants: In the upcoming round 2 of fiscal year 2023-24, we only accept applications from new grantees in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), Middle East & North Africa (MENA), East, Southeast Asia, & Pacific (ESEAP) and North America (NA) regions.
- For returning applicants: Please note that we may not be able to guarantee requested budget increases, and advise having a conversation with your Program Officer to establish what budget range may be feasible.
- Go to Wikimedia Foundation Grantee Portal (Fluxx) and log in.
- If you do not have an account, click Register Now and provide the requested information. You will receive confirmation of your registration within one working day.
- Select the Apply for General Support Fund button on the main page. Click Save and Continue or Save and Close to save the application.
- Follow the instructions on the application form. Click Submit to submit the application for review.
- We accept applications in any language. We will support translation for applications and discussions as needed.
- Applications will be published to Meta-Wiki automatically within two days. This is done for community review and feedback.
- You can prepare the application offline. Make a copy of the application form, answer the questions and copy the text to Fluxx.
What we fund
edit- Annual, multi-year and strategic plans of groups, Wikimedia affiliates and organisations
- Larger projects and programs of individuals, groups, Wikimedia affiliates and organisations
- Proposals supporting the achievement of Wikimedia’s mission and strategic direction
- Education projects
- Cultural and heritage projects that support contribution of content, curation of the content and promote accessibility of that content.
- Gender and diversity projects
- Community support and engagement projects
- Coordination of global campaigns.
- Public policy advocacy projects that aim to influence legal and regulatory environments (at the national, regional or international level) in order to protect the people, model and the values of the free knowledge movement. These projects could target national legislation, trade agreements, human rights frameworks, and any other regulations and norms set by governments and lawmakers.
- Operating expenses - working space, services, and other common costs needed for an affiliate to opereate.
- Programmatic expenses - data costs to support access to online events, prizes, outreach, and other common costs needed to support programs.
- Staff expenses - compensation for well-defined roles that do not replace volunteer activities, including (but not limited to) graphic design, training, childcare services, translation, project or organisation management, and Wikimedian-in-Residence roles.
- Learning or training expenses - costs related to learning or training for community members or affiliate staff.
- Travel and participation expenses for staff and organisers.
- Indic MediaWiki Developers UG 2024 Annual Plan (India, South Asia)
- Wikimedia Korea Strategic Annual Plan 2024 (South Korea, East, Southeast Asia, & Pacific)
- GOIF 2024 Annual Grant (Ghana, Sub-Saharan Africa)
- Wikimedia MA Multi Annual Grant 2024-2026 (Morocco, Middle East & North Africa)
- Wikimedia DC: Sustaining and Growing Chapter Programs and Partnerships in 2023-24 (United States of America, North America)
- Wiki Editoras LX 2024-2026 multi-year plan (Northern & Western Europe)
- Developing Free Knowledge in Georgia, 2023 (Georgia, Central & Eastern Europe & Central Asia)
- Plan 2024-2025 de estrategias y acciones para Wikimedistas de Uruguay (Uruguay, Latin America & Caribbean)
- Plan annuel 2023-2024 Haiti (Haiti, Latin America & Caribbean)
- Proposals that fit certain criteria are not eligible for review in the Wikimedia Community Fund:
- Proposals that are primarily focused on research activities should be submitted to the Wikimedia Research Fund.
- Proposals that are primarily focused on large-scale software development are not eligible for review. Smaller-scale software development projects may be eligible for review in the Rapid Fund pending review from Community Resources and Technology department staff.
Regional Fund Committees have flexibility to fund projects and expenses that applicants identify based on their specific context and situational needs, and may support additional requests not described here.
Eligibility criteria
editAny General Support Fund applicant must be in contact with their Program Officer at least one month before the deadline for application. If you have not had a conversation with your Program Officer about applying for General Support Funding, you will need to apply in the subsequent rounds of funding.
The following are basic criteria that must be met by all Wikimedia Community Fund applicants in order for a proposal to be reviewed:
- Proposed programs and activities are aligned with the mission of the Wikimedia Foundation.
- Works and contributions must be able to be published under ethical, open access agreements
- Applications must be for future, planned work
- Applicants that are organisations must be designated as a Wikimedia affiliate, or must be an organisation with a demonstrable history and primary focus related to the mission of the Wikimedia Foundation, such as improving Wikimedia projects and supporting its volunteer contributors.
- Applicant must follow the Universal Code of Conduct and Friendly Space Policies
- Applicants must be in compliance with all requirements and in good standing for any current activities funded through the Wikimedia Foundation
- Applicant is within a country that can legally receive funding for the described activities and expenses based on laws on sending and receiving funds in the United States and their country
- Applicant does not appear on the United States Department of Treasury Specially Designated Nationals And Blocked Persons List (SDN)
- Applicants receiving funding must not be Wikimedia Foundation staff members or contractors working more than part time (more than 20 hours per week).
- Applicant must provide all information and documents needed to receive the funding from Wikimedia Foundation.
General Support Fund recipients are eligible to apply for some other Wikimedia Foundation funding programs:
General Support Fund recipients are not eligible to apply for:
- Rapid Funds (see details here for specific eligibility for affiliate leaders)
- Wikimedia Alliances Fund
Youth Safety Policy must be in place for any activity that involves underage community members
- If the proposal indicates direct contact with children or youth, it also outlines compliance with international and local laws for working with children and youth, and provides documentation of the local laws in the annex.
- The proposal demonstrates how they will ensure the safe engagement of young people in all of the project’s activities.
- The proposal demonstrates that any adults who will be working in close contact with young people have been properly vetted and trained.
- The proposal outlines an action protocol in the case that incidents occur relating to the physical and psychological safety of young people.
Application process
edit
We work together to be strategic thought partners with applicants. The funding decisions are based on eligibility and committee deliberation.
Here's the summary of the application and review process:
- Applicant submission: Applicants submit their proposal.
- Due diligence: Program Officers and Grant Administrators organise the proposals and supporting documents for committee review.
- Regional Fund Committee review: Committee members review the proposals and supporting documents individually based on a series of criteria and questions.
- Initial feedback: Committees may publish questions to clarify any aspects of the proposal. Community members may also be posting comments, questions or feedback that applicants should respond to.
- Structured feedback from Regional Committee: The whole committee meets to discuss each project to consolidate a unified feedback document that will be sent to applicants.
- Staff feedback shared with committee: Program Officers share their review of each proposal with Committee members.
- Committee/Applicant meetings: In certain cases, committee members may request a live session with the applicants to discuss this feedback and ask questions. Program Officers may also organise these spaces to provide applicants with support to review this feedback.
- Applicant responses and revisions: Applicants have a set time to make necessary adjustments or clarifications.
- Deliberations: Committee members hold a second round of formal deliberation sessions to make their final decisions on the funding. In this stage they take into consideration all the recommendations and adjustments, as well as the overall budget for the region.
- Committee funding decision and remarks: Applicants are informed of the funding decision via email, Fluxx and Meta-Wiki. If approved, grant administration process begins.
Multi-year funding process
editMulti-year grant funding is available for returning applicants if appropriate to the goals and objectives of the applicant for a 2- to 3-year grant period and if approved by the Regional Funds Committee. For multi-year applications, the Regional Funds Committee will evaluate potential increases for years 2 and 3 on a case-by-case basis once the budgets for the upcoming fiscal years are known.
Learn more about multi-year funding process 
Renewal process
editDetails about renewal process and other upcoming changes are published at: Wikimedia Community Fund/Proposed changes to General Support Fund in 2023-24.
Timeline
editGeneral Support timeline is different based on the applicant's funding region. See below for the regional calendar. If you don't know your funding region, look for it at find your region page.
Round 2 (2023-24)
editFebruary 9 - March 1, 2024
Applicant support and eligibility check
March 1, 2024
Submission deadline
March 4 - March 29, 2024
Review and translation
March 29 - April 19, 2024
Review feedback and applicant engagement
May 3, 2024
Decision announced
May 17 - May 31, 2024
Agreement and first payment
January 15, 2025
Midpoint conversation
July 31, 2025
Final or first year report due
February 15, 2024 - March 14, 2024
Applicant support and eligibility check
March 14, 2024
Submission deadline
March 15 - April 22, 2024
Review and translation
April 22 - May 6, 2024
Review feedback and applicant engagement
May 23, 2024
Decision announced
June 6, 2024 - June 30, 2024
Agreement and first payment
January 15, 2025
Midpoint conversation
August 15, 2025
Final or first year report due
February 16 - March 8, 2024
Applicant support and eligibility check
March 8, 2024
Submission deadline
March 8 - April 12, 2024
Review and translation
April 12 - May 3, 2024
Review feedback and applicant engagement
May 17, 2024
Decision announced
May 31 - June 14, 2024
Agreement and first payment
January 15, 2025
Midpoint conversation
July 31, 2025
Final or first year report due
February 16 - March 8, 2024
Applicant support and eligibility check
March 8, 2024
Submission deadline
March 8 - May 6, 2024
Review and translation
May 6 - May 20, 2024
Review feedback and applicant engagement
May 31, 2024
Decision announced
June 14 - June 28, 2024
Agreement and first payment
January 15, 2025
Midpoint conversation
July 31, 2025
Final or first year report due
February 20 - March 14, 2024
Applicant support and eligibility check
March 15, 2024
Submission deadline
March 25 - April 14, 2024
Review and translation
April 15 - May 25, 2024
Review feedback and applicant engagement
May 25, 2024
Decision announced
May 25 - June 2, 2024
Agreement and first payment
January 15, 2025
Midpoint conversation
July 31, 2025
Final or first year report due
| SSA and MENA | SA | ESEAP | LATAM | CEECA | NA | NWE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applicant proposal support starts | February 9, 2024 | February 15, 2024 | February 15, 2024 | February 16, 2024 | February 16, 2024 | February 16, 2024 | February 20, 2024 |
| Eligibility check | February 9 - March 1, 2024 | February 16 - March 14, 2024 | February 16 - March 14, 2024 | February 16 - March 8, 2024 | February 16 - March 8, 2024 | February 16 - March 8, 2024 | February 23 - March 14, 2024 |
| Submission deadline | March 1, 2024 | March 14, 2024 | March 14, 2024 | March 8, 2024 | March 8, 2024 | March 8, 2024 | March 15, 2024 |
| Application translation support | March 4 - March 8, 2024 | March 15 - April 5, 2024 | March 15 - April 5, 2024 | March 8 - March 12, 2024 | March 8 - March 12, 2024 | March 8 - March 12, 2024 | March 15 - March 24, 2024 |
| Review starts | March 11, 2024 | March 18, 2024 | March 18, 2024 | March 12, 2024 | March 18, 2024 | March 18, 2024 | March 25, 2024 |
| Feedback received | March 29, 2024 | April 22, 2024 | April 22, 2024 | April 12, 2024 | May 6, 2024 | May 6, 2024 | April 15, 2024 |
| Engaging with feedback | March 29 - April 19, 2024 | April 22 - May 6, 2024 | April 22 - May 6, 2024 | April 12 - May 3, 2024 | May 6 - May 20, 2024 | May 6 - May 20, 2024 | April 15 - May 5, 2024 |
| Decision announced | May 3, 2024 | May 23, 2024 | May 23, 2024 | May 17, 2024 | May 31, 2024 | May 31, 2024 | May 25, 2024 |
| Agreement signed | May 17, 2024 | June 6, 2024 | June 6, 2024 | May 31, 2024 | June 14 | June 14 | June 2, 2024 |
| First payment sent | May 17 - May 31, 2024 | June 7 - June 30, 2024 | June 7 - June 30, 2024 | May 31 - June 14, 2024 | June 14 - June 30, 2024 | June 14 - June 30, 2024 | June 14 - June 30, 2024 |
| Midpoint learning conversation | January 15, 2025 | January 15, 2025 | January 15, 2025 | January 15, 2025 | January 15, 2025 | January 15, 2025 | January 15, 2025 |
| Final report due | July 31, 2025 | July 31, 2025 | July 31, 2025 | July 31, 2025 | July 31, 2025 | July 31, 2025 | July 31, 2025 |
| Yearly report due for multi-year funds | July 31, 2025 | August 15, 2025 | August 15, 2025 | July 31, 2025 | July 31, 2025 | July 31, 2025 | August 29, 2025 |
Round 1 (2023-24)
edit| SSA and MENA | SA | ESEAP | LATAM | CEECA | NA | NWE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applicant proposal support starts | August 11, 2023 | August 11, 2023 | August 11, 2023 | August 25, 2023 | August 18, 2023 | August 25, 2023 | September 1, 2023 |
| Eligibility check | August 11 - September 8, 2023 | August 11 - September 8, 2023 | August 11 - September 8, 2023 | August 25 - September 29, 2023 | August 18 - September 8, 2023 | August 25 - September 15, 2023 | September 1 - September 29, 2023 |
| Submission deadline | September 8, 2023 | September 8, 2023 | September 8, 2023 | September 29, 2023 | September 8, 2023 | September 15, 2023 | September 29, 2023 |
| Application translation support | September 11 - September 15, 2023 | September 11 - September 15, 2023 | September 11 - September 15, 2023 | October 2 - October 6, 2023 | September 11 - September 15, 2023 | September 19 - September 23, 2023 | October 2 - October 6, 2023 |
| Review starts | September 18, 2023 | September 18, 2023 | September 18, 2023 | October 9, 2023 | September 18, 2023 | September 25, 2023 | October 9, 2023 |
| Feedback received | October 6, 2023 | October 6, 2023 | October 6, 2023 | October 27, 2023 | October 20, 2023 | October 20, 2023 | October 27, 2023 |
| Engaging with feedback | October 6 - October 27, 2023 | October 6 - October 27, 2023 | October 6 - October 27, 2023 | October 27 - November 10, 2023 | October 20 - November 10, 2023 | October 20 - November 10, 2023 | October 27, 2023 - November 10, 2023 |
| Decision announced | November 10, 2023 | November 10, 2023 | November 10, 2023 | December 1, 2023 | November 21, 2023 | November 21, 2023 | November 24, 2023 |
| Agreement signed | December 1, 2023 | December 1, 2023 | December 1, 2023 | December 15, 2023 | December 8, 2023 | December 8, 2023 | December 15, 2023 |
| First payment sent | December 1 - December 19, 2023 | December 1 - December 19, 2023 | December 1 - December 19, 2023 | December 15, 2023 - January 19, 2024 | December 8, 2023 - January 12, 2024 | December 8, 2023 - January 12, 2024 | December 15, 2023 - January 19, 2024 |
| Midpoint learning conversation | July 15, 2024 | July 15, 2024 | July 15, 2024 | July 15, 2024 | July 15, 2024 | July 15, 2024 | August 12, 2024 |
| Final report due | January 31, 2025 | January 31, 2025 | January 31, 2025 | January 31, 2025 | January 31, 2025 | January 31, 2025 | January 31, 2025 |
| Yearly report due for multi-year funds | January 31, 2025 | January 31, 2025 | January 31, 2025 | January 31, 2025 | January 31, 2025 | January 31, 2025 | January 31, 2025 |
Principles and values
editThe principles that are foundational and underline the Wikimedia Foundation Funds' strategy are based directly on the Movement Strategy Principles:
- Subsidiarity & Self Management
- Equity & Empowerment
- Collaboration & Cooperation
- People Centeredness - listening and reflection
- Efficient Data & Iterative Practices - promoting innovation and learning
Reporting requirements
editThere are two types of required reports if your General Support Fund request is approved: Final report (written) and Conversation report (online meeting).
This is a written report to submit within 30 days after the grant end date.
- Go to Wikimedia Foundation Grantee Portal (Fluxx) and log in.
- Find the Reports section on the left sidebar. Select the Upcoming link and you will see all upcoming reports.
- Select the report and click Edit. Answer the questions in the form. You can write it in any preferred language.
- When the report is complete, click Submit to send it for review. The report will be published on Meta-Wiki within two working days.
You can prepare the report offline. Make a copy of the report form, answer the questions and copy the text to Fluxx.
There are two conversation reports. You will meet the Program Officer online two times in the middle of the grant implementation and after completing the grant. They will ask questions and complete the forms.
You can review the questions before the online meeting. You do not need to fill out these forms.
If you have a multi-year funding, the required reports are slightly different.
- Yearly learning report: The same form as final learning report but submitted yearly.
- Yearly conversation between PO-grantee partners: The same meeting as final conversation meeting but organised yearly.
Resources
editUpdates
edit | • February 8, 2024: General Support Fund Round 2 announcement is published with information about round timeline and budget, as well as with important updates for new and returning applicants.
• September 22, 2023: Wikimedia Alliances Fund updates are published. Due to the reduced funding, the application process is by invitation for non-profits from Sub-Saharan Africa and East, Southeast Asia, & Pacific regions. |
Contact us
editIf you have any questions about the General Support Fund, please reach out to your Regional Program Officer via email:
| Region | Regional Program Officer | Email address |
|---|---|---|
| Middle East & North Africa | Farida El-Gueretly | mena_fund wikimedia.org
|
| Sub-Saharan Africa | Veronica Thamaini | ssa_fund wikimedia.org
|
| South Asia | Jacqueline Chen | sa_fund wikimedia.org
|
| East, Southeast Asia, & Pacific | Jacqueline Chen | eseap_fund wikimedia.org
|
| Latin America & Caribbean | Mercedes Caso | lac_fund wikimedia.org
|
| North America | Chris Schilling | na_fund wikimedia.org
|
| Northern & Western Europe | Agnes Bruszik | nwe_fund wikimedia.org
|
| Central & Eastern Europe & Central Asia | Chris Schilling | ceeca_fund wikimedia.org
|
Notes
edit- ↑ Unrestricted funding means that grantees are able to reallocate funding in their budget to new or existing mission-aligned activities or expenses at their own discretion during the funding period. You do not need to obtain permission from the Foundation for reallocation for these changes in your budget. For the General Support Fund and Conference & Event Fund, when reallocations exceed 20% of your total budget from the funding program, please notify your program officer of these changes. This notification would not be to request approval, but to generally inform the Community Resources team what circumstances or opportunities are prompting more significant changes in your budget.
The Community Resources team at Wikimedia Foundation supports the Wikimedia Foundation Funds. We offer funding opportunities, guidance, and other resources to the Wikimedia Movement.