Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/General Support Fund/Wikimedia Community Ireland Annual Grant 2024
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Applicant information edit
- Organization name or Wikimedia Username for individuals. (required)
- Wikimedia Ireland Company Limited by Guarantee
- Do you have any approved General Support Fund requests? (required)
- Yes, I have already applied and received a General Support Fund
- You are applying as a(n). (required)
- Wikimedia Affiliate (chapter, thematic org., or user group)
- Are your group or organization legally registered in your country? (required)
- Yes
- Do you have a fiscal sponsor?
- No
- Fiscal organization name.
- N/A
Main proposal edit
- 1. Please state the title of your proposal. This will also be a title for the Meta-Wiki page. (required)
- Wikimedia Community Ireland Annual Grant 2024
- 2. Do you want to apply for the multi-year funding or renewal process? (required)
- No but we would like to apply for multi-year funding next time
- 2.1. For how many years of multi-year funding are you applying? (required)
- N/A
- 2.2. Provide a brief overview of Year 2 and Year 3 of the proposed plan and how this relates to the current proposal and your strategic plan? (required)
N/A
- 3. Proposed start date. (required)
- 2024-07-01
- 4. Proposed end date. (required)
- 2025-06-30
- 5. Does your organization or group have an Affiliate or Organizational Annual Plan that can help us understand your proposal? If yes, please provide it. (required)
- No
- 6. Does your affiliate, organization or group have a Strategic Plan that can help us understand your proposal? If yes, please provide it. (required)
- Yes
- 7. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)
- Regional (more than one country in the same continent or region)
- The island of Ireland is divided into the Republic of Ireland (ROI) and Northern Ireland (NI). NI is part of the United Kingdom (UK), but due to our geographical proximity, cultural, linguistic, and historical connections to NI, we have supported any events there since 2017. We have liaised with Wikimedia UK about these events and will continue this collaboration since the appointment of a manager in WMUK with responsibility with NI.
- 8. What are your programs, approaches, and strategies? What are the challenges that you are trying to address and how will your strategies support you in addressing these challenges? (required)
- Risks
The last 6 months have been a time of growth and challenges for Wikimedia Community Ireland. The Project Coordinator, a founding member, moved on to a new role. In response, we hired the current Project and Communications Manager and our first Irish Language Officer. With the staff changes, we have focused our strategy and streamlined our activities.
One of the risks we encountered during this transition period was knowledge loss. This was mostly due to our previous Coordinator leaving before the current Manager came on board. We had developed a comprehensive handover document, but the breadth of knowledge held by the Coordinator was not fully recognised or recorded. The previous Coordinator remains a member of our volunteer community. This helped mitigate the risk, and she remains within easy reach when queries arise. Over the last few months the staff members, along with the Chair and Vice Chair, have begun the reorganisation of our archives and implementing a shared document management and review process. We’ve been implementing more formal and documented administrative processing and have begun implementing a change management program. We’ve been consolidating the administrative knowledge base under repositories owned by the group and addressing issues with accessibility and succession planning. This is a large undertaking that will continue through the next grant year.
Another risk identified is the number of dedicated volunteers the group is likely to attract. Due to the small geographic context of Ireland, its remote location, and the household income average in the region, the pool of engaged Wikimedia contributors is relatively small, even for a small country. Our recruiting ability is limited. Adapting to this our strategy remains to reach out to organizations with similar goals and principles of the Wikimedia community. In this way, these groups supplement the lack of dedicated volunteers. In this environment, we have found little recourse but to take on administrative and coordination duties ourselves. where we currently have limited penetration where we can assist with this issue. Having a small pool of volunteers can also lead to burnout. When the Project and Communications Manager was hired, it was decided that her focus would be on project development and volunteer outreach. The administrative tasks were taken up by a volunteer member of the community. This work includes liaising with the accountants on payroll and yearly accounts required under Irish law, maintaining the reporting requirements on ongoing grants, providing Wikipedia training the new Manager, and maintaining accurate records for the community. And, the assumption of some of the education and outreach programs reporting. This important administrative work cannot continue to be dependent on a volunteer.
- Staffing
In this grant, WCI is requesting additional staff funding to increase the Irish Language Officer position full-time (1 FTE) and to hire a part-time (.5 FTE) Administrative Assistant.
Irish Language Officer (ILO)
Funding was provided to hire an Irish Language Officer in our 2023-2024 Grant. Since coming on board in July 2023, Amy has already greatly expanded the outreach of WCI in the Irish Language community. She has attended several Irish Language conferences, promoting WCI and the Wiki Women Erasmus+ Project that we are associated with. Her outreach has led to WCI being chosen as the host for the Celtic Knot language conference in September 2024 (pending grant approval) which has generated great interest from Irish Language groups as well as local/regional library services, the local museum quarter, and the South East Technological University [SETU] which is located in the proposed conference location (Waterford City). This aligns with our Strategic goal to host more events outside of the Dublin area. Since Amy’s arrival, communications from WCI are also mostly bi-lingual, which serves the wider Irish language community in addition to being in line with WCI’s strategic goal of promotion of the Irish language through its activities. Due to her role being part-time and thus limited to 16 hours per week, not all communications have been able to be made available in Irish due to this time constraint.
Amy has hosted several Irish language workshops/Edit-a-thons within 3rd level institutions and online, promoting the work of Wikimedia Community Ireland and the Wonder Movement globally. Since January 2024, Amy has been hosting a monthly online Edit-a-thon coworking session to hold space for Community members and newcomers to attend and participate in Wiki Projects through the Irish language. She has also joined the Celtic Editors Group which facilitates liaison between users operating through the Celtic languages on Wikimedia projects and cross-cultural collaboration and insights on strengthening smaller language Wikis. Additionally, in attending monthly meetings with WMUK staff and UK-based WiR, Amy is maintaining connections with (and fostering further communication within) our geographic region, which is facilitating collaboration opportunities between both Chapters. She has also connected with several media outlets (via online news outlets, radio, and national television) to promote the work of WCI as well as working collaboratively with Sophie to produce a podcast that promotes the ongoing projects, competitions, and campaigns WCI is working on while also engaging with new audiences via guest speakers.
She has also been working with our Erasmus+ partners in developing and refining the toolkits being developed for use in secondary schools that teach through the Irish Language. This is a valuable Irish Language resource and a way to increase Vicipéid editing in secondary and third-level institutions which will feed into the long-term goal of having the Irish language encyclopedia Vicipéid as part of the Irish Language curriculum throughout the education system in Ireland. This is currently being modeled in Welsh Wikipedia and Amy has been liaising with Robin Owain both through the Celtic Editors Group, the WMUK meetings, and also on a one-to-one basis to gain further insight into how this has been implemented in Wales. With this insight, she is currently working on an outreach program focused on the relevant State departments and has begun engaging with various organizations, groups, and individuals about Wiki projects finding great interest, advice, and support for this.
As ILO, Amy has developed on existing connections and also made several new connections with 3rd-level institutes. Through DCU’s History in Your Hands program (aimed at second-level students to equip them with historical research skills and conveniently aligned with Wikimedia outreach efforts, in particular, the WikiWomen Project) she has been able to provide collaborative support to this program bilingually and as a result, the programme coordinators are seeking future continued collaboration on this as well as a deepening of the relationship with this university’s library and special collections archive team. This collaboration has provided an opportunity to expand WCI’s access to special collections and archival materials in both English and Irish. DCU has several other projects which are linked with the Irish language, including a project by post-doctoral researcher Dr Simon Mille (ADAPT Research Centre, DCU) who is developing a generative AI language model using DBpedia and Wikidata to specifically contribute to Vicipéid through the generation of text, encouraging the creation, editing, and strengthening of articles. Dr Mille and his team attended a Seachtain na Gaeilge event with WCI recently (13th March 2024) and they are interested in maintaining this collaborative and mutually beneficial relationship. They have also invited WCI to contribute to a paper for an upcoming International Linguistics Conference (to be hosted in Japan, date TBC) based on Dr Mille’s project and they have also expressed interest in contributing to the Celtic Knot conference. Amy has also linked in with the SETU in Waterford (formerly WIT) and has established connections within the Irish language department (specifically Dr Séamus Dillon) and the SETU library services where there is great interest in collaborating and supporting WCI projects, specifically Vicipéid. Finally, she has also been invited to deliver a guest lecture as part of a Language and Identity in Ireland module (which focuses on indigenous and minority languages on the island of Ireland), delivered by Dr. Maggie Glass, at TU Dortmund. TU Dortmund have approved funding to cover the cost of travel for this and to facilitate an in-person lecture as well as inviting her to attend their department’s research colloquium. Amy has also been invited to contribute to Dr. Glass’ current research project entitled ‘Virtual Communities as Breathing Spaces for Speakers of Minority Languages’ by highlighting the work of Wikimedia Chapters (particularly those involved with Celtic languages, as a research focus of Dr. Glass’) in providing Digital Spaces for underrepresented language communities. Once funding confirmation for the conference grant is received we also intend to officially invite Dr Glass as a speaker to the Celtic Knot conference, there have been preliminary talks and keen interest expressed in this.
To continue to expand on the great work done so far, we would like to increase the ILO position to full-time. There has been tremendously positive feedback from the Community and securing this position as full-time will ensure this work continues sustainably enabling more collaborative opportunities to build on the foundational work she has done since coming on board in July 2023. Up until now, funding through the Erasmus+ Project has supported Amy’s salary as she works part-time as ILO and part-time on this; that funding will end with the program this year. There are already strong allies within the Irish Language community (including recognition of WCI’s work by the Irish Government) who wish to work with us, but until now we have not been able to give them support in Irish. Supporting Irish Wikimedia Vicipéid is a terrific body of public Irish language resources that has little penetration in the community. This is a major challenge and a key way to foster more engagement and active partnerships. We have begun that work, but a full-time position is needed to continue and expand this work.
Having a full-time ILO will also help to mitigate the volunteer risk identified above as well as providing additional time and resources to further develop Vicipéid. In addition to increasing outreach into the Irish Language community, which is the primary remit, the work done by the ILO also promotes WCI as a whole and brings more volunteers/allies to the group.
Administrative Assistant
One of the risks identified above was knowledge loss due to inadequate documentation and organisation. Hiring an Administrative Assistant on a part-time (.5 FTE) basis would help mitigate this risk. They would continue the work to reorganise and document the work done by staff, freeing them to expand their outreach efforts and focus on volunteer recruitment. An Administrative assistant would work to ensure a sense of group ownership and further maintain our change management and succession planning.
An Administrative Assistant would also help to mitigate the volunteer risk identified above by this work not being dependent on entirely volunteer capacity. As a registered company in Ireland, there are annual reports that are required by law. While we employ an accountant to create these reports, they need documentation from the community to complete them. Ongoing grants are tracked individually, but they need to be compiled into one set of accounts for annual reporting. This work is currently performed by a volunteer, which is not sustainable in the long term.
This volunteer also performs HR functions for the group such as payroll reporting and managing contracts, annual leave, and expense reporting. These activities would be covered by the Administrative Assistant going forward.
- Outreach Goals
Secondary Level
The great work done by the Wiki Women Erasmus+ Project over the past 1.5 years will culminate with the publication of several toolkits under an open license for use by schools, teachers, students, and GLAMs. These toolkits will initially be available in English, Irish, Basque, and Friesian. We will launch the publication of these resources at the Celtic Knot conference in September 2024. During the conference, we will engage with Irish language advocates to publicise the toolkits. While the project is designed to be run with limited support, we will make ourselves available for consultation and training if required.
Third Level
We will continue the work with the Universities where we have already established programmes. One of our strategic goals is to increase the breadth of our reach, especially outside of Dublin. We will reach out to other Universities, specifically the many Technical Universities in Ireland, to broaden our reach. We want to establish an internship program to engage university students in teaching Wikipedia editing in English and Irish. We have already received interest from some universities and hope to have something in place by the end of the year. We also plan on engaging with student societies.
GLAM Outreach
We will continue our GLAM outreach with identified allies by hosting editing events and giving presentations on open licenses. The GLAM toolkits mentioned above will also be promoted as a way for GLAMs to partner with schools. We plan on attending/presenting at 3 GLAM-orientated conferences during this grant period.
Irish Language Outreach
In addition to promoting the Wiki Women toolkits and hosting Celtic Knot, we plan on hosting a booth and running at least 1 edit-a-thon at the annual Irish Language conference, Oireachtas na Samhna. Our ILO attended this conference in 2023 and made many contacts within the Irish Language community. Following on from the Celtic Knot conference and launching of the Wiki Women toolkits, this conference is a unique opportunity to promote the use of Vicipéid in promoting, preserving, and utilizing the Irish language. Our ILO will also attend/present at an additional 2 Irish Language conferences during this grant period.
In addition to conferences, our ILO will continue to host and provide space for regular Edit-a-thons through the Irish language; expanding and maintaining these monthly online meet-ups to include quarterly in-person edit-a-thon events. Expanded outreach and collaboration with the Irish-speaking community groups and Gaeltacht regions will allow opportunities for Wikimedia Community Ireland to grow in both members and outreach throughout the island of Ireland.
- Competitions
We will continue to run the Wiki Loves Monuments, Wiki Loves Earth, and Wiki Loves Folklore photo competitions. In conjunction with the competitions, we will run online editing events. During the Celtic Knot Conference, we will run an additional WLM competition in conjunction with the event. We will also promote Folklore and Feminism by running editing events and themed podcasts.
- 9. What categories are your main programs and related activities under? Please select all that apply. (required)
| Category | Yes/No |
|---|---|
| Education | Yes |
| Culture, heritage or GLAM | Yes |
| Gender and diversity | Yes |
| Community support and engagement | Yes |
| Participation in campaigns and contests | Yes |
| Public policy advocacy | No |
| Other | No |
Education
- 9.1.1. Select all your programs and activities for Education. (required)
- Editing Wikipedia Training, Translation, Research, Other activities
- Other programs and activities if any: Erasmus+ Wiki Women Project
- 9.1.2. Select all relevant audience groups for Education. (required)
- Secondary school students, Vocational, tertiary, or higher education, Teachers or professors, Other groups
- Other groups if any: Irish Language groups within Ireland (including Aerach Aiteach Gaelach), local Gaeltacht Communities around Ireland, there are also Irish language Organisations outside of Ireland found in Europe, the UK and the USA (which are affiliated as branches of Conradh na Gaeilge), Local, Regional and National Heritage and History groups around Ireland, Other Community Groups engaged with History and Heritage activities, LGBT+ Community Groups
Culture, heritage or GLAM
- 9.2. Select all your programs and activities for Culture, heritage or GLAM. (required)
- Documenting or incubating languages on Wikimedia projects, Introducing new approaches to underrepresented culture and heritage, e.g. decolonising or reparative work; oral and visual knowledge; outreach to communities of origin, indigenous and first nations self-determination, Supporting institutions to open up their collections, data, metadata, and research, Supporting GLAM professionals to incorporate use of Wikimedia in their work, through documentation, training, or Wikimedian in Residence programs, Partnering with institutions, professional associations, and allied organizations to raise awareness of open culture, ethical sharing, and related issues
- Other programs and activities if any: N/A
Gender and diversity
- 9.3. Select all your programs and activities for Gender and diversity.
- Bringing in women and/or gender diverse participants and editors, Focusing on creating content about women and/or gender diverse groups, including biographies, intersectional topic areas and/or adding images, Focusing on creating content about marginalized (underrepresented) communities and their knowledge, Focusing on knowledge equity by bringing in contributors from underrepresented communities, Building organizer skills in women and diversity groups, Fomenting female leadership within the movement (either staff, members or boards)
- Other programs and activities if any: N/A
Community support and engagement
- 9.4. Select all your programs and activities for Community support and engagement.
- On-wiki training of community members, Off-wiki training of community members, Organizing meetups, conferences, and community events, Supporting community members' participation in events and conferences, Other
- Other programs and activities if any: The Wikimedia Community Ireland Podcast
Participation in campaigns and contests
- 9.5. Select all campaigns that apply. (required)
- 1Lib1Ref, Art+Feminism, Feminism and Folklore, Wiki Loves Earth, Wiki Loves Folklore, Wiki Loves Monuments, Wiki Loves Women, WikiForHumanRights, Other
- Other programs and activities if any: Wiki Loves Pride, Queering Wikipedia, Wiki Loves Living Heritage
- 10. Please include a link to or upload a timeline (operational calendar) for your programs and activities. (required)
- File is uploaded on application
- 11. Describe your team. (required)
Wikimedia Community Ireland [WCI] currently has 2 staff members (1.5FTE): the Project and Communications Manager (1 FTE), Sophie Fitzpatrick, has been in post since September 2023 and the Irish Language Officer (.5 FTE), Amy O’Riordan, has been in post since July 2023. These staff members are currently supported by a core team of officers and volunteers including:
Officers: Chair: Shannon Eichelberger Deputy Chair: Eugene Eichelberger Deputy Chair: Sharon Flynn
Volunteers: Rebecca O’Neill Antiqueight Brian McKenzie Éamonn Ó Gribín Meghan Dowling Gabriel Beecham Claire Murray Priyangee Guha Éoin Bairéad Killian Downing Gwinyai Masukume Kelly Fitzgerald Dan Garry Amr Druid Teresa Lynn Conor Malone
The staff members report to the chair, deputy chairs and the volunteer committee. All plans are based upon the guidance of the strategic plan and the interpretation of that plan by the officers and committee. The staff report to the committee once a month, with on-going communication with the chair as and when needed. The staff conduct the day to day running of the group, as well as implementing and supporting the activities of the volunteers and wider Wikimedia community in Ireland.
- 12. Will you be working with any internal (Wikimedia) or external partners? Describe the characteristics of these partnerships and bring a few examples of the most significant partnerships. (required)
Wikimedia UK We hope to continue to collaborate with Wikimedia UK for the Celtic Knot Conference (funding dependent). We also will continue to partner with WMUK and support their activities in Northern Ireland. The Project Manager and Irish Language Officer have regular meetings with WMUK to further develop the relationship.
Celtic Editors Group
We have had ongoing communication with this group of Wikimedians in envisioning the thematic focus and proposed outcomes of the upcoming Celtic Knot Conference. We will continue to communicate closely and listen to the needs of this community as we move forward in the organization of the Conference. Engagement with this Editors group also provides insight into other underrepresented and under-resourced communities within the Celtic language family and provides ongoing support and insight which is mutually beneficial to all groups due to shared concerns, struggles, resources (e.g. via Celtic Studies departments in academic settings) and understanding.
Through engagement with this group it is clear that there is keen interest in cross-cultural exchange and collaboration on future projects both with respect to the Celtic Knot conference and outside of this, too. The members of this group are not solely located in the geographical constraints of the Celtic Nations but are also located in the USA and across Europe, this demonstrates the reach of Celtic languages as not just a regional but also a global area of interest indicating a wider potential for expansion of the community and reach for its projects.
WikiWomen Erasmus+
We are working with Erasmus+ on our WikiWomen Erasmus+ project. This is collaboration with partners in Ireland, the Basque Country, and Friesland, to address gaps in participation and content bringing minority languages and women’s representation together in the classroom. Through the development of resources for this project we will have a tried and tested educational outreach programme which we then intend to disseminate and introduce to second-level educational institutions around Ireland creating an opportunity to onboard more volunteers to our community and strengthen our overall outreach efforts.
Through the Erasmus+ WikiWomen project Wikimedia Community Ireland associated with Afûk (an organisation tasked with promoting the Frisian language in the Netherlands), The Mercator European Research Centre (hosted by the Fryske Akademy), Learning Hub Friesland, Coláiste Oiriall (an Irish medium secondary school in Monaghan), Euskal Wikilarien Kultura (The Basque Wikimedian User Group), and BHI Antigua Luberri (a Basque language secondary school located in Donostia San Sebastian).
Conradh na Gaeilge [CnaG]
During the Oireachtas na Samhna conference in November our ILO spoke to various Irish language organizations, of which CnaG was a primary focus. CnaG was founded in 1893 and is one of the main organizations for the promotion and preservation of the Irish language. It is a democratic forum for the Irish-speaking community within over 200 branches and numerous individual members registered around the world. At Oireachtas na Samhna, our ILO spoke to CnaG’s Director of Development and their Membership and their Education Executive about WCI’s projects. They are keen to assist in the development of Vicipéid and its promotion. Through their grant support fund for Seachtain na Gaeilge (Irish Language Week) our ILO applied and was granted some funding (€400) to cover costs for events for this campaign. We are exploring further opportunities for collaboration and potential funding opportunities provided by CnaG and are awaiting details and open calls for further funding to become available. For the development of Vicipéid and our Irish language outreach and strategic goals it is essential that WCI engages with CnaG and similar organizations in the space of language advocacy and promotion as a key player in accessing the Irish-speaking community and language learners.
Comhlucht Forbartha na nDéise [CFnnD]
As the closest Gaeltacht (Irish speaking region) to our ILO, this organisation’s goal is to develop and support Gaeltacht na nDéise (located in the west of Co. Waterford). Our ILO was speaking with their Development Officer at the Oireachtas na Samhna conference and has since connected with the Board’s Secretary (who is also the ILO for the Local Government at Waterford City and Council Council). Both have shown great interest in the work currently being undertaken by our ILO and have voiced support for the same. In particular, the Celtic Knot conference (which is planned to take place in Waterford, pending grant confirmation) is of great interest to them as an event that will showcase the wider work of the Movement and how this can benefit the development of the Irish language. In developing this relationship further we aim to reach a wider Irish-speaking audience to contribute to and get involved with our projects.
Waterford City and County Libraries Service
Our ILO has been working on developing a relationship with the local GLAMs in Waterford, this has begun a promising relationship with the local library services. There are 12 libraries throughout Waterford City and County (varying in size) and the local government has been continuously developing them as resources over the last number of years. The managers of the Waterford City Central Library and Dungarvan Library (in particular) have been keen to engage with the ILO and the projects currently under development by WCI. This has led to an invitation for our ILO to attend the 5th Annual Global Women’s Conference in Waterford City (Hosted by Waterford Libraries, Waterford Integration Services and Europe Direct Waterford.) At this conference our ILO was speaking with the County Librarian (also Head of Culture Waterford City and County Council) and spoke at length about WCI’s projects, in particular the WikiWomen project as the conference was held on International Women’s Day. Both Dungarvan and Waterford Central libraries have also collaborated with our ILO on events for Seachtain na Gaeilge (March 14th and 15th, respectively) to promote Vicipéid and the WikiWomen project which engaged with the public and wider communities to promote WCI’s work. Future collaborations with this Library service (and others throughout Ireland) are being planned and engaged with the strategy of broadening the scope of WCI’s reach outside of Dublin.
South East Technological University [SETU] Waterford
Our ILO has made a connection with SETU with both their library service and the head of their Irish language department, Dr Séamus Dillon, who has expressed interest in collaborating on events with regard to Vicipéid and has also committed to supporting in the Celtic Knot conference. Dr Dillon, as part of the BA in Modern Irish, teaches a module on Irish Medium Media as well as Folklore, and History. He has expressed interest in getting the current cohort of students involved with Vicipéid, the Celtic Knot Conference, and also has invited our ILO to speak to the class about WCI’s work.
Dublin City University (DCU)
WCI continues to run the Simulated Translation Bureau at Dublin City University (DCU). WCI is collaborating with a group of 20 Masters students and lecturer Aishowarza Manik at DCU. This year the students will be translating Wikipedia into Japanese, Spanish, German, Italian, Chinese, French, English, and Irish. This takes place on an annual basis.
We also plan to continue to collaborate with the ADAPT Research Centre at DCU specifically on their projects that is developing a generative AI language model using DBpedia and Wikidata to contribute to Vicipéid, other minority languages and to generate content for Wikipedia about underrepresented groups. This collaboration will include training the ADAPT center staff on Wikipedia Editing, collaborating on research papers and fostering cross-exchange of knowledge at conferences hosted by both parties.
Through DCU’s History in Your Hands program (aimed at second-level students to equip them with historical research skills and conveniently aligned with WCI’s outreach efforts, in particular, the WikiWomen Project) our ILO has been able to provide collaborative support to this program bilingually and as a result, the programme coordinators are seeking future continued collaboration on this annual program, as well as a deepening of the relationship with this DCU’s library and special collections archive team and resources. There is a potential avenue for funding from DCU being explored in relation to this (to compensate WCI’s time and resources allocated to it) and much interest from the program coordinators who are, themselves, senior library staff within the University.
University College Dublin (UCD)
Wikimedia Community Ireland has had a long-standing partnership with UCD since 2014. Each year we collaborate with Dr. Crystal Fulton to work with Undergraduate and Postgraduate Information and communication students to teach them about editing Wikipedia pages, using citations, avoiding plagiarism, writing tone, and use of reliable sources.
University of Limerick (UL)
Since 2020 we have continued to work with Dr Karol Mullaney-Dignam on a module as part of her Public History MA. We provide training sessions and editing support to students.
UNiversity College Cork (UCC)
We supported UCC Library in organising their 1Lib1Ref event and also provided training materials, and organisiational support. A volunteer also attended to provide in-person training support. The library hopes to continue this as a recurring event, (with the next session planned to take place in summer 2024) which WCI will continue to support.
Trinity College Library and Wikimedia Japan
We will be co-hosting a Wikimedian in Residence from Wikimedia Japan at Trinity College Library this coming year. We plan to collaborate with Dr. Kitamura Sae to host editing events and other Wikimedia Outreach activities during her stay by providing support, training materials, logistical support, and marketing strategies.
Dr.Kitamura Sae created the “Wikipedia Translation Project", and we have already been able to benefit from her wealth of knowledge and support particularly when preparing our Projects and Communications Officer to deliver the Simulated Translation Bureau. We hope that this collaboration will expand and deepen our knowledge so that we can continue to fortify our approach to translation projects moving forward.
TU Dortmund
We are fostering a new relationship with TU Dormund [TUD] in Germany, specifically their linguistics department. Our ILO has been invited as a guest speaker to contribute to a module on ‘Language and Identity in Ireland’, delivered by Dr. Maggie Glass. TUD have approved funding to cover the cost of travel for this and to facilitate an in-person lecture as well as inviting WCI’s ILO to attend their department’s research colloquium. This invitation and funding approval has been approved for June 2024 (within the current grant period.) WCI’s ILO has also been invited to contribute to Dr. Glass’ current research project entitled ‘Virtual Communities as Breathing Spaces for Speakers of Minority Languages’ by highlighting the work of Wikimedia Chapters in providing Digital Spaces for underrepresented language communities and is currently working on this, with plans to include other Celtic Language Editors in this work also.
Once funding confirmation for the conference grant is received we also intend to officially invite Dr Glass as a speaker to the Celtic Knot conference. Dr Glass has expressed a strong interest in this conference, as has her department at TUD (many of whom work in with Celtic languages.) This developing relationship between TUD and WCI will help to elevate our work and provide a mutually beneficial working relationship which we anticipate to help strengthen our standing within academic institutions and also provide insight into the best practices in language planning, preservation and policy (which is one of the focus areas of Dr Glass’ research) further helping us to develop our ongoing strategic commitments to the promotion and preservation of the Irish language.
Aerach Aiteach Gaelach [AAG]
Through Amy (who is an active member of AAG) we have a direct connection to this group, which is a collection of Queer, Irish speaking creatives who promote LGBTQIA+ topics through the Irish language including art, outreach, education and skill-sharing. She attended their AGM at Oireachtas na Samhna in 2023 and promoted the activities of WCI which received great interest. She is currently working to develop a tailored outreach program to launch in April 2024 in order to onboard and train volunteers around Ireland to contribute to the Queering Wikipedia initiative to enable further representation of LGBTQIA+ narratives, histories and representation on Vicipéid, and also by extension Wikipedia, in relation to Irish LGBTQIA+ history and associated cultural topics. This not only coordinates with AAG but also the wider LGBTQIA+ community in Ireland, and the various local community groups who support on a local level - some of which are located and/or serve Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking) areas.
Technical University Dublin and Wikimedia Italy
We hope to collaborate with Wikimedia Italy to bring their Erasmus+ Project called BePart ‘Boosting arts and heritage students’ skills in promoting Participatory processes through digital tools’ to TU Dublin in Ocotber 2024. This will be a great way for us to enhance our interactions with Technical Univerisities. This is one of our strategic goals as previously, our education outreach has been focused on traditional universities. The outcomes of the project will include a review of practices and methods for promoting and implementing participatory processes in the field of arts and cultural heritage, new participatory teaching methods in the field of arts and cultural heritage and innovative open-access methods for involving communities in the arts and cultural heritage.
- 13. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select all that apply. (required)
- Increase the Sustainability of Our Movement, Improve User Experience, Provide for Safety and Inclusion, Coordinate Across Stakeholders, Invest in Skills and Leadership Development, Manage Internal Knowledge, Evaluate, Iterate, and Adapt
Metrics edit
Wikimedia Metrics edit
- 14. Please select and fill out Wikimedia Metrics for your proposal. (recommended)
- 14.1. Number of participants, editors, and organizers.
All metrics provided are optional, please fill them out if they are aligned with your programs and activities.
| Metrics name | Target | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of all participants | 380 | 220 in Educational Outreach workshops and events
50 in Wiki Loves Monuments 50 in Wiki Loves Earth 15 in Wiki Loves Folklore 15 in Wiki Love Pride 15 in Art+Feminism 15 in Wiki Loves Women |
| Number of all editors | N/A | 220 new editors in Educational Outreach workshops and events
20% (10) new editors in Wiki Loves Monuments 20% (10) new editors in Wiki Loves Earth 20% (3) new editors in Wiki Loves Folklore 20% (3) new editors in Wiki Loves Pride 20% (3) new editors in Wiki Loves Women 20% (3) new editors in Art+Feminism |
| Number of new editors | 252 | |
| Number of retained editors | N/A | |
| Number of all organizers | 7 | 5 organisers in educational outreach workshops and events
2 organisers in GLAM and Irish Language outreach events |
| Number of new organizers | 7 |
- 14.2. Number of new content contributions to Wikimedia projects. (recommended)
| Wikimedia project | Created | Edited or improved |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 150 | 70 |
| Wikimedia Commons | 1975 | |
| Wikidata | ||
| Wiktionary | ||
| Wikisource | ||
| Wikimedia Incubator | ||
| Translatewiki | ||
| MediaWiki | ||
| Wikiquote | ||
| Wikivoyage | ||
| Wikibooks | ||
| Wikiversity | ||
| Wikinews | ||
| Wikispecies | ||
| Wikifunctions / Abstract Wikipedia |
- Description for Wikimedia projects contributions metrics. (optional)
Wikipedia/Vicipeid 120 content pages in educational outreach workshops and events 80 content pages on Vicipéid from Irish language outreach, workshops and events
Wikimedia Commons 1200 images in Wiki Loves Monuments 500 images in Wiki Loves Earth 125 images in Wiki Loves Folklore 50 images in Wiki Loves Living Heritage 50 images in Wiki Science 50 images in Wiki Loves Pride
Other Metrics edit
- 15. Do you have other quantitative and qualitative targets for your project (other metrics)? (required)
- Yes
| Other Metrics | Description | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Events/Meetings with GLAMs | We plan on holding events/meetings with GLAMs to increase awareness of open licensing and Wikidata for GLAMs by showcasing case studies, both national and international. | 5 |
| GLAM Conferences | Attend/present at GLAM oriented conferences | 3 |
| Irish Language Conferences | Attend/present at Irish Language Conferences | 3 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
Budget edit
- 16. Will you have any other revenue sources when implementing this proposal (e.g. other funding, membership contributions, donations)? (required)
- Yes
- 16.1. List other revenue sources. (required)
-EU Erasmus+ Programme-14,936
- Celtic Knot Conference Grant (still under review)-24,000 for staffing costs
- Conradh na Gaeilge Ciste Spreagtha (Seachtain na Gaeilge) [Gaelic League Support Fund (for Irish Week)] 1,000
- 16.2. Approximately how much revenue will you have from other sources in your local currency? (required)
- 39936
- 17. Your local currency. (required)
- EUR
- 18. What is the total requested amount in your local currency? (required)
- 133689.73 EUR
| Year | Amount (local currency) |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | N/A EUR |
| Year 2 | N/A EUR |
| Year 3 | N/A EUR |
- Requested amount in USD
- 146485.17 USD [note 1]
| Year | Amount USD [note 1] |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | N/A USD |
| Year 2 | N/A USD |
| Year 3 | N/A USD |
- ↑ a b c The following amount in US dollars was calculated by Wikimedia Foundation staff using the fixed currency rates. This amount is approximate and may not reflect the actual currency exchange rates on the day of submission or distribution. If the application is funded, the funding will be sent in the recipient’s local currency.
- 19. Does this proposal include compensation for staff or contractors? (required)
- Yes
- 19.1. How many paid staff members do you plan to have? (required)
Include the number of staff and contractors during the proposal period. If you have short-term contractors or staff, please include them separately and mention their terms.
- Programme Coordinator 1 FTE
Irish Language Officer 1 FTE Administrative Assistant .5 FTE
- 19.2. How many FTEs (full-time equivalents) in total? (required)
Include the total FTE of staff and contractors during the proposal period. If you have short-term contractors or staff, please include their FTEs with the terms separately.
- 2.5 FTE
- 19.3. Describe any staff or contractor changes compared to the current year / ongoing General Support Fund if any. (required only for returning grantees)
- Due to the rapid growth of our group over the past year, we are requesting the following changes to staff levels:
- Irish Language Officer role to increase from .5 FTE to 1 FTE
- Addition of an .5 FTE Administrative Assistant role to handle the growing administrative load
We have also requested an increase in pay of 6% to the Project Manager role to account for inflation.
- 20. Please provide an overview of your overall budget categories in your local currency. The budget breakdown should include only the amount requested with this General Support Fund (required).
| Budget category | Amount in local currency |
|---|---|
| Staff and contractor costs | 102075 EUR |
| Operational costs | 5500 EUR |
| Programmatic costs | 26115 EUR |
- 21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)
Additional information edit
- 22. In this optional space you can add any other additional information about your proposal or organization that you think can help us when reviewing your proposal. (optional)
We understand that our budget request is approximately 40% increase on last year's budget. This increase is due to how quickly our programme base is growing. Since bringing on an Irish Language Officer (ILO) in July 2023, our outreach into the Irish Language community has increased by 100%. There are many groups that want to work with us that we just don't have the capacity to cater for. This is why we are asking for our ILO to be increased to full-time. With growth also comes an increase in administrations. Hiring a part-time Administrative Assistant would help to cover that increased administration. These increases are balanced against the improved impact we are and will continue to have in Ireland.
By submitting your proposal/funding request you agree that you are in agreement with the Application Privacy Statement, WMF Friendly Space Policy and the Universal Code of Conduct.
We/I have read the Application Privacy Statement, WMF Friendly Space Policy and Universal Code of Conduct.
- Yes
Feedback edit
- Please add any feedback to the grant discussion page only. Any feedback added here will be removed.