Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Wikimedia Levant strategic plan for calendar year 2022-2023/Final Report
Report Status: Draft
Due date: 2024-02-15T00:00:00Z
Funding program: Wikimedia Community Fund
Report type: Final
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General information edit
This form is for organizations, groups, or individuals receiving Wikimedia Community Funds or Wikimedia Alliances Funds to report on their final results. See the midpoint report if you want to review the midpoint results.
- Name of Organization: Wikimedians of the Levant User Group
- Title of Proposal: Wikimedia Levant strategic plan for calendar year 2022-2023
- Amount awarded: 34390.87 USD, 23361.26 JOD
- Amount spent: 22053 USD
Part 1 Understanding your work edit
1. Briefly describe how your proposed activities and strategies were implemented.
- Our strategy and implemented projects have been implemented chronically, except for some projects because of having some changes in order to be better for our volunteers to run these projects.
We have also oriented in this cycle to some alumni of previous programs in Jordan and Palestine to run projects in their communities. thus we achieved to introduce Wikipedia to an additional university in Palestine, and a society in Jordan.
On the other hand, Wikimedians of the levant user group are engaged with Wikimedia campaigns and improve articles, and related material in this domain.
WM Levant UG worked during this calendar year to improve:
- 1. Capacity and community development: To boost the number and skill of the community, guaranteeing sustainable knowledge transfer and the potential for future scaling, also,
- 2. Increased awareness about the Wikimedia Movement during the projects, plus to
- 3. Support Wikimedia Projects content and last but not least,
- 4. Partnerships in education and GLAM.
2. Were there any strategies or approaches that you felt were effective in achieving your goals?
- Having a partnership and collaboration is the driving force to have our goals achieved, we got more people to enroll in Wikimedia projects by inviting their community and helping publish about the events, also we have some volunteers who worked with us during the events.
One more point is the combination of the level of experience in our UG makes the calls rich and every meeting has its importance and richness, starting from monthly meetings. Thus, We find it is very healthy to have this mix in the user group to improve it.
3. Would you say that your project had any innovations? Are there things that you did very differently than you have seen them done by others?
- Yes, the first point to be proud of is the sustainability of some alumni of our user group programs, thus they became organizers for projects.
Thus we are harvesting from previous work. Secondly, having more people looking to organize or having events in their communities in also a positive point we are happy to have it now.
4. Please describe how different communities participated and/or were informed about your work.
- 1. Our user group has a monthly meeting; the meeting minutes are shared on Arabic Wikipedia.
- 2. Workshops and competitions are shared on Village Pump on Arabic Wikipedia, in the WMlevant user group on Facebook, and in the Arabic Wikipedia group on Facebook.
- 3. We keep the Community updated via the village pump essentially.
after these years of experience with our UG, we find the good documentation is vital for the group improvement, thus we have a page for each project.
5. Documentation of your impact. Please use the two spaces below to share files and links that help tell your story and impact. This can be documentation that shows your results through testimonies, videos, sound files, images (photos and infographics, etc.) social media posts, dashboards, etc.
- Upload Documents and Files
- Here is an additional field to type in URLs.
- 1. Diff post about our programs in Jordan: https://diff.wikimedia.org/2023/07/10/summary-of-how-to-be-wikipedian-2023/?fbclid=IwAR2AtVaY__hiSKCuyPI-lTIUfEwqb3Kg4a5hRaWnR1d2I93nD8j0Fpm4sSA
- 2. Category of 2023 works: https://w.wiki/78v5
- 3. documentation of 2022 report:https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wikimedians_of_the_Levant_annual_Report_2022.pdf
6. To what extent do you agree with the following statements regarding the work carried out with the support of this Fund? You can choose “not applicable” if your work does not relate to these goals.
| A. Bring in participants from underrepresented groups | Agree |
| B. Create a more inclusive and connected culture in our community | Agree |
| C. Develop content about underrepresented topics/groups | |
| D. Develop content from underrepresented perspectives | Agree |
| E. Encourage the retention of editors | |
| F. Encourage the retention of organizers | Agree |
| G. Increased participants' feelings of belonging and connection to the movement. | Agree |
7. Is there anything else you would like to share about how your efforts helped to bring in participants and/or build out content, particularly for underrepresented groups?
- having an experienced board member was vital in this step, where it have a key role in refurnishing the UG, helping to got the activities back, and making decisions in a good time.
Part 2: Your main learning edit
8. In your application, you outlined your learning priorities. What did you learn about these areas during this period?
- Our user group was struggling a little bit the last year, but this year we have helped more people to suggest activities, we got more opportunities from mid-experienced people, and we have new organizers nowadays to help get others into groups
We keep track our minutes brief and tried to work on all the mentioned points.
9. Did anything unexpected or surprising happen when implementing your activities?
- In the first midterm of this grant, our user group faced some difficulties in the Absence of the board members but as they have been elected by the second half, new doors were open and the user group refunished
10. How do you hope to use this learning? For instance, do you have any new priorities, ideas for activities, or goals for the future?
- We eagerly anticipate the development of alternative versions for certain projects, as well as the progression of others to higher levels. Our aim is to build upon past experiences and enhance the abilities of our members and the Levantine community.
11. If you were sitting with a friend to tell them one thing about your work during this fund, what would it be (think of inspiring or fascinating moments, tough challenges, interesting anecdotes, or anything that feels important to you)?
- Sustainability of our user group and the passion to volunteer on Wikipedia.
12. Please share resources that would be useful to share with other Wikimedia organizations so that they can learn from, adapt or build upon your work. For instance, guides, training material, presentations, work processes, or any other material the team has created to document and transfer knowledge about your work and can be useful for others. Please share any specific resources that you are creating, adapting/contextualizing in ways that are unique to your context (i.e. training material).
- Upload Documents and Files
- Here is an additional field to type in URLs.
- N/A
Part 3: Metrics edit
13a. Open and additional metrics data
| Open Metrics | Description | Target | Results | Comments | Methodology |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arabic Wikipedia | Articles Related to Middle eastern Kitchen: 20 - Articles Related to Medicine: 20, Articles Related to Engineering: 20. Articles related to Levant History: 20, Featured Articles: 5
Comptitions: 500 Article Articles in different topics: 100 |
785 | N/A | Wikipedia articles where added to Arabic Wikipedia, More than 1500 Article was edited with more cites in Arabic Wikipedia | Wikipedia pages, Dashboard, google forms |
| Wikidata | The number of Elements added or edited to wiki data | 1000 | 1000 | More than 1000 element was edited in Wikidata from programs, projects and competitions run by WM of the Levant UG | Wikipedia pages, Dashboard, google forms |
| WikiCommons | Number of Pictures added or Arabic translated to Wikimedia commons. | 200 | 520 | * 311 images added to Wikimedia Commons
189 images translated into Wikimedia Commons A Documentary regarding Assad Rustom (2H55mins) added to Commons
|
Wikipedia pages |
| New members | Number of new members from Educational program: 10, Number of new members from Social media: 10, New members from different way:5 | 25 | 20 | New members join our usergroup | Survey |
| Number of organizers | N/A | 20 | 13 | Organizers for the event, it was around 5-7 members | N/A |
| Additional Metrics | Description | Target | Results | Comments | Methodology |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of editors that continue to participate/retained after activities | We hope to have >100 members active in WM projects after Educational programs, sharing booklets and doing comptitions. | 100 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Number of organizers that continue to participate/retained after activities | N/A | 20 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Number of strategic partnerships that contribute to longer term growth, diversity and sustainability | N/A | 5 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Feedback from participants on effective strategies for attracting and retaining contributors | We will send the participants feedback after organizing it. | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Diversity of participants brought in by grantees | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Number of people reached through social media publications | N/A | 8000 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Number of activities developed | N/A | 6 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Number of volunteer hours | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
13b. Additional core metrics data.
| Core metrics | Description | Target | Results | Comments | Methodology |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | The number of participants in all activities: 100 as new participants. | 100 | 200 | nearly 120 from educational and newcomers projects to teach people in the Levantine community how to edit Wikipedia
The rest are in more advanced programs and competitions. |
In-person meetings, Wikipedia pages, Surveys. |
| Number of editors | The number of editors in all activities: 36 | 36 | 40 | between newcomers and expert editors | |
| Number of organizers | The number of organizers in all activities: 8
Our target that 3 will be a new organizers |
8 | 13 | Surveys and activities |
| Wikimedia Project | Description | Target | Results | Comments | Methodology |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 150 new articles created and 50 improved for all activities | 200 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Wikimedia Commons | 100 images uploaded to wikimedia commons | 100 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
14. Were there any metrics in your proposal that you could not collect or that you had to change?
- Yes
15. If you have any difficulties collecting data to measure your results, please describe and add any recommendations on how to address them in the future.
- N/A
16. Use this space to link or upload any additional documents that would be useful to understand your data collection (e.g., dashboards, surveys you have carried out, communications material, training material, etc).
- Upload Documents and Files
- Here is an additional field to type in URLs.
- N/A
Part 4: Organizational capacities & partnerships edit
17. Organizational Capacity
| A. Financial capacity and management | This has grown over the last year, the capacity is high |
| B. Conflict management or transformation | This capacity has grown but it should be further developed |
| C. Leadership (i.e growing in potential leaders, leadership that fit organizational needs and values) | This has grown over the last year, the capacity is high |
| D. Partnership building | This capacity has grown but it should be further developed |
| E. Strategic planning | This capacity has grown but it should be further developed |
| F. Program design, implementation, and management | This has grown over the last year, the capacity is high |
| G. Scoping and testing new approaches, innovation | This capacity is low, and we should prioritise developing it |
| H. Recruiting new contributors (volunteer) | This has grown over the last year, the capacity is high |
| I. Support and growth path for different types of contributors (volunteers) | This capacity is low, and we should prioritise developing it |
| J. Governance | This has grown over the last year, the capacity is high |
| K. Communications, marketing, and social media | This capacity is low, and we should prioritise developing it |
| L. Staffing - hiring, monitoring, supporting in the areas needed for program implementation and sustainability | This capacity is low, and we should prioritise developing it |
| M. On-wiki technical skills | This has grown over the last year, the capacity is high |
| N. Accessing and using data | This capacity has grown but it should be further developed |
| O. Evaluating and learning from our work | This has grown over the last year, the capacity is high |
| P. Communicating and sharing what we learn with our peers and other stakeholders | |
| N/A | |
| N/A |
17a. Which of the following factors most helped you to build capacities? Please pick a MAXIMUM of the three most relevant factors.
17b. Which of the following factors hindered your ability to build capacities? Please pick a MAXIMUM of the three most relevant factors.
18. Is there anything else you would like to share about how your organizational capacity has grown, and areas where you require support?
- N/A
19. Partnerships over the funding period.
| A. We built strategic partnerships with other institutions or groups that will help us grow in the medium term (3 year time frame) | Agree |
| B. The partnerships we built with other institutions or groups helped to bring in more contributors from underrepresented groups | Agree |
| C. The partnerships we built with other institutions or groups helped to build out more content on underrepresented topics/groups | Agree |
19a. Which of the following factors most helped you to build partnerships? Please pick a MAXIMUM of the three most relevant factors.
- Board members’ outreach, Staff hired through the fund, Volunteers from our communities
19b. Which of the following factors hindered your ability to build partnerships? Please pick a MAXIMUM of the three most relevant factors.
- Lack of interest from partners, Local policies or other legal factors, Other
20. Please share your learning about strategies to build partnerships with other institutions and groups and any other learning about working with partners?
Part 5: Sense of belonging and collaboration edit
21. What would it mean for your organization to feel a sense of belonging to the Wikimedia or free knowledge movement?
- Being a part of Wikimedia means being a part of a community that is pushing forward, making knowledge more accessible, and breaking down more boundaries.
Being a part of this worldwide foundation benefits the community through improving communication, adding value, and participating in this work. It is also a responsibility we hold for our community to provide accurate and reliable information in Arabic and to have our members in a peaceful, friendly environment where they can express themselves stronger and motivate others to join us.
22. How has your (for individual grantees) or your group/organization’s (for organizational grantees) sense of belonging to the Wikimedia or free knowledge movement changed over the fund period?
- Increased significantly
23. If you would like to, please share why it has changed in this way.
- N/A
24. How has your group/organization’s sense of personal investment in the Wikimedia or free knowledge movement changed over the fund period?
- Somewhat increased
25. If you would like to, please share why it has changed in this way.
- N/A
26. Are there other movements besides the Wikimedia or free knowledge movement that play a central role in your motivation to contribute to Wikimedia projects? (for example, Black Lives Matter, Feminist movement, Climate Justice, or other activism spaces) If so, please describe it below.
- N/A
Supporting Peer Learning and Collaboration edit
We are interested in better supporting peer learning and collaboration in the movement.
27. Have you shared these results with Wikimedia affiliates or community members?
- Yes
27a. Please describe how you have already shared them. Would you like to do more sharing, and if so how?
28. How often do you currently share what you have learned with other Wikimedia Foundation grantees, and learn from them?
- We do this occasionally (less than once a month)
29. How does your organization currently share mutual learning with other grantees?
- N/A
Part 6: Financial reporting and compliance edit
30. Please state the total amount spent in your local currency.
- 22053
31. Local currency type
- USD
32. Please report the funds received and spending in the currency of your fund.
- Upload Documents, Templates, and Files.
- Report funds received and spent, if template not used.
- https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xCj4hbBCFzrmej0ZOB__u5fo8LnIjrECRrV5dudlnng/edit?usp=sharing
33. If you have not already done so in your budget report, please provide information on changes in the budget in relation to your original proposal.
- N/A
34. Do you have any unspent funds from the Fund?
34a. Please list the amount and currency you did not use and explain why.
- 12337 USD
There were some volunteers who could not make it to run the project. We looked to have a community meeting in Jordan but because of different reasons, our UG did not achieve to run it. (It was 11000 USD)
34b. What are you planning to do with the underspent funds?
- B. Propose to use them to partially or fully fund a new/future grant request with PO approval
34c. Please provide details of hope to spend these funds.
- N/A
35. Are you in compliance with the terms outlined in the fund agreement?
As required in the fund agreement, please report any deviations from your fund proposal here. Note that, among other things, any changes must be consistent with our WMF mission, must be for charitable purposes as defined in the grant agreement, and must otherwise comply with the grant agreement.
36. Are you in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations as outlined in the grant agreement?
- Yes
37. Are you in compliance with provisions of the United States Internal Revenue Code (“Code”), and with relevant tax laws and regulations restricting the use of the Funds as outlined in the grant agreement? In summary, this is to confirm that the funds were used in alignment with the WMF mission and for charitable/nonprofit/educational purposes.
- Yes
38. If you have additional recommendations or reflections that don’t fit into the above sections, please write them here.