Grants talk:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Conference Fund/WikiMeet Margarita 2025

Feedback on your proposal

Dear Galahad,

Thank you very much for submitting your proposal for Wikimeet Margarita 2025. Unfortunately, after completing all eligibility checks, capacity assessments, risk evaluations, and a thorough review of your proposal—along with consultations with several colleagues at the Wikimedia Foundation—I have come to the conclusion that we are unable to fund your proposal at this time. This decision is based on three key points:

Overall Political Risk

The ongoing and worsening political crisis in Venezuela poses significant risks to the promotion of free knowledge in general, and to our Wikimedia volunteers in particular. UN experts have also reported that the government is using the "harshest and most violent" methods of repression following the disputed elections in July. At this stage, it is impossible to predict how these issues will evolve and what impact they will have on the risk environment next year. In addition to these concerns, as you know, previous charges have been brought against Wikimedians by the Venezuelan government. In the spirit of protecting our volunteers, as well as any newcomers you aim to attract with your event, we must proceed with caution. For this reason, we do not view the current political environment as sufficiently stable to convene Wikimedians for a conference.

Fiscal Sponsorship

I understand that you have been in discussions with Mercedes regarding potential funding avenues. However, we have not previously worked with the fiscal sponsor you mentioned, nor do we have an agreement in place with them. Given the complex network of sanctions that Venezuela is facing from the US government, it is unclear whether we would be able to send money to that organization. Furthermore, transferring grant funds from the Foundation to a local organization could increase the risks associated with the event.

“National Conference”

While your proposal is generally well-written, it appears to be more of a "national conference" for Wikimedians from Venezuela, despite the inclusion of 10 international flights in the budget. As such, it falls outside the scope of the Conference & Event Fund, which is primarily intended for larger, international conferences. I do see the value in your intentions to organize this event, but not at this stage and not with this scope.

I truly regret having to deliver this news, as I would have much preferred to offer you positive feedback and support for your efforts. I understand the amount of work, passion, and dedication you’ve invested into planning this event, and I know how disappointing this decision must be.

However, with the current political situation as it is, we must prioritize the safety and well-being of all participants and volunteers. At this time, the best course of action is to wait and monitor how the situation evolves, in the hopes that we may be able to revisit this idea in the future under more favorable conditions.

Sending you my best regards, --Cornelius Kibelka (WMF) (talk to me) 13:56, 21 September 2024 (UTC)

@CKibelka (WMF): Thank you for your response. I appreciate the opportunity to address this matter, although I understand that you may not provide a follow-up response, as was the case with my email sent on the same day of your decision to reject the proposal.

Overall Political Risk

I fully acknowledge the first point, which I consider to be one of the most critical, as the situation in Venezuela is indeed chaotic both domestically and internationally, with potential changes occurring rapidly (for instance, the Venezuelan government has recently suspended international flights from Chile). However, I would like to raise some questions regarding the second and third points.

Fiscal Sponsorship

According to the CLISI representative, the bank account is located in Chile, which means there should not have been any issues with transferring funds from the United States. The matter required clarification with either the fiscal administrator or the project proponent.

National Conference

At this juncture, it has been noted that the event and conference fund may not be applicable for this purpose, despite indications to the contrary on the page. Upon requesting clarification, you mentioned that there are exceptions—though these are not detailed on the page—and that the proposal in question does not fulfill these criteria. For instance:

• The affiliate does not currently receive a General Support Fund: At present, Wikimedia Small Projects lacks a General Support Fund.
• The event has significant potential for growth: This assessment appears to overlook the potential for growth associated with this event, as you subtly suggest that the event did not possess for that.

This situation highlights a lack of transparency and suggests the presence of arbitrary rules. Given that two out of the three points were considered acceptable, it may have been more beneficial to recommend transitioning the conference to a virtual format—which is a priority for the events and conferences fund—or to suggest that another Wikimedia affiliate could serve as the fiscal administrator. This approach would acknowledge the considerable "work, passion, and dedication" that you emphasized in your response. Regrettably, that event did not occur. Best, Galahad (sasageyo!)^(esvoy) 01:08, 27 September 2024 (UTC)