Learning patterns/Partnering with a government agency
A learning pattern forcontent release partnerships
Partnering with a government agency
problemYou identify a government agency (at any level) with high-quality content that would benefit the Wikimedia projects.
solutionBy showcasing Wikipedia as a trustworthy and effective vehicle for disseminating information, and with a tremendous amount of patience, you can develop a strong relationship with a government agency.
creator• James Hare (NIOSH)
created on02:22, 29 January 2016 (UTC)
status:DRAFT
What problem does this solve? edit
Government agencies have something to offer to Wikimedia projects:
- Archival organizations, such as the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, can offer historical media for Wikimedia Commons
- Scientific organizations can provide research and data used to improve Wikimedia projects such as Wikidata
What is the solution? edit
- The first step is to know someone at a relevant agency. Perhaps you know someone who knows someone, or maybe you get lucky and contacting someone out of the blue works.
- Know the mission of the agency in question. If the agency is research-oriented, explain how Wikipedia is effective for disseminating research. Use data to back it up. For example, make note of how many people read Wikipedia articles on the pertinent subject area.
- Set up a meeting. Invite local Wikipedians who you trust can explain Wikipedia well to a novice, non-technical audience.
- Don't go into the weeds: focus on explaining on how Wikipedia maintains its quality and how Wikipedia is an effective communication platform.
- One potential model is a 1.5 day meeting. The first day focuses on presentations and discussion. The following half-day, for those who are still interested, focuses on defining objectives for collaboration and setting goals.
Things to consider edit
When to use edit
- To see an example in Washington, DC in 2015, see: Grants:PEG/WM US-DC/Wikipedia for Health and Safety Research and Data/Report