Wikimedia Conference 2014/Documentation/4

4 Diversifying fundraising models and sources


tl;dr: External funds has advantages, easier than WMF funds. However, it brings a lot of administration and your programmes are influenced by others. Decide precisely and carefully why do you want to have external funds.

Notes

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South Africa

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Slides (pdf) by Douglas
  • WMZA were offered money by Open Society Foundation South Africa (= funds from outside WMF) which they wanted to use towards a full-time paid employee for their young chapter
  • 50% funding -> 50% deposit (had to find matching funding which they received from WMF)
  • fortunate circumstances (mission alignment, legal structure etc.)
  • Pros:
easier to access funds than from WMF
reduced risk for everyone involved
  • Cons:
unfit for core-funding
reporting and auditing cost (takes time to get it done)
not good for experimentation (donors tend to not like that)
requires mission alignment

Indonesia

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presentations slides (PDF) by WMID
  • Chapter history
- 2008-09 survival stage (no measurable/lasting effects)
- 2010-14 continuous existence (writing competitions, collaborations)
  • WMID early on started with a surviving mode – they had no idea what work and what does not. Media coverage was the first thing that was done.
  • After 2010 multiple writing competitions were done, socialization of free knowledge collaboration etc. Community training was done, GA and Featured Articles were written.
  • WMID promote wiki and other free cultures, open licenses and transparency. Reporting gives confidence to other organizations, community and individuals, CC as a license is a solution for growing activities and open & transparent administration attract alliances – other subjects, state-funded also.
  • Promotion of
- confidence (by financial training)
- Creative Commons License
- attracting alliances
  • did not receive sufficent funds from government agencies/companies
  • in order to change that they are looking to hiring dedicated grant manager,
  • grant sources include: WMF, Ford Foundation, National Oil Company, WMFR, WMCH, (2014) HIVOS (Making All Voices Count)

Estonia

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Slides (pdf) by Kaarel
  • two types of funding:
1) non-targeted funding ('free money')
2) targeted funding (for specific projects)
  • WMEE receive most of their (targeted) funding from WMF, Council for Gambling Tax, Ministry of Science and Education, Ministry of Culture
  • PROS: more money; more projects; wider outreach
  • CONS: insance amount of administration (reports, accounting, paperwork); donors try to dictate goals/structure/content (external influence)
-> Example of why diversification of funding isn't necessarily good
  • Government is good for core-funding but they like to play political football with you