Wikimedia user groups/Agreement and code of conduct

Comment The English version of this agreement is the one that they are agreeing to when they apply to become a Wikimedia user group. Translations are provided for informational purposes. Please do not edit the original text of the agreement.

User group agreement and code of conduct
The Wikimedia Foundation ("we", or "us") is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering and engaging people around the world to collect and develop educational content under a free license or in the public domain and to disseminate it effectively and globally.

You and your user group ("you") agree to the conditions in this agreement by clicking "I agree" on your user group application.


You will follow our Trademark Policy

  • You have read and agree to follow our Trademark Policy. This policy explains when you can freely use Wikimedia logos and when you need to ask permission.


You are independent from the Wikimedia Foundation and other groups

  • This agreement does not create an employment, agency, or partnership relationship between you and the Wikimedia Foundation and any other Wikimedia organization. You acknowledge and understand that you and the Wikimedia Foundation are independent of each other. You and your user group may not speak or act for the Wikimedia Foundation in any way.


You are recognized as a user group as long as you follow this agreement

  • This agreement will last for 1 year, beginning on the date you receive your user group recognition notice from the Affiliations Committee. This agreement will automatically renew for additional one-year terms unless the agreement is otherwise terminated.
  • We may terminate the agreement at any point by providing 30-days written notice. The Affiliations Committee may terminate this agreement immediately if you violate the Code of Conduct. You may terminate this agreement at any time by sending notice to the Affiliations Committee.


Your user group's name and logo

  • The Affiliations Committee will provide your approved name, usually in the form of "Wikimedia Community User Group [area or topic]." Your name must be consistent with the User Groups Naming guidelines.
  • The Wikimedia Foundation gives you permission to use your approved name for activities that are consistent with the code of conduct and this agreement. This permission ends if your agreement is terminated.
  • You may freely use the Wikipedia affiliative logo or the Wikimedia community logo to identify your group. If you wish to use any Wikimedia logo (other than as allowed in the Trademark Policy) you may submit a request to the Wikimedia Foundation trademarks team at: <trademarks(_AT_)wikimedia.org> or by filling out this form.

Our Code of Conduct

You must follow our code of conduct:

  1. Your group's goals and activities should be consistent with the Wikimedia mission. You must not engage in activity that is inconsistent with the Wikimedia guiding principles or poses significant risk to other Wikimedia organizations or Wikimedia projects.
  2. You must follow the Wikimedia Trademark Policy, including our Visual Identity Guidelines.
  3. You should strive to run a friendly and respectful group, and you should ensure your group's events are consistent with the Wikimedia Friendly Spaces Policy.
  4. You must make clear in your communications that you are an independent group of volunteers, and you are not the Wikimedia Foundation or Wikipedia.
  5. You must behave transparently, including maintaining a Wikimedia project wiki page describing your group and its activities, and providing an annual update of your activities to the Wikimedia community and the Wikimedia Foundation. You should post this report as an update on Meta-Wiki.
  6. You must provide the Wikimedia Foundation the names and contact informations for two representatives for your user group. These representatives must agree to this agreement. Upon the Wikimedia Foundation's request, your representatives will need to provide additional information to confirm their identity. The names of your representatives may be used publicly to identify your group.
  7. You may not engage in illegal activity, and you must comply with all financial and privacy laws and regulations.
  8. You must maintain and satisfy all relevant license requirements and other legal obligations to operate your group.

Other terms

This agreement is governed by the laws of the State of California, USA, without regard to conflict-of-laws principles. The parties will first attempt to resolve all disputes through mediation. If mediation fails, then we will resolve that dispute, and consent to personal jurisdiction exclusively, in a state or federal court in San Francisco County, California.

It may be necessary for the Wikimedia Foundation to modify this User Group Agreement from time to time. Your representatives will receive 30-days prior notice by email of any changes to this agreement.

Each of the parties has signed this Agreement as of the Effective Date.


Wikimedia Foundation


By: _______________________________


Name: ____________________________


Title: _____________________________


[Name]

Individually and as agent for User Group

Name: ____________________________


By: _______________________________


[Name]

Individually and as agent for User Group


By: _______________________________


Name: ____________________________