Microgrants/2011 process revision
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Project grants (£5–250) or Partnership Funding (£250 and upwards) |
Background
The aim of microgrants is to provide an easy and transparent way for UK Wikimedians to obtain funds for small-scale activities; and more strategically, it aims to foster the UK community, and encourage them to innovate and come up with new approaches to Wikimedia outreach and increasing free content, with the incidental result of increased interest in, and knowledge of, Wikimedia UK amongst the UK community. Organisationally, a microgrants committee was set up in June 2010, consisting of MP and TD. Microgrant applicants need to be WMUK members.
Thus far, there have been 8 microgrant applications.
Recommended changes
- Bring the microgrants budget in line with 2011 Budget/Controls; i.e. dissolve the current microgrants committee and replace it with a single budget holder.
- Have a single board member approving (MP?), with any two board members combined also being able to approve in that board member's absence or when a conflict of interest exists
- Increase the maximum amount for an individual microgrant to £250, in line with the amount specified in the controls, to broaden the range of possible grant purposes.
- Where applications overlap with with other budget lines, the appropriate budget holder should approve the applications from their budget if they are to be funded, unless they have devolved the small-scale spending to the microgrants budget.
- Funds will ideally be spent by WMUK directly; expense claims are the second choice; advances can be provided if necessary (from second grant onwards).
- Introduce volunteer Microgrant Coordinators to assist in the microgrants process (see below)
Microgrant Coordinators
Microgrant Coordinators would be a volunteer position with the responsibilities of:
- Identifying and encouraging potential microgrants in on-wiki editing activities and offline chapter activities
- Assisting members during the application process
- Ensuring that applications have all needed info
- Checking that applications are valid, and don't fall under any known problem areas
- reports are filed and have all necessary info
The aim is to get more community members directly involved in highlighting opportunities to support other wikimedians, and to take the burden off the responsible board member, whilst retaining board-level control of the budget.