Wikimedia Foundation elections/2017/Funds Dissemination Committee/Candidates
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The election ended 11 June 2017. No more votes will be accepted. The results were announced on 19 June 2017. Please consider submitting any feedback regarding the 2017 election on the election's post mortem page. |
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| Board of Trustees |
| Funds Dissemination Committee (FDC) |
| FDC Ombudsperson |
| Organization |
| History |
Past elections
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This page contains candidates for the 2017 Funds Dissemination Committee elections. Members of the 2017 Wikimedia Foundation Elections Committee, or the Wikimedia Foundation staff, will verify wiki based candidate requirements. Wikimedia Foundation staff will verify identification and later verify offline candidate requirements. Verification of wiki based requirements and identification will be identified on this page. Offline candidate requirements will be verified at a later stage.
Statements provided by candidates who are not eligible to run in this election will be archived on a subpage.
Statements by any candidates who withdraw will be archived here.
The five individuals elected will join these members appointed to the Funds Dissemination Committee:
| Name | Languages | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Anne Clin (Risker) | en-N, fr-2 | Canada |
| Garfield Byrd (Gtbiv) | en-N | United States |
| Bishakha Datta (Bishdatta) | hi-N, en-N | India |
| Candelaria Laspeñas (Cande_laspe) | es-N, en-4 | Argentina |
Osmar Valdebenito (B1mbo)
B1mbo (talk • meta edits • global user summary • CA • AE)
| Candidate details | 
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| Statement | Hi! I’m a longtime Wikimedian ever since 2004 (mainly Spanish Wikipedia and Wikisource). I’ve been involved in the past in the FDC process both as a committee member and as a grantee. I want to contribute with my experience towards a fair and accessible distribution of funds within our movement. | |
| Compulsory questions | 1. What experiences of yours do you think will enhance the work and recommendation process of the FDC?
I have an extensive professional experience in management and program design and evaluation. I’m an industrial engineer with a Master’s degree in Public Management, and I’ve worked in different types of organizations (private, public and NGOs), which allows me to have a panoramic view of the different ways in which organizations design, budget and execute programs. I’m oriented to maximize the value of our affiliates’ projects, without neglecting that they are developed in a particular context in each space. In my opinion, this is essential for the evaluation and recommendations delivered from the FDC, which are fundamental for our affiliates to improve their performance and have better outcomes for the movement in general.
I was the first President of Wikimedia Chile between 2011 and 2012, and its Treasurer since past April. Also, I was the Executive Director of Wikimedia Argentina between 2012 and 2014. In these roles, I have participated in the grantmaking processes from different perspectives, as a board member and as staff. I understand the issues faced by the chapters when designing projects, their aspirations and their frustrations, and I hope to support them, through the FDC, to advance their management as an organization, especially the smaller ones, where the Committee can be a vital tool for professionalize and strengthen them. Given my origins and my background, I’m particularly sensitive towards the challenges faced by our affiliates in the developing world, which are at times quite different than those from our most established affiliates (i.e. currency exchange control, finding actual funding alternatives, dealing with government agencies, usually underfunded GLAM partners). I believe it is important to have a composition in the FDC that accounts for these issues and that is ready to embrace and assist the growth of our emerging communities.
2. How does your history with Wikimedia make you suited for the FDC? I have been a Wikipedia editor since 2004 and a chapter member since 2010, when I was one of the founders of Wikimedia Chile. Afterwards, I was the ED of Wikimedia Argentina from 2012-2014, at a period of rapid professionalization that included applying for the first rounds of APG funding. I was a member of the Committee that assisted in the creation of the FDC in 2012 and then a member of it between 2014 and 2016. I’ve been on both sides of the counter: I know what it is be part of the FDC and what it is to apply for funds to it. After a year off for professional reasons, I would like to return to the Committee to deliver a vision from the perspective of our affiliates, especially those from emerging communities.
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| Verification | Identity verification performed by Wikimedia Foundation staff and eligibility verification performed by the Elections Committee | |
Eligibility:  VerifiedVerified by: Matanya (talk) 22:10, 27 May 2017 (UTC) |
Identification: Verified Verified by: Jalexander--WMF 17:20, 26 May 2017 (UTC) | |
Liam Wyatt (Wittylama)
Wittylama (talk • meta edits • global user summary • CA • AE)
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| Statement | The FDC must help reward effectiveness, ensure financial transparency, build professionalism, and be part of a robust system of mutual-accountability in our movement. As a current member of the FDC I believe I have the experience to help achieve this goal. | |
| Compulsory questions | 1. What experiences of yours do you think will enhance the work and recommendation process of the FDC?
For the last two years I have been an elected member of the FDC, and the committee has voted me to the role of Deputy-Chair. During this period we have tried to ensure mutual-accountability among parts of our movement. For example, we successfully sought to have the WMF's own annual plan shared for public review. The practical experience of reviewing the same applicants over a period of several years is extremely important - it allows me to have a longer-term view of the progress of individual applicants, and to understand the context with which past recommendations were made.
In my current job with Europeana (as well as previous work with the National Library of Australia and Creative Commons Australia) I have been involved in the complete lifecycle of annual-planning: from reviewing previous projects (successful, unsuccessful, incomplete), to building new strategy and determining operational goals, through funding application (and adjustments!), then implementation, and finally reporting. I have a strong track record of identifying and supporting innovative Wikimedia activities so that they are successful, scalable and replicable - most especially in the field of GLAM outreach and partnerships.
I have been involved in many aspects of the WMF grantmaking process over the years - both as an applicant and as a reviewer - most obviously as a currently elected member of the FDC. Within just this last year I have: successfully applied for a WMF Conference grant to support an event I convened (European GLAMwiki Coordinators meeting), and been the Chair of the Wikimedia-Poland Wikimania scholarship committee; and been elected Deputy-Chair of the FDC itself.
In previous years I was: an inaugural member of the "Individual Engagement Grants" committee; organiser of several events that received "Project & Event" grants (2xGLAM-Wiki, 2xGLAMcamp), and I have successfully applied for two "Travel & Participation" grants. I believe this experience in many different forms of Wikimedia grants helps me understand what is expected - in both rights and obligations - at different levels of funding.
2. How does your history with Wikimedia make you suited for the FDC? I believe my wide range of experiences in, and around, the Wikimedia movement help me understand the context of the various projects that Annual Plan Grant applicants propose. For a decade I have been deeply involved in movement-wide discussions on the nature of fundraising, funds dissemination, the role of affiliates and the WMF and, most recently, the new movement strategy. Over that time I have seen the processes change and evolve. I have worked for the WMF as a contractor; been an Deputy-Chair of a Chapter; received and coordinated several grants at different levels; coordinated multi-affiliate content creation campaigns; and have worked closely with a dozen other affiliate organisations - from the biggest chapters, to external non-profit organisations, and small Wikimedia user-groups. I believe this “institutional memory” is very important in deliberating on individual Annual Plan Grant proposals. Equally, it will be important for the forthcoming years as we shape the FDC’s role within the new movement strategy.
I have been involved in many aspects of the community. Currently I am leading an advocacy campaign in Australia on Wikipedia to encourage the government to enact Fair Use exceptions into national copyright law. I am most proud of being the founder of our GLAM project and being the first Wikipedian-in-Residence. I have helped organise or been involved with projects run by many chapters and community groups across the world, convened several international Wikimedia conferences, multi-day meetings, and training events. | |
| Verification | Identity verification performed by Wikimedia Foundation staff and eligibility verification performed by the Elections Committee | |
| Eligibility: Verified Verified by: Matanya (talk) 22:10, 27 May 2017 (UTC) |
Identification: Verified Verified by: Jalexander--WMF 07:26, 27 May 2017 (UTC) | |
Nurunnaby Chowdhury (Hasive)
Hasive (talk • meta edits • global user summary • CA • AE)
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| Statement | I'm Hasive, I am from Bangladesh. I involved with Wikipedia since 2004. I am an active Wikipedian and board member of Wikimedia Bangladesh. I am a finance graduate & worked in the various non-profit national organization and government. I work as an active member of IEG & GAC. | |
| Compulsory questions | 1. What experiences of yours do you think will enhance the work and recommendation process of the FDC?
As a co-organizer, I’ve been part of the Wiki Loves Monuments & Wiki Love Earth in Bangladesh from the beginning. Also, I involve in the most large event as a lead organizer in Bangladesh. As a board member of Wikimedia Bangladesh, I have overnighted a couple of activities in the past where I helped raise new projects, evaluate them and made final decisions of financing them. I am serving as a Grants Advisory Committee & Individual Engagement Grants committee member for several years’ now and evaluate many various grant applications. As a consultant to Bangladesh National Museum, I advise in the evaluation process of various programs.
As an active member of Wikimedia Bangladesh, with my other colleagues, I review and help writing grants, requesting the budget for the chapter's activities. I've experienced what it's like to be a recipient and the work that is necessary to be eligible. Beside that In my position as a Treasurer for the Bangladesh Open Source Network, I manage the distribution of funds to support projects around our activities and to individuals organizing volunteer activities in Bangladesh. All these skills and expertise will be useful in the role I wish to play for the FDC. As a consultant I headed several grants from Bangladesh Ministry of Culture, Ministry of ICT and governmental and also from industry.
2. How does your history with Wikimedia make you suited for the FDC? Hopefully, this will be my first time to join the FDC team, however, I gather knowledge from my work & also by reading previous FDC work. Being part of an active chapter of Wikimedia Bangladesh and other organizations like Mozilla Bangladesh, Open Knowledge Bangladesh I have experience and communication skills. I have attended Wikimedia conference and Wikimania London, Mexico City, and Esino Lario. I've had quite a well-rounded experience with Wikimedia both online and offline. I joined Bengali Wikipedia in 2004 and from 2008, I was just an editor of Bengali the establishment of Wikimedia Bangladesh, I involved in Wiki-world in an organizational and international level. So, I had occasion to see the changes and progress of international wiki-community for quite long time, which, I believe, given me a sort of historical, long-term perspective, which might be a value for FDC. I was one of the lead organizers of Bengali Wikipedia 10th year celebration program where Jimmy Wales joined with us as chief guest. Also, I involved with first Bengali Wikipedia unconference as an organizational capacity. I regularly edit several wiki projects.
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| Verification | Identity verification performed by Wikimedia Foundation staff and eligibility verification performed by the Elections Committee | |
| Eligibility: Verified Verified by: Matanya (talk) 22:10, 27 May 2017 (UTC) |
Identification: Verified Verified by: Jalexander--WMF 18:32, 26 May 2017 (UTC) | |
Chris Keating (The Land)
The Land (talk • meta edits • global user summary • CA • AE)
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| Statement | The FDC is vital for the impact and accountability of the movement. My experience as former Chair of Wikimedia UK means I can shape it towards being effective, transparent and supporting development and learning across the movement. | |
| Compulsory questions | 1. What experiences of yours do you think will enhance the work and recommendation process of the FDC?
Last Autumn, I reviewed most of the APG proposals even though I wasn’t on the FDC. As a trustee of Wikimedia UK for 5 years (and Chair for about 18 months), I've overseen the hiring of staff, handling ED transitions, development of our governance, strategy - as well as reviewing, challenging and agreeing our own annual plans.
At work, I'm responsible for budget of roughly £1.5M expenditure and £15M income, including our department annual planning process and then for knowing exactly what our performance has been and the reasons for it. If elected my priorities will be to help improve the FDC's transparency and communication around its expectations, through open dialogue with affiliates and the community. Further, I will work towards improved metrics to prove our impact, and work to streamline and de-bureaucratise the process where possible.
Since the very beginning of the FDC I have been involved in giving feedback on the APG process. I believe we need a much deeper impact of what impact means in the Wikimedia movement that looks at quality, diversity and volunteer capacity, as I set out in this essay, and if elected I'll push to move away from the Global Metrics model towards something more nuanced. Also, I work in fundraising and have worked for many organisations that receive significant grant or other restricted funding, so I understand grantmaking outside of the specific Wikimedia context.
2. How does your history with Wikimedia make you suited for the FDC? I’ve been a Wikimedian since April 2004 and an administrator since 2006. On-wiki I’ve mainly focused on content creation and have led four English Wikipedia featured articles. So I have a great understanding of the values and working of our movement.
Also my time with Wikimedia UK was not alway easy, as I helped the chapter overcome some serious governance challenges in 2012. This has given me extensive experience of dealing with difficult conversations in a collaborative and respectful way, and of working effectively in an international context. I have worked to promote good governance and organisational development. I ran two strategy and governance workshops for affiliate board members, served on the Wikimedia Conference programme committee for a number of years, and shared the learning points from the Wikimedia UK Governance Review to help other affiliates develop more productively. Of course the FDC isn't strictly meant to be involved in governance or capacity building itself, but in practice the FDC is heavily involved in these issues and where appropriate I will work to promote them. | |
| Verification | Identity verification performed by Wikimedia Foundation staff and eligibility verification performed by the Elections Committee | |
| Eligibility: Verified Verified by: Matanya (talk) 22:10, 27 May 2017 (UTC) |
Identification: Verified Verified by: Jalexander--WMF 18:32, 26 May 2017 (UTC) | |
Frank Schulenburg (Frank Schulenburg)
Frank Schulenburg (talk • meta edits • global user summary • CA • AE)
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| Statement | The FDC plays a vital role in allocating funds to projects that advance our mission. I’d like to serve the community by identifying, nurturing, and enhancing initiatives that make a difference. | |
| Compulsory questions | 1. What experiences of yours do you think will enhance the work and recommendation process of the FDC?
Evaluation is the only way to know whether a program works or not. It’s a way to be accountable to your donors. And evaluation is also the main driver of impact.
I’ve been involved in running Wikimedia-related programs since 2006. Based on that experience, the Wikimedia Foundation asked me in 2012 to build evaluation capacity within the movement. I both worked with larger chapters in Europe and loose groups of volunteers in other parts of the world. I look at programs and their impact within the underlying context and I have a very good sense for promising initiatives based on my broad experiences.
I know both sides of the coin: As Senior Director of Programs from 2012 until 2014 I supported the Wikimedia Foundation’s grantmaking team by providing analysis and expertise to the FDC. In my role as Executive Director of the Wiki Education Foundation, I’m deeply involved in raising funds, ensuring that the money gets used effectively, and in reporting back to funders.
2. How does your history with Wikimedia make you suited for the FDC? I’ve devoted my life for the last 12 years to Wikimedia projects. I get up every morning and go to my day job as ED of Wiki Education Foundation, where we run programs connecting education and Wikipedia in the US and Canada. I spend my weekends traveling around to take photographs to illustrate Wikipedia articles, and on poor weather days, to write articles to improve the German Wikipedia. I do this because I believe free knowledge is the most important contribution I can make to this world.
I’ve had a lot of different roles in the Wikimedia universe: chapter board member, program leader, ED, WMF staff, Wikipedian, Commons photographer. Throughout all of these, I’ve tried to bring a strong focus on evaluation and ensuring effectiveness of our movement’s most precious resources: volunteer time and donor money.
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| Verification | Identity verification performed by Wikimedia Foundation staff and eligibility verification performed by the Elections Committee | |
| Eligibility: Verified Verified by: Matanya (talk) 22:10, 27 May 2017 (UTC) |
Identification: Verified Verified by: Jalexander--WMF 07:26, 27 May 2017 (UTC) | |
Katherine Bavage (Leela0808)
Leela0808 (talk • meta edits • global user summary • CA • AE)
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| Statement | The FDC must be the gatekeeper for millions of our donors. In my current job I am confronted daily with the problem of making funding outcomes meaningful. This will make me sympathetic to the challenges this presents to applicants, but also very able to spot gaps or things unsaid in reports to FDC. | |
| Compulsory questions | 1. What experiences of yours do you think will enhance the work and recommendation process of the FDC?
As a former Wikimedia UK member of staff I had the chance to learn from and work with editors and staff from chapters around the world, in visits to WMDE in 2012 and WMF in 2013, and when the chapter hosted Wikimania 2014. I have a good view of how the different parts of our movement, from editors right along to the WMF Board sit alongside each other.
I have a strong understanding of how the FDC grant making process works, having helped write Wikimedia UK past annual grant applications, and annual grant reports. I have also supported applications for individual engagement grants and special project grants. As someone who has been ‘on the other side of the table’ as an applicant I have a good understanding of the difficulties it involves, but also the benefits of directly funding staff and programmes around the world. I started editing English wikipedia as a logged in user shorty before joining Wikimedia UK as a member of staff. Since leaving in 2015 I have continued to edit as well as run outreach events. In the two years since my primary relationship with the Wikimedia movement became that of a volunteer, I have gained a much deeper understanding of how movement funding and governance can seem disconnected from the experience of simply editing or outreach. This insight shapes my belief that affiliates have to be very clear how proposals will sit alongside or directly support volunteers online and offline. In 2015 I moved to work within a UK University as the dedicated person for delivering institutional applications to charitable trusts and foundations. My focus is seeking grants varying hugely in complexity, focus, and range (from £5,000 to £1million), working with academics and colleagues to report on successfully funded projects. I routinely work at both ends of this process, evaluating the strength of proposed project plans before putting them in front of funders, and at the end of projects to evaluate and present the impact of grants on research or other activities. I am used to reviewing projects with complex budgets, with multiple (often international) partners across several different geographic locations with all the additional complexities that can entail. My job is at the interface between grantmaking organisations and University project groups, working to develop projects that meet the needs of both.
I joined the Wikimedia UK Evaluation Panel in 2016, which deliberates in person and remotely to review project proposals from chapter staff and volunteer applications for outreach event and project funding. This requires a keen sense of what the chapter’s mission and goals are, as well as a good understanding of accounting practice to factor impact and value into decision making.
In my current professional role my experience is one of being a grantee within a wide range of grant-making processes. This offers useful understanding about what are helpful and unhelpful practices in grant-making, as well as the sorts of standards and reporting requirements it's reasonable to expect of grantees.
2. How does your history with Wikimedia make you suited for the FDC? My experience gives me some pretty unique insights. As a former member of chapter staff I understand the challenges movement entities face applying for and reporting on FDC grant allocations. As a volunteer over the last two years, I can see the frustrations readers, editors and donors have when those challenges aren’t well communicated and they don’t feel the direct benefit of funding to their work. As a professional fundraiser I am optimistic that there is more we can do to improve both.
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| Verification | Identity verification performed by Wikimedia Foundation staff and eligibility verification performed by the Elections Committee | |
| Eligibility: Verified Verified by: Matanya (talk) 22:10, 27 May 2017 (UTC) |
Identification: Verified Verified by: Jalexander--WMF 21:58, 27 May 2017 (UTC) | |
Abel Lifaefi Mbula (BamLifa)
BamLifa (talk • meta edits • global user summary • CA • AE)
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| Statement | The more time passes, the more those who began with the movement miss time and energies to properly help it going forward. They are attracted by other projects, other passions. Now is the time for well motivated new commers to take things on hands and serve the cause of this movement. | |
| Compulsory questions | 1. What experiences of yours do you think will enhance the work and recommendation process of the FDC?
I am a CS Teacher and have sufficient background in project managements. For years I have directed CS departements/services where I was called to produce annual/semestrial plans or programs for courses. Evaluate teachers and or cashier, etc. I also designed profit-making projects. All those expericences to well understand different aspects of project management: planning, priority, risk managment, ...
Although I am not a FDC member, I am particularly sensitive to WKM-initiated or other chapters grant programs. I find that some projects are more grant funded while other can't be funded enough. I also find that the FDC need more tansparence then ever. So, if elected I'll do all my best to solve these issues.
2. How does your history with Wikimedia make you suited for the FDC? Since I've discovered the movement I'm wondering about how it is functionning and what will it be in coming years. I'm an active wikimedian. I'm participating in decission making discussions, convincing new contributors to join in, sharing with friends, ... Locally I usually organise training in order to help people discovering what Wikimedia movement is about, to help some getting started. As most of people in my land can't have (good) Internet, I use Kiwix so that everyone can use Wikipedia or its sister projects. As one of wikimedians living in a poor country (yes I've no matter about Internet, but my community), I well know the real needs and difficulties for small communities or begining projects have. I hope to be qualified to represent the community on FDC.
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| Verification | Identity verification performed by Wikimedia Foundation staff and eligibility verification performed by the Elections Committee | |
| Eligibility: Verified Verified by: Matanya (talk) 22:10, 27 May 2017 (UTC) |
Identification: Verified Verified by: Jalexander--WMF 21:58, 27 May 2017 (UTC) | |
Ad Huikeshoven (Ad Huikeshoven)
Ad Huikeshoven (talk • meta edits • global user summary • CA • AE)
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| Statement | Passionate long time Wikimedian. WMF spends less than 10% of its money on Annual Plan Grants of affiliates. My intention is to spend my time proportionate to size of grant. | |
| Compulsory questions | 1. What experiences of yours do you think will enhance the work and recommendation process of the FDC?
In the last years I followed several trainings in communication, including in the Gordon method. I followed the online u.lab course about Theory U by Otto Scharmer and have hosted a u.lab hub in the past five months. I have learned new techniques in facilitating dialogue and group decision making. From 2012 to 2016 I have been a board member of Wikimedia Nederland, starting as treasurer. I’ve been involved in developing annual plans and grant application for WMNL since 2012 four times including reporting and overseeing reporting.
In my daytime job I have had experience with coordinating evaluations of a several dozens grants in a program totaling several hundred million euro. For Wikimedia Nederland I have been involved in setting up and executing a micro grant program. I have developed and overseen a scholarship program for Wikimania for three years. The amount of scrutiny by the FDC on Annual Plan Grants of affliates should imho be proportionate to the amount of scrutiny by the FDC on the Annual Plan of the WMF dollarwise.
2. How does your history with Wikimedia make you suited for the FDC? I served on the Audit Committee of the Wikimedia Foundation in the period 2007 to 2012. I have been a board member of an affiliate at the time the first employees were hired. I am one of two most frequent visitors of the Wikimedia Conferences in Berlin and Milan. I have visited Wikimania Haifa, Hong Kong, London, Mexico City and Esino Lario. I graduated in 1992 in Economics and Business Adminstration at Maastricht University.
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| Verification | Identity verification performed by Wikimedia Foundation staff and eligibility verification performed by the Elections Committee | |
| Eligibility: Verified Verified by: – Ajraddatz (talk) 16:14, 28 May 2017 (UTC) |
Identification: Verified Verified by: Kalliope (WMF)--WMF 21:58, 27 May 2017 (UTC) | |
Michał Buczyński (Aegis Maelstrom)
Aegis Maelstrom (talk • meta edits • global user summary • CA • AE)
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| Statement | Humanity deserves free knowledge; donors scrutiny; volunteers support and staff deserves guidance.
The FDC assists with dialog and quotas, aiming to highlight great practices, spur efficacy and transparency, foster applicants' healthy growth. This service I'd like to continue. | |
| Compulsory questions | 1. What experiences of yours do you think will enhance the work and recommendation process of the FDC?
As an economist and finances professional (10+ years of experience in risk, reporting and supervision), I know the good, the bad and the ugly sides of reports, budgets and metrics. I would be happy to work with my colleagues, WMF and grantees to further improve the framework. As a data cruncher, with a MBA visit at UCLA and unfinished PhD (wikis and job won), I utilize benchmarks and numbers.
Furthermore, and perhaps foremost, I am a long-time Wikimedian. I come from an ambitious wiki and for five years I have been serving as a vice-president of Wikimedia Polska: a healthy mid-size CEE chapter, somewhat bridging experiences of East and West, big and small budget, emerged and yet-to-emerge countries. Therefore, I believe I understand many dilemmas and challenges the grantees face, and when I don't I try asking and learning. Moreover, Wikimedia taught me that the trust is crucial, great ideas essential and best practices vital, so I've been working with chapters, WMF staff, volunteers, donors and others, and I hope to build many new bridges in the future. Finally, my two years in the FDC were the best lesson about this framework, grantees and our Movement, making me a proud part of its institutional knowledge. Now I would like to share the labored insights and longer term visions of our grantees' success, as they allow FDC to serve its goal better, understanding old considerations and thinking beyond one year.
During my first term in FDC the committee handled a variety of cases. They included reviews of mid-size and large chapters, as well as of WMF itself where we provided both a possibly detailed programmatic review and important general/governance remarks. This work included our personal efforts to grow common understanding between FDC representing community, WMF and WMDE (on e.g. future of Wikidata) and others (on shared responsibility) which I find important for the Movement's future. The FDC is an unique actor, able not only to disseminate funds and insight from the Movement but also to facilitate communication and governance, and I would be happy to continue this service using earned experience.
Besides the FDC, I have been serving on the board of the volunteer-centric and carefully evolving mid-size chapter. The board went through hiring our first programmatic staff members and taking responsibilities, expanding programmes and exploring new ideas, accepting and declining offers, seeking funds and experiencing many issues the FDC applicants need to deal with. Moreover, my involvement with the chapter's cross-border initiatives from WMCEE to WCA bring much knowledge and benchmarks I find useful to understand the submissions and general picture. My past involvement in GAC and programs&evaluation was also benefitial, as well as own quantitative research on affiliates (their budgets included) back in 2013.2. How does your history with Wikimedia make you suited for the FDC? During the last 12.5 years I have acted in numerous roles: editor, sysop, arbcom; speaker, trainer, researcher; advisor, evangelist and evaluator. Needs make me learn wearing new hats and shoes: last year I was responsible for a chapter-assisted WMF fundraising event, observing fundraising from various viepoints (donors included!), and this co-operation may blaze some new trails for affiliates in not far future.
My home chapter (including its successful small grants programme) is a vast resource of benchmarks and insight; the same should be written about the WMCEE region and all the submissions. As a bonus, being self-funded and uninvolved in the FDC process, WMPL provides me with a rare viewpoint: avoiding any potential budgetary conflicts of interests but sharing general responsibility and accountability to the Movement. Finally, my previous meetings with WMF Staff and fellow Wikimedians, research, GAC and FDC itself gave me the global perspective to understand context of the submissions. I believe combining the lessons learned locally and insight from global communities with my general background and CEE, volunteer perspective allows me to add something important. After my first term I know I made my difference in every allocation, and now, thanks to the earned insight, I should be able to assist the Movement even better. | |
| Verification | Identity verification performed by Wikimedia Foundation staff and eligibility verification performed by the Elections Committee | |
| Eligibility: Verified Verified by: – Ajraddatz (talk) 16:14, 28 May 2017 (UTC) |
Identification: Verified Verified by: Jalexander--WMF 18:01, 28 May 2017 (UTC) | |
Lorenzo Losa (Laurentius)
Laurentius (talk • meta edits • global user summary • CA • AE)
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| Statement | Each year, five million donors trust the global Wikimedia movement with their donations. They expect that we will spend them in an open, transparent and impactful way, fairly putting resources where most needed. In my past two years as an elected FDC member I have worked towards this goal. | |
| Compulsory questions | 1. What experiences of yours do you think will enhance the work and recommendation process of the FDC?
In my Wikimedia life, I have worked on a wide range of activities, from education to GLAMs, advocacy, organization of public events and conferences, etc. I have done so on different levels, first directly running activities, and more recently in the development of annual and longer-term plans and in their evaluation.
In my non-Wikimedia life, I am a mathematician, and analytical skills are one of my strengths. Three years ago I have cofounded a start-up company, where planning, executing, evaluating, and often recognizing your failures are key.
Within Wikimedia Italia, I have been exposed to different kinds of grants. In particular, I worked on the two only Wikimedia Foundation grants asked by Wikimedia Italia: to support the Wikimedia Conference in 2013, and an Annual Plan Grant in 2015. I worked also on a few external grants, both national (granted by Italian foundations) and international ones.
On the granter side, I have been in the Funds Dissemination Committee for the last two years. At a much smaller scale, in the last few months I have also worked to set up a microgrant program in Wikimedia Italia. It is about to start, and it will be a simpler, more transparent way to decide which projects are worth investing in, and to provide support to other volunteers. My hope is that an open process and peer feedback will help everyone to learn and develop more impactful projects.2. How does your history with Wikimedia make you suited for the FDC? I have been in the Wikimedia movement for 13 year: my first edit on Italian Wikipedia was in April 2004, and I have been an administrator since 2007.
I have been active in the Italian chapter since January 2006 (shortly after its founding), and I am currently the chair. Since 2011, when I was first elected in the board, many things have changed: we went from hiring the first part-time employee to a staff of nearly ten people; from a handful of active volunteers, most of which in the board, to a larger network of committed members spread across the country; and from a group of unlinked projects to a comprehensive plan. I understand that each phase has its different traits, and each one should be treated accordingly: each organization has its own working model and structure, with its strengths and its needs, and has to be considered in its own context. Recognizing that our is a global movement, I have contributed also at the international level, including being part of the Funds Dissemination Committee since 2015. Even though it is the sixth-largest Wikimedia chapter in terms of finances, Wikimedia Italia has submitted a proposal to the FDC only once, in 2015. At the time I was not yet in the FDC, and there is no plan to request an annual plan grant in the near future. Since it is able to raise funds from other sources, Wikimedia Italia is happy to leave the global funds to other entities in the movement. | |
| Verification | Identity verification performed by Wikimedia Foundation staff and eligibility verification performed by the Elections Committee | |
| Eligibility: Verified Verified by: – Ajraddatz (talk) 16:14, 28 May 2017 (UTC) |
Identification: Verified Verified by: Jalexander--WMF 14:14, 29 May 2017 (UTC) | |
Viswanathan Prabhakaran (viswaprabha)
viswaprabha (talk • meta edits • global user summary • CA • AE)
| Candidate details | 
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| Statement | I am a long time Wikimedian, Engineer and Project Manager with a career and social experience with multi-regional cultures spanning 3 decades. I am a former & elect Board Member WMIN, former Treasurer WMIN (India), former GAC member, lead finance planner & organizer for many WikiConferences in India and a key resource person for regular WM Training programs. | |
| Compulsory questions | 1. What experiences of yours do you think will enhance the work and recommendation process of the FDC?
I have three decades of professional experience in customer relations management, project planning and execution, program design and evaluation. I have worked with a wide international array of communities and cultures in India, Middle East and Europe and have dealt with people and societies ranging from most affluent to the least empowered. A graduate Electrical engineer, I have worked through a wide field of technical expertise such as industrial production, telecommunications, computer hardware, microelectronics, radiation physics, laboratory science, analytical chemistry, biomedical engineering, construction & project management, MIS, ERP etc. An advanced user of spreadsheets, RDBMS and other data processing tools with deep knowledge in financial budgeting, cost & feasibility analysis. Experienced in assessment of legal and technical compliance in large scale proposals and procedures.
For the last six years, I have been solely dedicating most of my time for the growth of Wikimedia Indic projects, particularly that of Malayalam community. During this period, I have acquired first hand experience of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats faced within communities of Global South. This has potentially enhanced my outlook and vision on how to best serve a typical Wikimedia stakeholder community with optimized but limited funds and resources. I would now like to impart my skills and talents to the FDC in a direct and effective manner.
I have intensively volunteered my time and efforts to build up the Wikimedia India Chapter during its nascent stages (2012 to 2014) as a board member and treasurer. In this capacity, I had deeply involved in formalizing the grant protocols and procedures for the chapter in its evolving stage for WMF and FDC interactions. Besides, I have been the chief designer of financial plans and event coordination for Wikisangamotsavam, an annual conference and community get-together of Malayalam Wikimedians since 2012. For some time, I have participated in the Grants Advisory Committee under WMF. I also prepared the budget and financial context of PEG application for the highly successful WikiConference India 2016, major Wikimedia event event executed in 2016 August. As of now, I have been elected as the WMIN board member for its current term.
As a chapter board member, I confidently understand the significance of the role of FDC in ensuring meticulous and timely dissemination of available funds and resources with strict, judicious but compassionate wisdom.
2. How does your history with Wikimedia make you suited for the FDC? I had embarked upon the Wikimedia bandwagon since its early days, as a casual unregistered user. In 2005, I decided to devote more time as a registered user and focus on to my local community (Malayalam). Ever since, I have spared constant efforts to build up a large ecology of users familiar with localized input methods and open knowledge culture via blogs and social networks, eventually driving them to the Wikimedia mission. In 2011, I relinquished my job overseas and returned to my homeland to dedicate full time towards the cause of Wikimedia projects. Apart from being a veteran editor and chapter activist, I have also led or participated in many discrete events and projects including GLAMs, digitization drives, outreach workshops, training and media campaigns. These experiences have provided me with a deep understanding of the functional and programing aspects of Wikimedia chemistry. Today, I feel sufficiently confident that I have matured enough to become a qualified FDC member.
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| Verification | Identity verification performed by Wikimedia Foundation staff and eligibility verification performed by the Elections Committee | |
| Eligibility: Verified Verified by: Ruslik (talk) 11:38, 29 May 2017 (UTC) |
Identification: Verified Verified by: Jalexander--WMF 00:56, 29 May 2017 (UTC) | |