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Movement roles project/Chapters

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Please help improve these draft parameters through edits or suggestions on the talk page.

  • Name: Wikimedia National or Sub-national Chapter
  • Mission: To support and promote the Wikimedia projects in general with regards to a specified geographical region or country. Like the Wikimedia Foundation, they aim to empower and engage 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. (From Wikimedia chapters)
  • Territorial range: National or sub-national
  • Incorporation: Legally registered. Pursuing non-profit status where available.
  • Minimum rights:
  1. WM trademark use for most purposes within country of operation, including fundraising and publicity
  2. Recognition as representatives of the movement within country of operation
  3. A voice in the selection of two Foundation trustees every two years
  4. Participation in annual decision-making conference of all chapters
  5. Simplified access to grants
  • Minimum duties:
  1. Active work
  2. Publishing an annual report as per Reporting Requirements
  3. Fulfilling movement-wide accountability standards
  4. Support our common global goals with local means
  5. Development of a sustainable, independent regional non-profit
  6. Within their geography: support of community projects, fundraising coordination, grant and partnership development[1], oversight of PR and media; representing the Wikimedia movement and its interests at public events and in government discussions
  • Trademark use: For most purposes within geography, including fundraising and publicity, via agreement with the WMF.
  • Origin of funds: Multiple. Fundraising agreements with WMF, WMF grants, member fees, donations, external grants
  • Relationship with overlapping entities: Wikimedia chapters are expected to play a coordinating role within their respective geographies, and this is a distinctive role they play among Wikimedia organizations. Entities in a country are not in a hierarchy, but need to agree how to co-exist in a geography to streamline their communication and avoid duplicate work.
  • Board and membership: Elected board with individuals willing to publicly disclose identity, a majority of whom are wikimedians. Open membership.
  • Transparency and communication: Full info about organizers and supporters; see reporting requirements
  • Capacity to sign agreements with third parties: Yes, in country of operation
  • Recognition from: WMF Board of Trustees, with recommendations from the Affiliations Committee
  • Minimum requirements for recognition:
  1. Viability
    • A critical mass of active participants - at least 20 people
    • Members originating from the Wikimedia community (not all of them, but at least the majority), and accepted by the relevant local community
  2. Trustworthiness:
    • A non-profit with a mission supporting all WMF projects (possibly as part of a general support for free knowledge or free culture as the stated aim) in all languages. (If there is a very good reason, an exception might be made, but don't know of any among the current chapters).
    • A history of good work within the movement
  3. Openness (see Board and membership, above)
  • Recognition document: WMF Board resolution (interim), supplanted by a chapters agreement with the WMF
  • Reporting requirements:
  • Looking back:
  • Looking forward:
    • Publish or link to the organization's annual plan.
  • Mentoring and support: Affiliations Committee.
  • Change of status possible: Yes
  • Withdrawal of recognition: WMF Board of Trustees, if necessary.
  • Other considerations:
    Optional right: Eligibility for direct processing of donations from site-banner fundraisers; tied to experience and capacity, and to the duty of helping support fundraiser messaging, translation, and follow-up. Actively exercised in 2009-2011; limited by Board resolution of March 2012 to four chapters.
    Optional right: Eligibility for longer-term infrastructure grants; tied to size, capacity and activity.
    Optional right: Receiving in-kind support to build capacity and develop skills; tied to activity and need.