Wikimedia movement affiliates/Noticeboard/Archives/2012-10

WCA September status report

I think we should have monthly or fortnightly reports on the progress on establishing the WCA, otherwise the momentum will be lost.

I don't see any activity on Special:RecentChangesLinked/Template:Chapters_association. Is there a better way to see what progress was made in September? Could the WCA committees provide a short summary (a paragraph) of their activity. John Vandenberg (talk) 00:40, 4 October 2012 (UTC)

WCA resolution on SG recruitment

On 10 October the WCA chair published Wikimedia Chapters Association/Resolutions/2012 SG recruitment. John Vandenberg (talk) 23:42, 11 October 2012 (UTC)

Planned chapters status update needed

A few of the chapters listed as in active preparation on Wikimedia chapters/Planned chapters have not updated their status in over a year. I've started a discussion to delist two of them at Talk:Wikimedia chapters/Planned chapters. John Vandenberg (talk) 00:45, 12 October 2012 (UTC)

Forming Arabic language chapters

The MENA catalyst project has been active for a year now since the October 2011 announcement of the first WMF partnership with w:Qatar Foundation, and another grant from them in May 2012. Are new chapters starting to form from these efforts? Wikimedia Algeria and Wikimedia Egypt and Wikimedia Iran don't appear to have moved forward at all. Wikimedia Morocco and Wikimedia Saudi Arabia and Wikimedia Qatar dont appear to exist. Can we help? John Vandenberg (talk) 01:09, 12 October 2012 (UTC)

I see at User talk:Sue Gardner/Narrowing focus#Lack of MENA chapters that WMF have dropped the term "MENA" and are now using "Arabic Language Initiative". John Vandenberg (talk) 00:51, 13 October 2012 (UTC)

WCA location: Geneva

An assessment of Geneva has been provided: Wikimedia Chapters Association/Place of registration/Geneva. --John Vandenberg (talk) 01:48, 13 October 2012 (UTC)

WMF narrowing focus

In July the WMF board resolution wmf:Resolution:2012-2013 Annual Plan approved management's proposed 2012-13 annual plan (revenue: $46 million; expenditure: $42 million) but also "directed the Executive Director to carry out an assessment of the Foundation's programs and strategic priorities .. and present options for revising down the annual plan .. by the [26-27] October Board meeting."

On 1 October Sue published User:Sue Gardner/Narrowing focus. This document has many important implications for chapters. The entire document and discussion page should be read by board and chapter members, but if pressed for time at least read "About the chapters".

My take is that Sue's proposed revised focus is based on the w:principle of subsidiarity, and the WMF will step away from actively nurturing content, community and chapters, and is probably expecting WCA to take over some of these responsibilities, and WMF will focus on Engineering and high level movement stability and growth via grant-making through GAC and FDC. John Vandenberg (talk) 03:20, 13 October 2012 (UTC)