Grants:Conference/WMF Travel Team Support

Introduction

What services can the Wikimedia Foundation’s Travel & Events Team provide?

The Wikimedia Foundation’s Travel Team can arrange flight bookings (via a third party agency) and accommodation for scholarship recipients and volunteer organizers. If you so choose, we can manage flight bookings alone, but we cannot manage accommodation unless we are also managing flight bookings due to the dependencies between the two. If you plan to host the conference at the same hotel where guests will be staying, we can also include meeting space and catering on the same contract.

With the assistance of our sourcing partner, we can negotiate terms with the hotel. As the contract owner, we will also manage all payment obligations and the submission of the rooming list, which is generally due 30 days before arrival. Prior to the conference, we will connect you with our point of contact at the hotel so that you can provide them with your conference agenda, room setup, menu selections and participants’ dietary restrictions. We will also delegate signing authority to one member of the organizing team so that someone onsite can approve emergency charges such as a hotel extension due to attendee illness.

Can the Travel & Events Team provide emergency support during the event?

The Wikimedia Foundation Travel Team is only available during regular US business hours. However, the volunteer organizing team will be briefed prior to the event so that they understand how to manage travel, medical, and hotel/venue emergencies.

Both our travel agency and our risk management provider have a 24-hour emergency line that can be used in the event of flight cancellations/delays and/or medical and security emergencies. Travelers should utilize these third party services should they need emergency assistance. Travelers are responsible for ensuring they have a way to contact these providers, both of which can only be reached via telephone.

We are happy to provide additional support or training to first-time travelers. However, by agreeing to accept a travel scholarship, scholarship recipients acknowledge that there are health and safety risks inherent in all travel, as well as the possibility that they may need to incur unforeseen expenses. Travelers are expected to prepare for their travel by reading all pre-trip communications and following the outlined instructions if they need assistance.

The Travel Team will introduce volunteer organizers to our hotel contact prior to the event. The organizers will be responsible for managing any issues with the hotel or venue while onsite. If organizers need additional assistance or support while onsite, they should seek out a WMF staff member in person.

Flight Booking

How will you collect traveler information to book flights?

We use Eventyay to collect traveler information, with the form also doubling as a conference registration form. Organizers can use a variation of this same form to register self-funded attendees and WMF staff/board members.

We will collect legal names, dates of birth, and travel preferences from all scholars, as well as passport information from those who are applying for visas. In some regions (e.g., Asia Pacific), we’ll need to collect passport information from all travelers, as this is required by airlines at the time of booking.

Will the Travel Agency be able to book any flight requested by the traveler?

Our agency will attempt to accommodate the traveler’s request so long as the flight is within budget and available for purchase through its booking platform. All travel agencies, however, are limited by the inventory available 1) in the Global distribution system (GDS) and 2) from their point of sale. Occasionally, small regional carriers may not list their inventory in the GDS. In this case, a traveler may be asked to book their own ticket and apply for reimbursement from the Foundation. Funds will be transferred 1-2 weeks from the date of an approved expense submission.

When do flights need to be booked?

All flights should be booked at least 6-8 weeks in advance. This helps us control flight costs and manage the hotel room block within the negotiated terms. Oftentimes when we contract with a hotel, we are committed to the number of rooms originally requested and may be obligated to pay for any canceled rooms. In other situations, we may have a final “cut off” date 30 days before check-in (which is generally when the hotel rooming list is due). If there are any cancellations, we need to inform the hotel before this date, so that the hotel has an opportunity to resell the rooms to other guests.

Will the traveler’s flight ticket include incidentals like checked luggage and/or the option to select their preferred seat?

Due to varying policies across airlines and routes, we cannot guarantee that every traveler’s ticket will include checked luggage and/or the option to select their preferred seat. Long haul flights typically include both items in the cost of the ticket, but some domestic and low cost carriers do not offer a fare option that includes checked luggage and/or a preferred seat assignment. Due to complications surrounding non-staff international reimbursement processes, travelers may not expense these charges.

Can the travel team book ground travel like trains or buses?

In some cases, we may be able to book train travel on the traveler’s behalf, but this will vary by region. We cannot book buses or ferries. Due to complications surrounding non-staff international reimbursement processes, we cannot process expense reports for these items. We therefore recommend that organizers estimate these costs prior to submitting their grant proposal so that they can be included in the portion of the grant disbursed to the organizing team. This way, the organizing team can manage this reimbursement process themselves.

Why does the scholarship policy prohibit scholars from adding personal travel to their trip?

The Wikimedia Foundation developed its scholar travel policy in order to create a more consistent experience for scholars across all Foundation-funded events, including Wikimania, Hackathon, and WMF-funded community-led conferences. Additionally, given the large number of scholars who travel constantly, the policy helps ensure accurate flight monitoring and troubleshooting. Restricting dates of travel to what has been approved:

Streamlines the travel booking process for both our travel agency and our travelers.
Enables us to be better stewards of donor funds by managing costs.
Eliminates the need to “benchmark” the requested flight price against what would have been offered for the approved dates of travel. This is an additional step and if the requested flights are more expensive, the Foundation does not have a mechanism for recovering this cost.
Ensures that there is no ambiguity or confusion around which nights a hotel room will be provided to the traveler.
Allows us to standardize the application support we provide to those applying for visas (e.g., invitation letter, insurance confirmation etc).
Allows us to meet our duty of care obligations while ensuring the Foundation is not liable for travelers while they are on personal vacation.

Is there anything else travelers need to keep in mind during the booking process?

Prior to agreeing to an itinerary, scholars should ensure that they’ve reviewed all of the travel booking information that was provided to them in the scholarship award letter. Most importantly, they are responsible for ensuring they can meet all entry/exit requirements of their destination and any transit countries. We will NOT be able to reissue tickets if a traveler is unable to obtain the necessary transit visas.

Can the Travel Team negotiate airline discounts for self-funded attendees?

For larger conferences like Wikimania, the WMF Travel Team sometimes negotiates location-specific contracts with airlines (e.g., discounts on all Lufthansa flights into/out of Nairobi over a certain set of dates). These discounts range from 4-10%, depending on the booking class, with smaller discounts for economy class seating. For smaller conferences, it’s generally not worthwhile to negotiate an event-specific contract due to the time needed to negotiate terms and process it internally.

Hotel Booking

If the organizers have determined that the scholarship award includes double occupancy rooms, can a scholar pay extra for a single room?

Unfortunately, no. There is a large administrative burden involved in trying to split payments for single rooms. The scholarship award letter should clearly state what is included in the scholarship. If a traveler’s scholarship award includes a double occupancy room and they prefer to be booked a single room, the traveler should book and pay for a single room directly with the hotel. The scholar will need to cover these costs themselves.

If a scholar’s flight arrives before check-in time, can they request early check-in at the hotel?

Early check-in at the hotel can only be guaranteed if we book the previous night, which we generally reserve for those traveling on a long haul flight and arriving early in the morning. Even this, however, will depend on availability in the travel budget – we recommend buffering the hotel estimate to account for this. If we are not paying for early check-in, travelers can request early check-in at the front desk when they arrive. The hotel may be able to accommodate this based on its availability at that point in time.

Can the Travel Team negotiate hotel discounts for self-funded attendees?

Yes, if you have an estimate as to how many self-funded attendees may need lodging, we can ask the hotel for a “courtesy block” during our contract negotiations. We will not be legally obligated to fill these rooms, but the hotel will “hold” them for conference participants until a specific date (generally two months before the event) after which they’ll be released back into general inventory.

Can the WMF Travel Team assist with ground transportation between the airport and hotel?

No, any shuttle service needs to be arranged and managed directly by the organizing team. If you do plan to offer shuttle service, we would recommend using a third party vendor rather than the hotel as this will result in significant cost savings.

Scholarship Nominations

Can WMF assist with the scholarship nominations process?

The scholarship application and nominations process should be managed by the COT, although you can find templates here. Wikimedia Foundation scholarships are only available to those 18 years or older at the time of application. Prior to opening your application form, please share the questions with the Travel Team so we can ensure questions aren’t being duplicated on registration and/or questions are aligned with our policies.

Visas

What support can the travel team provide for visa applicants?

Travelers are responsible for ensuring they can meet all entry/exit requirements of their destination and transit countries, including any necessary visas and proof of vaccinations. Due to the complicated landscape of visa requirements, the Wikimedia Foundation cannot offer visa advice or communicate with the consulate on the traveler’s behalf. We encourage all travelers to use a professional visa service, such as Travisa.com or cibtvisas.com, which can offer professional support and guidance. Conference organizers can choose whether to include the reimbursement of these costs within their budget.

Securing an appointment can often be the most challenging part of the visa application process, so we encourage travelers to schedule their appointments as soon as they know they will be traveling. Occasionally, an in-person interview is required and may require travel to an embassy in another city or country. Conference organizers can choose whether to cover these costs out of their budget. Any travel of this kind needs to be booked directly by the traveler and reimbursed directly by the conference team – the Wikimedia Travel Team cannot assist with this.

Conference organizers should plan to ask applicants whether they need a visa during the scholarship application process so they can start planning accordingly. Travelers will be asked again during the travel booking process and will need to provide additional information (e.g., passport data) if they answer yes. This information will be used to generate the supporting documents listed below. We recommend travelers carry these documents with them while traveling.

Provided by Travel Team
- Proof and Flight and Hotel Reservation. We will book a hotel room and issue nonrefundable airfare tickets for those applying for a visa.
- Proof of Travel Medical Insurance from Wikimedia’s insurance carrier, Zurich American Insurance Company. They should check with the consulate beforehand to view their list of approved carriers – if Zurich is not listed, travelers can pay their own policy and apply for reimbursement through the Foundation.
Provided by the Conference Organizers
- Conference organizers are responsible for generating a Visa Invitation Letter. This cannot be issued by the Wikimedia Foundation as we are not hosting the conference. In some cases, a consulate may require an original, or hard-copy, of the signed invitation letter. This process will need to be managed by the conference organizers and any additional costs should be included in the conference budget. We recommend conference organizers research visa requirements prior to submitting their grant proposal so that any associated costs can be accurately reflected in the budget.

Can you book refundable flights for those applying for a visa?

Unfortunately, no. Due to the increased costs of flexible airline fares and logistical issues related to issuing so-called “dummy” reservations, we will not be able to recover an individual travelers’ expenses should their visa be denied. We therefore strongly encourage organizers to open the scholarship application process at least five months in advance, so that travelers have time to schedule their visa appointments.

What is the deadline for visa cancellations?

As a general rule, we recommend setting a deadline of 7 calendar days before travel as the “cutoff date” for visas. Any traveler who has not heard back from their visa authority 7 calendar days prior to the event will have their flights and hotel reservations canceled. This will give us an opportunity to request a refund for both flights/hotels. Unfortunately, we cannot change a flight to accommodate a late visa award.

Expense Reimbursement

Which expenses are reimbursable?

Due to complications surrounding non-staff international reimbursement processes, the Wikimedia Foundation will reimburse traveler expenses on an exceptional basis. These exceptions include:

If the traveler’s only flight option is unavailable through the agency’s Global Distribution System and they have to purchase the tickets themselves.
If the Wikimedia Foundation’s insurance provider is not on the list of approved vendors for the consulate to which they’re applying and the traveler has to purchase their own insurance policy for visa application purposes.
If the traveler has to pay for medical costs out of pocket because our duty of care provider is unable to arrange payment with the hospital/clinic. If this happens, we will share reimbursement instructions for getting reimbursed directly through our insurance company. Travelers should save all medical receipts if they have to visit a clinic/hospital while on WMF-sponsored travel.

The following expenses are not reimbursable by the Wikimedia Foundation. Remember that, as grantees, you may choose to budget for these items separately and manage the reimbursement claims yourself:

Bus and ferry transport instead of flights
Fees associated with obtaining a visa, including application fees and travel costs to in-person visa appointment
Flight incidentals like checked luggage and preferred seat assignment (if not included in the cost of the flight)
Travel per diem
Ground transportation costs to/from the airport
Costs associated with lost or stolen possessions. The Wikimedia Foundation’s insurance policy does not cover personal possessions.