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statusFunded
WikiConference India 2026
approved grant start date02 April 2026
approved grant end date20 January 2027
amount requested (local currency)18473973.59 INR
amount requested (USD)207000 USD [note 1]
amount recommended (local)18773279.22 INR
grant typeNonprofit organization with Wikimedia mission
decision fiscal year2025-26
funding program roundRound 1
organization (if applicable)International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad
Review Final Report

This is an automatically generated Meta-Wiki page. The page was copied from Fluxx, the web service of Wikimedia Foundation Funds, where the user has submitted their application. Please do not make any changes to this page because all changes will be removed after the next update. Use the discussion page for your feedback. The page was created by CR-FluxxBot.

Applicant details

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A. Are you applying as a(n)

Nonprofit organization with Wikimedia mission

B. Full name of organization presenting the proposal.

International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad

F. Do you have an account on a Wikimedia project?

Yes

F1. Please provide your main Wikimedia Username.

Pavan Santhosh (OKI)

F2. Please provide the Usernames of people related to this proposal.

N/A

G. Are you legally registered?

Yes

If you are applying as an individual or your group is not a legally registered nonprofit in your country, we require that you have a fiscal sponsor.

I. Fiscal organization name.

N/A

Objectives and Strategy

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1. Please state the title of your proposal.

WikiConference India 2026

2.1. When will the event begin? Please enter the event start date.

2026-09-04

2.2. When is the last day of your event?

2026-09-06

3.1. When will you begin preparing for your event?

2026-04-02T00:00:00Z

3.2. When will you expect to complete your last event payment?

2027-01-20T00:00:00Z

4. In which country will the conference take place?

India

4.1. In which city will the conference take place?

Kochi, Kerala - Primary proposed location Chennai, Tamil Nadu - Secondary proposed location

5. Is it a remote or in-person event?

Hybrid event (in person + streaming)

5.1. What will be the total number of participants at the event? (including scholarship recipients + organizing team + other guests + self funded guests) (required)

180

6. Please indicate whether your work will be focused on one country (local), more than one or several countries in your region (regional) or has a cross-regional (global) scope.

Local

6.1. If you have answered regional, please write the country names and any other information that is useful for understanding your proposal.


7. If you would like, please share any websites or social media accounts that your group or organization has.
  • WikiConference India 2023: [1]
  • YouTube channel: [2] 
8. Do you work with any thematic or regional platforms such as WISCom, CEE, Iberocoop, etc.

Yes

8.1. Please describe what platforms and your work with them.

South Asia Open Community Call - [3]

9. Please describe the target participants for this event.

A. The target audience can be primarily identified into three broad categories:

  • participants from the Wikimedia movement,
  • participants from other stakeholder groups aligned with the mission of Wikimedia, and
  • Participants who are interested in the Wikimedia conference and have the potential to contribute to it in a meaningful manner.

It will be our attempt to accommodate the participation of the third group; the conference program and the budgetary expenses would primarily focus on the participation of the first two groups.


B. The first group—participants from the Wikimedia movement—includes, but is not limited to, Volunteer Wikimedians and staff of WMF + affiliates/partners. The second group—participants from other stakeholder groups aligned with the mission of Wikimedia—includes but is not limited to staff and contributors from open-source, open-knowledge communities and educational organisations such as GLAMs and NGOs working on access to education. The Core team will consider designing a program that would blend these two groups for the sustainable growth of the Wikimedia movement in India. All these groups would largely have people from India, connected or have/had closely worked with Indian Wikimedia communities, or in the larger domains of open access, access to knowledge, or the free internet movements.


C. Breakdown:

  • Active Wikimedians – editors, admins, technical contributors, and content contributors from India and South Asia
  • Community organizers & leaders – individuals leading projects, campaigns, edit-a-thons, and/or outreach programs
  • Affiliate & User Group representatives – members from recognized Wikimedia affiliates and user groups in the region
  • Emerging volunteers – new contributors showing strong interest in growing their skills and engagement
  • Thematic contributors – individuals working on specific topics such as gender gap, minority languages, open knowledge, GLAM, education, or health-related content
  • Technical community members – developers, tool-builders, and Wikidata/Wikimedia Commons contributors
  • Researchers & academics – scholars studying open knowledge, digital humanities, or Wikimedia movement topics
  • Partners & allies – civil society organizations, cultural institutions, educational partners, and open knowledge advocates
  • Diversity & inclusion advocates – participants working on underrepresented languages, gender equity, and marginalized communities

D) Additionally, we have also highlighted some of the challenges from our experience that we will overcome.

  • Bringing in new editors and building safe and stable partnerships
  • Build bridges between other knowledge movements at the India level
  • Develop synergies with ongoing initiatives such as AI for Bharat and other gen AI projects
10. Please provide the link to the event's page if you already have one.

WikiConference India 2026/Initial conversations: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WikiConference_India_2026:_Initial_conversations ,

WikiConference India 2025: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WikiConference_India_2025

WikiConference India 2026 [In Making]: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WikiConference_India_2026

The following questions (11-14) will refer to the Community Engagement Survey which is required in order to submit a proposal. Here is the survey form that you can copy and use (if the link does not work): https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1ieEI8EFf2vxjD9wN_h8-srYeRCp4fhSp7_1_wiR2jh8/edit. This survey is required to access a Conference grant.

11. How many people did you send the community engagement survey to?

200

11.1. When did you conduct the survey, and for how long?

2nd August 2024 to 1st September 2024 - For the WCI 2025

12. How many people responded to the survey?

59

13. What are the main objectives of the event?

The broad objectives of WikiConference India 2026 are to strengthen collaboration among Wikimedia users, projects, communities, affiliates, and partners across India and also South Asia. WCI 2026 will be a learning and capacity-building conference, with a focus on peer-to-peer exchange and community growth.

Building on the experiences of WCI 2023 (community outreach) and proposed WCI 2025 (intended for community learning), WCI 2026 will be designed around the evolving needs of contributors and communities. These needs will be identified through pre-conference engagement activities (virtual), open calls, and conversations. The program design will emphasize collaborative formats—parallel tracks, workshops, masterclasses, and hands-on activities.

Sessions will primarily be led by community members, with staff and external experts invited to support where necessary. The emphasis will remain on enabling contributors to share learnings, address common challenges, and work together on advancing knowledge equity and movement strategy goals.

All the speakers and trainers will be on-boarded / guided well in advance with their presentation materials, talking points, best practices for dialogue delivery and participant engagement skills (both in person and on-line). This was carried out during the Wiki Women Camp 2023 and worked extensively well in maintaining the quality of program as well as session timings perfectly as per the schedule.

Recap of the day: A dedicated space (similar to unconference spaces- open for all → With a facilitator & speakers if the day) will be there at the end of the day for 30-45 minutes to discuss what went well, what needs improvement and how structures could (further) develop to keep Wikimedians engaged between our conferences. This will ensure a clear pathway for the participants to transition their excitement from the event into ongoing involvement with Wikimedia projects as well as for a curated follow up after the conference.

Proposed Revised Objectives for WikiConference India 2026:

These revised objectives are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) and directly align with the core objectives of the Wikimedia movement. Our revised approach is to both define and measure the impact of the objective. This will help us in building a robust evaluation mechanism as well.

  • Skill & Leadership Development: To enhance the technical and volunteer contribution capacity of 150+ active contributors by delivering at least 8 structured skill-building sessions (e.g., Advanced editing, Wikidata contributions, Conflict resolution mechanisms, Funding structures and participation), with at least 75% of session attendees reporting a "high" or "very high" increase in confidence in that skill via post-session surveys and future event participation needs assessment surveys.
  • Content Diversification & Bridging content gaps: To directly generate and improve 5,000+ articles across Wikipedia, files on Wikimedia Commons, and Wikidata items on identified priority topics (e.g., Women in STEM, Indian History, Local Languages, UN Sustainable Development Goals) before, during, and within six months following the conference, tracked via the Programs & Events Dashboard. This will be a shared objective between participants attending WCI 26 and the many affiliates that will take part in WCI 26.
  • Community Growth & Onboarding: To onboard a minimum of 40 new, active editors from underrepresented regions or linguistic communities in India through targeted outreach and a dedicated "Newcomer Track," with at least 30% of them making at least 5 edits one month after the conference. For additional context, WCI 23 has been able to support the participation of newcomer Wikimedians by instituting specific seats in the scholarship selection process.
    • Note that the term “newcomer” here refers to the Wikimedians who have joined the movement in the last 6-12 months and have either one of these active contributions: 1. At least 250 edit counts on any of the Wikimedia projects or global edits, 2. Initiated/led any outreach/GLAM activity, 3. Have actively shown contributions on the technical platforms- including but not limited to Phabricator, MediaWiki, GitHub, FOSS, etc.
  • Strategic Alignment & Collaboration: To facilitate the co-creation of at least 3 high-impact, community-led project plans or affiliate/chapter initiatives (documented on Meta-Wiki) addressing key movement strategy recommendations, such as regional capacity building, content partnerships, bridging the gender gap, and understanding NPOV in the Indian context.

This schema moves beyond simple headcounts and satisfaction scores to measure real impact, as requested by the reviewers. It uses a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data with qualitative insights.

On evaluation: instead of just counting participants, we will link outcomes to community growth indicators (e.g., number of mentorship relationships sustained post-conference, follow-up projects initiated, language-specific community action plans). Given our context, where many language groups struggle with limited resources, the ability to trace continuity after the conference is a more meaningful measure of impact.

Please check this document for our Evaluation framework: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-94GTdIjNfdYQnaXuioEhlVFxLlOq--C/view?usp=sharing

14. Based on survey responses, what are the most important things your community should do at the conference to achieve these objectives?

A total of 59 community members from 25 South Asian Wikimedia communities responded to the survey. Over 45% of open community calls saw high engagement and positive feedback. Nearly 60% of respondents attended WCI 2023, and the majority strongly recommended WCI 2025 → Now WCI 2026, highlighting its role in boosting activity, collaboration, content creation, and leadership.

To achieve the objectives of WCI 2025 → Now WCI 2026, the community identified key priorities:

  • Networking & collaboration – creating structured spaces for cross-community exchange.
  • Skill development – with emphasis on on-wiki technical skills, project management, and leadership training.
  • Knowledge equity & diversity – addressing gender diversity, inclusivity, and representation of marginalized voices.
  • Sustainability & growth – building strategies for community resilience, outreach, and effective use of WMF funding.
  • Technology adoption – exploring tools, platforms, and innovations to improve efficiency and impact.

These priorities will guide the program design, ensuring that WCI 2026 is community-led, capacity-focused, and aligned with the evolving needs of South Asian Wikimedia communities.

15. Please state if your proposal aims to work to bridge any of the identified CONTENT knowledge gaps (Knowledge Inequity)? Select up to THREE that most apply to your work.

Content Gender gap, Geography, Cultural background, ethnicity, religion, racial

15.1. In a few sentences, explain how your work is specifically addressing this content gap (or Knowledge inequity) to ensure a greater representation of knowledge. (optional recommended).

Our proposal addresses knowledge gaps by:

  • Empowering underrepresented voices – engaging contributors from diverse South Asian geographies, languages, and communities.
  • Cultural & ethnic representation – creating opportunities to document local knowledge, traditions, and perspectives from indigenous and ethnic groups.
  • Peer learning & skill-building – equipping volunteers with technical, content, and leadership skills to strengthen local language projects.
  • Cross-community collaboration – enabling networking and partnerships that result in more balanced and inclusive content creation.

This approach ensures Wikimedia projects reflect a richer and more representative body of global knowledge.

16. Please state if your proposal includes any of these areas or THEMATIC focus. Select up to THREE that most apply to your work and explain the rationale for identifying these themes.

Advocacy, Culture, heritage or GLAM , Open Technology

17. Will your work focus on involving participants from any underrepresented communities?

Geographic , Linguistic / Language, Digital Access

18. Do you intend to invite or engage with non-Wikimedian individuals or organizations? If so – can you explain your intention for this outreach?

Yes, we intend to invite and engage linguists, academicians, mission-aligned open knowledge organizations, and representatives from technology and open-source movements such as Creative Commons and FOSS-Asia. We also plan to collaborate with internet-based organizations like Google, as well as cultural and educational institutions, including GLAMs and NGOs focused on access to education. These engagements will help the community grow and learn from diverse initiatives in the open knowledge space.

19. What will you do to make sure participants continue to engage in your activities after the event?
  • We will build on the networks and platforms established since WCI 2023, including Telegram groups, mailing lists, and regular community calls, to sustain engagement. 
  • A periodic newsletter will be shared in conjunction with the SAOCCC to share updates on ongoing initiatives, upcoming activities, and collaboration opportunities, ensuring participants stay informed and inspired to contribute.
  • Our focus will be on bringing mission-aligned organizations and non-Wikimedians into ongoing conversations, while also continuing collaborations with leaders from NGOs, academia, and corporations to introduce fresh perspectives.
  • To ensure participants move from intention to action, responsibilities will be shared by involving them in initiatives such as the South Asia Community Call, various trainings such as POSH and other valuable soft skills along with learning & evaluation processes. 
  • Follow-up will be supported through both financial resources and intellectual mentoring, allowing ideas to be recognized, incubated, and scaled. Continued collaboration, structured mentorship, and new partnerships will ensure smooth and effective post-conference engagement.
20. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select a maximum of THREE options that most apply.

Increase the Sustainability of Our Movement, Invest in Skills and Leadership Development, Innovate in Free Knowledge

Logistical Aspects

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21. Do you have any proposed venue for the event?

The conference is planned to be held in Kochi (or Chennai), India, with the final venue under discussion supported by the WMF travel team. We aim to select a location with strong domestic and international connectivity. For participant arrivals, shuttle services (cab/bus) will be arranged between the airport, railway station, bus terminals, and the hotel, depending on need. In case of delayed arrivals, participants may also use readily available 24/7 private cab services. Similar arrangements will be made for departures, with group transfers organized to reduce logistical effort and overall costs.

Based on the successful past experience, we plan to have the venue and accommodation at the same location to enhance participant convenience and create a smoother conference experience.

22. Is the event venue and hotel accessible for people with physical disabilities?

Yes

23. How many scholarships would you like to offer?
  1. of Full scholarship Recipients: 120
  • India: 91 / 90
  • Other South Asia Countries:
  • Sri Lanka: 8
  • Bangladesh: 8 
  • Nepal: 8 
  • International Scholarships (for Indian Wikimedians staying outside India): 5 
  1. of Organizers: 15
  1. of WMF staff / BoT, partners: 15
  1. of invitees: 15 
  1. of partial scholarships: 15
  1. of total participants: 180
24. What expenses will the scholarship cover?

The scholarship will cover visa expenses (for all scholarship awardees who will have to travel to India), travel, accommodation, medical insurance (both domestic and international), food, and other expenses incurred during travel while attending the conference.

25. How will scholarship recipients be selected?

From the WCI 2025 prep team: the design process group composed of the experienced Wikimedians or volunteers who are familiar with these processes is already existing. This group will be in charge of managing the scholarship selection, final allocation along with diverse representation. 

The evaluation criteria will primarily focus on applicant’s on-wiki contribution to Wikimedia projects as well as impact made by their off-wiki contributions to the Wikimedia movement. To make the questions easily understandable for and answerable by non-english speakers, we intend to publish the questions for both scholarship and program application on respective meta pages and get those translated into different languages by the community volunteers.

26. In which ways can Wikimedia Foundation staff support your event onsite?

We welcome the active involvement of Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) staff in multiple capacities to strengthen the conference. Staff members based in India or South Asia can play a crucial role in pre-conference preparations, drawing on their regional experience to guide planning and coordination.

Onsite, WMF staff can support by:

  • Outreach and communication – amplifying the event and engaging with wider communities and partners.
  • Facilitating sessions – leading or co-leading discussions on topics such as movement strategy, knowledge equity, governance, community safety, and technical innovation.
  • Capacity building – mentoring participants on program design, partnerships, and sustainability.
  • Safety and legal guidance – ensuring protocols around friendly space expectations, UCoC, and risk management are well implemented.
  • Documentation and learning – supporting the collection and sharing of insights to benefit the broader movement.

Their presence and expertise would add significant value by connecting local and regional conversations to global Wikimedia priorities, while also providing reassurance, mentorship, and inspiration to community members.

26.2. Do you intend to invite any WMF staff members to your event? (please note that all WMF staff travel and accommodation costs will be covered by the foundation). Please indicate what is the limit number of WMF staff members you would like to welcome at your event.

Yes, we intend to invite selected Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) staff members to participate in the conference. We especially welcome staff residing in India and South Asia, as their regional knowledge and experience will be valuable in supporting community growth and alignment with movement priorities.

We propose inviting up to 12–15 WMF staff members across different teams, with the following suggested representation:

  • Community Resources (2 members): To guide communities on funding opportunities, grant processes, and capacity-building resources.
  • Thematic experts (1–2 members): Focus areas such as GLAM, Education, and Gender to support volunteers with programmatic expertise and thematic alignment.
  • Legal (1 member): To provide updates on foundation-led legal initiatives and address community concerns related to legal and policy matters.
  • Product & Technology (2–3 members): To engage communities on technical tools, mobile platforms, Wikitech/Wikimedia Labs, and the community wishlist.
  • Trust & Safety (1 member): To strengthen community safety practices, workflows, and provide on-site support at the time of need.
  • Research (1 member): To share findings from Wikimedia research and help communities leverage insights for their projects.
  • Movement Communications (2–3 members): To support design, documentation, storytelling, and communication before, during, and after the event.
  • Board Members (up to 2) and Senior Leadership (up to 2): To engage directly with participants on governance, movement charter, strategy, and the future of affiliates.

Their participation will ensure that community voices are heard, while also strengthening ties between South Asian communities and the wider Wikimedia movement.

27. Please outline the roles and responsibilities of the organizing team for the conference.

COT:  Name (Volunteer / Affiliate staff | Community / affiliate name | # of hours committed) 

OKI: Name (# of hours committed)

  • User:Pavan Santhosh (OKI)  (4 hrs/week) (Other team members will be involved on a need-basis)

WMF: Name

  • User:PDas (WMF) - [4] 
  • User:RASharma (WMF) - [5] 

Job Description - Paid staff / Co-ordinator(s): (40 hrs/week) 

1. Schedule & agenda preparation for weekly/bi-weekly meetings: COT and sub teams

2. Documentation of meetings and action items: COT and sub-teams

3. Asynchronous workflow management, follow-ups, and communications

4. Internal checklist & timeline review, update, reminders, and deadlines management

5. Mass communication, announcements, or updates to the participants (Closer to the event)

6. Supporting scholarship recipients with required details (Closer to the event)

7. Providing support to conference leads for community hours.

8. Posting regular updates on all identified WCI channels.

9. Event and financial reporting of WCI 2026. : This includes initiating reimbursements, stipends and honorarium processing throughout the allocated time period.

10. Liaising between WCI teams and partner organizations (including but not limited to the venue, host institute, etc,).

28. Do you have plans to co-organize the event with other Wikimedia communities, groups or affiliates?

Yes

28.1. If yes, can you please explain how you are going to co-organize the event and what responsibilities each partner will have.

Yes, with the Wikimedians of Kerala UG 

Responsibilities : 

  • The UG will support the COT in venue scouting and finalizing the venue that meets both the logistical and technical requirements. The UG will be the local point of contact for coordinating with the venue management, suitable vendor and services arrangements 
  • The UG will provide on-ground logistical support and will support the COT in planning and managing all aspects, including local transportation scheduling and participant safety, to ensure a smooth and engaging experience.
  • The UG will support the COT in facilitating the collaborations, engaging with the local organizations, institutions and community networks to strengthen the event's impact and outreach.
  • Decision-making responsibility will remain with the COT. 
  • Operational support with the conference fund application, fund management, and coordination with IIITH will be provided by the OKI team members.
29. What kind of risks do you anticipate and how would you mitigate these?

Organizing a regional event like WikiConference India 2026 carries external and internal risks. Below are key anticipated risks and mitigation strategies:

External/Contextual Risks

  • Travel and visa challenges – Participants from South Asia may face visa delays or denials. Mitigation: Begin visa support early, provide official letters, coordinate with embassies, and ensure hybrid/remote participation options.
  • Political or regulatory restrictions – Policy shifts or restrictions on large gatherings may arise. Mitigation: Maintain flexible contracts, explore hybrid/virtual formats, and engage local partners to navigate requirements.
  • Health and safety concerns – Public health emergencies or environmental issues (floods, extreme heat, monsoon disruptions). Mitigation: Monitor risks, follow safety protocols, ensure medical support onsite, and explore insurance and contingency venues/dates.
  • Logistical disruptions – Transportation strikes, airport delays, or venue infrastructure issues. Mitigation: Arrange group transfers, secure backup vendors/venues, and maintain contingency travel support.
  • Financial/economic instability – Inflation or sudden cost escalations may impact budgets. Mitigation: Build a financial buffer, negotiate flexible vendor agreements, and diversify funding support.

Internal Risks

  • Leadership or governance transitions – Changes in the Core Organizing Team (COT) or affiliates could affect decision-making. Mitigation: Maintain clear governance documentation, distribute responsibilities, and onboard replacements effectively.
  • Resource and capacity constraints – Limited volunteers or over-reliance on few individuals may strain delivery. Mitigation: Form subcommittees, share workloads, and engage newer volunteers in leadership roles.
  • Community engagement fatigue – Overlap with other Wikimedia events (e.g., Wikimania, TTT) could lower participation. Mitigation: Non competing schedules, align programs with community priorities, and create valuable learning-focused sessions.
  • Safety and inclusivity risks – Incidents of harassment, unsafe spaces, or lack of gender diversity. Mitigation: Enforce Friendly Space Policy and UCoC, have a Trust & Safety protocol onsite, and promote diverse participation.
  • Knowledge Transfer – Lessons from past WCIs may be lost if not well-documented. Mitigation: Build strong documentation processes, share learnings on Meta, and ensure knowledge transfer between COTs.
  • Lack of Pre-Conference Engagement: Insufficient pre-conference engagement could waste time during the event. Mitigation: Finalize participants early and engage them through messaging groups, discussions, and pre-conference campaigns.
  • Diversity & Inclusion Challenges:  Lack of applications from underrepresented groups may undermine diversity goals. Mitigation: Proactively reach out to underrepresented groups and ensure wide communication of conference updates. 
  • Community Disconnection: The community might feel disconnected from the organizing process, leading to skepticism. Mitigation: Establish the organizing structure quickly and provide regular updates to the community to keep them informed and engaged.

Examples: Governance transitions between WCI 2023 and proposed 2025 were managed with clear documentation, preventing delays. These lessons guide our planning for WCI 2026.

Through early planning, distributed leadership, and contingency measures, we will ensure the event remains inclusive, resilient, and impactful.

30. Friendly space policy - Please add the link to the friendly space policy that your community will be using for this event.

We would like to adopt the Wikimedia Foundation’s Universal Code of Conduct (https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Universal_Code_of_Conduct) for the conference proceedings and the larger project activities.

Learning, Sharing, and Evaluation

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31. What do you hope to learn from your work organising this conference?

As a team of experienced volunteers, we hope to learn the following from organizing WikiConference India 2026:

  • Sustainable event design: How to structure large-scale regional conferences that are inclusive, cost-effective, hybrid and community-driven.
  • Strengthening cross-community ties: Best practices for fostering long-term collaboration among diverse South Asian languages and thematic communities.
  • Building external partnerships: Effective ways to engage and sustain collaborations with cultural, academic, and open knowledge institutions/organisations.  
  • Volunteer leadership & resilience: How to nurture new leaders, distribute responsibilities, and ensure continuity across future community-led events.
  • Knowledge documentation & transfer: Methods for capturing lessons learned so that future conference teams can build on established practices.
  • Needs assessment: To understand the specific needs, including technical, resource, and capacity-building needs of Wikimedians, User groups and communities contributing to Indic and other relevant multilingual projects.

These learnings will help us create long-term impact, strengthen regional connections, and contribute to a sustainable movement infrastructure.

32. Main open metrics
Main Open Metrics Data
Main Open Metrics Description Target
Importance and Relevance of WCI and other Community Convenings To conduct a post-event survey that enables us to assess the learnings and understand the importance and relevance of WCI, based on the same plan for the future of the conference.

Participant surveys & interviews – feedback on skills, networking, and relevance.

Participation data – diversity of attendees (region, language, gender, experience).

Post-event outcomes – projects, collaborations, or initiatives emerging from WCI.

180
How does WCI help in supporting the creation of a larger Indic movement strategic pathway? To assess how WCI supports a larger Indic movement strategic pathway, we will gather: community consultation inputs, session outcomes, evidence of cross-community collaborations, follow-up initiatives, and stakeholder perspectives on alignment with regional and global strategic goals. 180
Engagement on the Movement Strategy from the Indic Communities WCI aims to also discuss and further the engagement/understanding of the Movement Strategy within the Indic communities. To assess Indic community engagement with the Movement Strategy, we will collect: number and diversity of participants in strategy-related sessions, quality of discussions, follow-up actions or initiatives, and feedback on awareness, understanding, and alignment with the global Movement Strategy. 150
Mapping the Needs of the Wikimedia Communities in the region During the event, we will facilitate focused discussions among content contributors, technical contributors, and community leaders from across the region. These conversations will help identify the technical, resource, and capacity-building needs of Wikimedians, user groups, and communities working on Indic and other multilingual projects. The goal is to better understand the gaps between available resources and actual community needs. Insights will be gathered through focus groups and session feedback, highlighting skill gaps, resource requirements, tool development priorities, and the type of support expected from affiliates, WMF, and partners. This process will enable a more collaborative and responsive environment for sustainable content development. 150
Enabling Partnership and Collaborations, beyond Wikimedians We aim to build meaningful partnerships with mission-aligned organizations, academic institutions, GLAM bodies, NGOs, and open knowledge movements (such as Creative Commons, FOSS-Asia, and others). By engaging these stakeholders, we will bring in fresh perspectives, resources, and expertise that complement community efforts. These collaborations will strengthen outreach, foster innovation, and ensure that Wikimedia projects are better connected to the larger knowledge ecosystem beyond Wikimedians. 180

Financial Proposal

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33. What is the amount you are requesting from Wikimedia Foundation? Please provide this amount in your local currency.

18473973.59

34. Select your local currency.

INR

Requested amount in USD
207000 USD [note 1]
  1. ↑ a b The following amount in US dollars was calculated by Wikimedia Foundation staff using the fixed currency rates. This amount is approximate and may not reflect the actual currency exchange rates on the day of submission or distribution. If the application is funded, the funding will be sent in the recipient’s local currency.
35. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it.

Budget - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1iByn2geWvmijxMd989zv6nDD8fzYhGti1NqC2_P4GjU/edit?usp=sharing

36. Do you expect to receive funding for this conference from other organizations to support your work?

No

36.1. If yes, what kind of resources are you expecting to get?


We/I have read the Application Privacy Statement, WMF Friendly Space Policy and Universal Code of Conduct.

Yes

Please use this optional space to upload any documents that you feel are important for further understanding your proposal.
Other public document(s):

Endorsements and Feedback

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Please add endorsements and feedback to the grant discussion page only. Endorsements added here will be removed automatically.

Community members are invited to share meaningful feedback on the proposal and include reasons why they endorse the proposal. Consider the following:

  • Stating why the proposal is important for the communities involved and why they think the strategies chosen will achieve the results that are expected.
  • Highlighting any aspects they think are particularly well developed: for instance, the strategies and activities proposed, the levels of community engagement, outreach to underrepresented groups, addressing knowledge gaps, partnerships, the overall budget and learning and evaluation section of the proposal, etc.
  • Highlighting if the proposal focuses on any interesting research, learning or innovation, etc. Also if it builds on learning from past proposals developed by the individual or organization, or other Wikimedia communities.
  • Analyzing if the proposal is going to contribute in any way to important developments around specific Wikimedia projects or Movement Strategy.
  • Analysing if the proposal is coherent in terms of the objectives, strategies, budget, and expected results (metrics).

Endorse

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