Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/General Support Fund/Wikimedia Canada 2025-2027/Yearly Report (2025)
|
|
Part 1: Understanding your work
[edit]Per the recent update on the Wikimedia Foundation Affiliates Strategy process, Wikimedia Affiliates that are General Support Fund grantees will fulfill their affiliate reporting requirements through their final or yearly grantee report.
If you are a Wikimedia Affiliate, you will use this form for your affiliate reporting and to address the affiliate health criteria. You do not need to submit a separate report to AffCom. Follow the guidance in the green boxes to report on how you met the corresponding affiliate health criteria.
If you are not a Wikimedia Affiliate, aligning your responses with the affiliate criteria is optional and not required.
1. Please share to what extent your programs, approaches, and strategies contributed to addressing the challenges you shared in your proposal. If they did not contribute as you believed they would, please share what obstacles you faced and what, if anything, you learned from them? (required)
For affiliates, use this space (Question 1.) to address Affiliate Health Criterion 1.1 (Goal delivery). Describe how you actively delivered on mission goals, e.g. content creation.
Our programs contributed to addressing the challenges outlined in our proposal and advancing Wikimedia Canada’s mission of supporting free knowledge across Canada. We have implemented several initiatives :
- We increased participation and diversity among contributors to Wikimedia projects by supporting volunteers and local WikiClubs with training and micro-grants, which helped reduce barriers to sustained involvement. Among other things, we facilitated activities in Toronto for the existing WikiClub. We also participated in setting up WikiClub Perspectives Visuelles, a WikiClub dedicated to the visual arts in Quebec. We also continued our involvement with WikiClub Croissant Boréal, among others.
- Our programs helped foster the creation and enhancement of content related to Indigenous cultures, Francophone contents, and other under-represented subjects, addressing long-standing gaps in coverage.
- By focusing on Research & Development and collaboration with partners, we were able to identify high-impact topics and methodologies to guide future work and address knowledge gaps more strategically.
These contributions have helped advance the goals outlined in our strategic transformation plan, particularly in terms of increasing the quality of free knowledge about Canadian cultures and communities. Beyond direct content outcomes, our programs strengthened the ecosystem needed to sustain mission delivery over time. By empowering volunteers we supported repeat contributions and long-term engagement rather than one-off edits.
However, some challenges limited the extent of our impact:
1. Geographic and demographic reach: Despite efforts to expand activities nationwide, the size and diversity of Canada’s territory posed challenges in consistently engaging contributors in more remote or smaller communities. However, we are working very hard to improve our geographic coverage in order to better reach the entire Canadian community. New initiatives in Alberta, British Columbia and Nova Scotia come to mind.
2. Volunteer capacity: As a volunteer-driven organization, some initiatives depended heavily on volunteer availability and expertise, which sometimes limited the pace at which programs could scale or sustain long-term projects. Despite increased efforts to maximize our external funding, our resources remain limited in terms of hiring staff to provide better support to volunteers.
2. Is there a plan to build on the key successes you had? If yes, please describe the plan and if no, please share the limitations to do so. For instance, did the activities lead to any new priorities, ideas for activities, or goals for the future? (required)
While we remain committed to supporting individual contributors and community-led initiatives, our experience has reinforced that deepening our work with institutions and partners—particularly GLAM organizations and universities across Canada—is equally important, if not more so, for long-term impact and sustainability.
One of our key successes has been demonstrating that partnerships with cultural institutions and academic institutions can create durable pathways for capacity building and awareness of free knowledge. These collaborations have enabled us to address structural gaps in representation more effectively than isolated activities alone, while also reaching new audiences who may not yet see themselves as Wikimedia contributors.
One example of this type of initiative is the creation, in collaboration with ACFAS, of the WikiSavoirs network (https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Projet:Réseau_WikiSavoirs), which aims to support French-language higher education organizations across the country.In the coming months, we will be working to set up a similar network, but in English.
Building on this, our plan is to:
- Strengthen and expand partnerships with GLAM institutions and universities, focusing on long-term collaboration rather than one-off activities.
- Integrate Wikipedia practices into institutional workflows, teaching students, researchers and librarians how Wikimedia projects can support their missions of knowledge dissemination.
- Use institutional partnerships as multipliers for community engagement, by connecting students and researchers with existing Wikimedia communities.
- Align institutional work with our priority themes, including diversity, Francophonie, Indigenous knowledge, and high-impact topics.
Overall, our plan moving forward is not to shift away from contributor support, but to reinforce it through institutional partnerships, which we see as essential to achieving lasting impact.
3. Please provide a link to reports that detail the activities that took place in the last year. This can include an annual report, Meta pages, and websites. If there are no links available, briefly describe the implemented activities and programs below or upload any files. (required)
For affiliates, use this space (Question 3.) to address Affiliate Health Criteria 2.1 (Affiliate health & resilience), 4.1 (Internal engagement), 4.2 (Community connection), and 4.3 (Partnerships and collaboration):
- Describe your activities engaging new users, new members for your decision-making body(ies), and developing leaders and organizers (2.1).
- Describe your activities creating or hosting spaces to encourage greater collaboration and engagement among your members (4.1).
- Describe how you engage with the contributing community that you serve and/or support (4.2).
- Describe your partnerships with other affiliates or with non-Wikimedia entities (4.3).
Our annual report is not yet complete. However, information about our activities can be found on our website: [1]
Among the various initiatives and activities planned for 2025, the following are noteworthy:
- 4 successful contests & campaigns (1Lib1Ref, Mois de la contribution francophone, Coordinate Me Wikidata contest, WikiLoves Earth).
- Micro grant program revamp ([2]) : We have redesigned our microgrant program to clarify the criteria and better define the projects and initiatives we wish to fund. About fifteen projects received financial support in 2025 (edit-a-thon, photo activities, panels, etc.)
- We are working on a podcast with young people from the Atikamekw community. The podcast will address misinformation in Indeginous communities and how to use Wikipedia to recognize fake news. The launch is scheduled for spring 2026.
- Launch of the book Le mouvement Wikimédia au Canada: communautés, institutions et culture libre ([3]). This collective work brings together authors from coast to coast to tell the story of how the ideals of sharing, openness, and collaboration are taking root in Canada. The english version is expected to be published by the end of 2026.
- Creation of the WikiSavoirs network in collaboration with ACFAS. The initiative will also be replicated in English Canada in the coming months.
- Many meetings and gathering (Lunch & Learn with the University of Western Ontario, WikiClub Toronto meetings, Black Histories Wikipedia Edit-a-thon to the Toronto Metropolitan University, Art + Feminism Panel event in Edmonton, Wikithon #VoixFranco in Montreal and Quebec City, etc.)
4. Are you interested in sharing what you achieved or learned this year with the wider community through different peer learning programs (e.g. Let's Connect program, Diff)? (optional)
5. Did you collect feedback from your community or target groups on how the activities implemented impacted them? If yes, please attach/provide information on the results (e.g. community surveys, stories, impact booklets/reports, interviews with partner institutions, etc). Did you collect other impact-specific data? (required)
For affiliates, the response to Question 5. also partially addresses Affiliate Health Criteria 4.1 (Internal Engagement), 4.2 (Community Connection), or 4.3 (Partnerships & collaboration), where applicable.
Not directly.
In 2024 we made a survey + interviews with people from ou community in Canada.
For 2025, we did not collect formal or systematic feedback from our community or target groups specifically assessing the impact of the activities. However, we received informal feedback through ongoing interactions with participants and partners, which helped us gauge interest, engagement, and perceived value. At this stage, no additional impact-specific data was formally collected.
6. During the fund period, did your efforts do any of the following? (required):
For affiliates, the response to Question 6. also partially addresses Affiliate Health Criterion 2.2 (Diversity balance).
- 6.1 Bring in participants from the following groups: women, indigenous groups , LGBTQ+ groups, young people
- 6.2 Develop content about the following underrepresented topics or groups of people: women, indigenous groups, LGBTQ+ groups
- 6.3 Support the retention of: Editors, Organizers, Partnerships
7. What, if any, effective tactics or approaches can you share that worked well when dealing with the programs under points 6.1-6.3 that you selected? (optional)
Focusing on partnerships with trusted local institutions helped us reach participants where they already are and increased credibility and engagement.
8. If you developed partnerships, which of the following factors most helped you to build partnerships? Please pick a MAXIMUM of the three most relevant factors (optional):
Permanent staff outreach, Board members’ outreach, Volunteers from our communities, Partners proactive interest
Part 2: Metrics for Year 1
[edit]| Wikimedia Metrics | Target (Year 1) | Results (Year 1) | Comments and tools used |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of all participants | N/A | ||
| Number of all editors | 175 | 425 | We're always using the Dashboard when it's possible. |
| Number of new editors | N/A | ||
| Number of retained editors | N/A | ||
| Number of all organizers | 80 | 145 | |
| Number of new organizers | N/A |
| Wikimedia project | Target - Number of created pages (Year 1) | Target - Number of improved pages (Year 1) | Result - Number of created pages (Year 1) | Result - Number of improved pages (Year 1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 3300 | 519 | 3360 | |
| Wikimedia Commons | 10000 | |||
| Wikidata | 15000 | |||
| Wiktionary | ||||
| Wikisource | ||||
| Wikimedia Incubator | ||||
| Translatewiki | ||||
| MediaWiki | ||||
| Wikiquote | ||||
| Wikivoyage | ||||
| Wikibooks | ||||
| Wikiversity | ||||
| Wikinews | ||||
| Wikispecies | ||||
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
Tool used and comments (optional):
11. Did you set other quantitative and qualitative targets for your project (other metrics)? (required): Yes
11.1. Other Metrics.
In your application, you outlined some other open metrics that you would like to measure. Please fill out the achieved results for each of the open metrics you defined.
| Other Metrics | Description | Target | Results | Comments | Methodology |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of active WikiClub | N/A | 15 | 8 | We are always working to develop new WikiClubs across Canada (for example, WikiClub Perspectives visuelles, Lunch & Learn or PluriClub). We support various initiatives and assist contributors who would like to create new ones in their communities. For 2026, we have been approached by contributors from Moncton, New Brunswick, and Edmonton, Alberta, to set up new initiatives. | N/A |
| Number of projects supported from Aboriginal communities | N/A | 3 | 2 | We are still working with the Atikamekw community on Wikipetcia Atikamekw.
We have begun discussions with the Kitigan Zibi community. Our goal is to introduce them, in collaboration with the Atikamekw, to various Wikimedia projects. |
N/A |
| Number of major projects supported that aim to increase the representation of minority or underrepresented groups: | N/A | 3 | 3 | We worked with York University on the Black Histories Wikipedia Edit-a-thon.
We are also continuing our work in French-speaking Canada with the #VoixFranco Wikithon and the launch of the WikiSavoirs network, which brings together French-language higher education institutions and organizations in Canada. Finally, we are collaborating on the creation of the Montreal chapter of Sans PagEs, called PluriClub. We also collaborated on the Art+Feminism Wikipedia Edit-a-thon at Artexte: Building Pathways to Inclusive Futures. |
N/A |
| Increased number of partners | N/A | 12 | 12 | In order to achieve our strategic objectives, we are placing a strong emphasis on developing our network in Canada. We have an increasing number of partners that we have approached or who have approached us.
To name a few: University of Western Ontario, University of Alberta (including Campus St-Jean), UQAM, ACFAS, BAnQ, York University, Rungh, Mitchell Art Gallery, MacEwan University Faculty of Fine Arts and Communications, Artexte, Canadian Centre for Architecture, CIRA, etc. These partnerships help anchor our work locally while contributing to long-term capacity building within the Wikimedia ecosystem. Also, |
N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Part 3: Skill Development / Capacity Building
[edit]12. Reflecting on your programmatic (external) and organizational (internal) work, did your grant support you to undergo any skill development that made a difference to your success? If yes, what skill was developed, and how did it lead to success? (e.g. received coaching on public speaking, attended training on nonviolent communication, hosted professional development conversations on leadership, learned and used a new tool for project management, etc.)? Can you share any materials? (required)
For affiliates, use this space (Question 12.) to address Affiliate Health Criteria 2.2 (Diversity balance) and 3.1 (Diverse, Skilled, and Accountable Leadership):
- Describe actions taken to prioritize gender balance in affiliate leadership, as well as any areas of diversity relevant to your affiliate's context (2.2).
- Describe the management, financial, or other leadership skills of your affiliate leaders. If you have a succession plan, please include it here (3.1).
- Describe any training or skill development (as outlined in the question above) (3.1).
- Incorporate into the annual report a disclosure of conflict of interests (if any) from the leadership (3.1).
We are experimenting with new project management tools (such as Asana) to streamline our workflows. It helps to improve coordination across our programs and to compile metrics when needed.
Also, we feel that it has strengthened our ability to demonstrate impact to our partners and external funders by making it easier to track activities and key indicators across projects. This increased reliability in our data has improved the quality of our reporting and reinforced trust with our partners.
13. What is one capacity/skill area that you would like to focus on for the next year? And how do you plan to achieve this capacity? (required)
One key capacity area we would like to focus on in the coming year is strengthening our ability to collect metrics to better understand the impact of our programs and inform decision-making.
While we already gather basic quantitative and qualitative data, we recognize the need to move toward more consistent metrics across our programs—particularly given the diversity of our activities. Improving this capacity will allow us to better assess what works, adapt our strategies more effectively, and communicate our impact more clearly to our community and parters.
To achieve this, we plan to:
- Clarify and prioritize key indicators of success, aligned with our strategic plan (e.g., contributor retention, content quality and institutional engagement).
- Standardize data collection processes across programs, ensuring that staff and volunteers use shared tools and frameworks where possible.
- Build internal capacity through training and documentation, so that metrics collection and analysis are embedded in day-to-day program work rather than treated as an afterthought.
- Leverage existing Wikimedia tools, as well as partnerships with institutions, to improve our ability to track contributions, participation, and longer-term outcomes.
- Use metrics as a learning tool, which would help us to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.
Also, we created two committees to support our work: a Governance Committee and a Cybersecurity Committee. These committees strengthen oversight and accountability by providing dedicated spaces to address organizational governance, policies (such as our bylaws or RH policies), risk management (in connection with the protection of personal information), and digital security, while also supporting informed decision-making by the Board and staff.
14. If you have additional information or reflections that don’t fit into the above sections, please write them here. Use the space below to upload any additional documents that would be useful to understand your report.
For affiliates, also use this section (Question 14) to fulfill the Affiliate Health Criteria requirements.
- Describe and link to any public-facing documentation for affiliate governance, including affiliate leadership and membership with a breakdown of the demographics; how elections are conducted; how conflicts of interest are declared; and how decisions are made and communicated (2.2, 2.3, 3.1).
- Describe and link to any public-facing documentation for activities incorporating, promoting awareness about, or enforcing the Universal Code of Conduct in your affiliate's activities (3.3).
- Describe and link to any public-facing documentation for internal membership engagement, such as notes from your regular meetings and how you communicate to or involve your membership (4.1).
Our strategic transformation plan will conclude in December 2026, and we plan to actively work on its renewal throughout 2026. The past years have been a period of significant learning and organizational growth. The insights gained from our programs and partnerships will inform the next strategic cycle. This renewal process will allow us to build on what we have learned, strengthen what has worked well, and adapt our approaches to ensure continued relevance and long-term impact within Canada’s free knowledge ecosystem.
Part 4: Financial reporting
[edit]For affiliates, also use this section (Part 4: Financial reporting) to address Affiliate Health Criterion 3.2 (Financial & Legal Compliance).
| Description | Amount spent (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Personnel costs | 397620.38 |
| Operational costs | 66445.34 |
| Programmatic costs | 90683.27 |
| Total (Year 1) | 343000 |
| Other revenue | 211749 |
| Remaining funds (Year 1) | N/A |
15. Please state the total amount spent from this fund in your local currency. (required)
343000 CAD
16. Please provide an overview of the amount spent from this fund in the following budget categories in your local currency. (required)
- Operational costs: 66445.34 CAD
- Programmatic costs: 90683.27 CAD
- Staff and contractor costs: 397620.38 CAD
17. Did you have any other revenue sources (e.g. other funding, membership contributions, donations)? (required): Yes
- 17.1. Provide the total amount received from other revenue sources in your local currency. (required): 236582 CAD
- 17.2. Provide the total amount spent from other revenue sources in your local currency. (required): 211749 CAD
18. Provide a financial report document which will provide the details of funds received and spent in the currency of your fund. (required)
- Upload Documents, Templates, and Files.
- Report funds received and spent, if template not used.
18.2. If you have not already done so in your financial spending report, provide information on changes in the budget in relation to your original proposal. (optional)
We believe it is important to highlight that 40% of our revenue comes from sources external to the Wikimedia Foundation. This diversification of funding strengthens our financial resilience and supports the long-term sustainability of WMCA.
19. Do you have any unspent funds from this funding?: No
20. Final confirmations (required)
- 20.1. Are you in compliance with the terms outlined in the fund agreement? You must be in compliance with relevant tax laws and regulations restricting the use of the Funds as outlined in the grant agreement. In summary, this is to confirm that the funds were used in alignment with the Wikimedia Foundation mission and for charitable/nonprofit/educational purposes.
- Yes
- 20.2. Are you in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations as outlined in the grant agreement?
- Yes
- 20.3. Are you in compliance with provisions of the United States Internal Revenue Code (“Code”), and with relevant tax laws and regulations restricting the use of the Funds as outlined in the grant agreement? In summary, this is to confirm that the funds were used in alignment with the WMF mission and for charitable/nonprofit/educational purposes.
- Yes
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 report. 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.