Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/General Support Fund/Wikimedia Ghana User Group 2024/2025 Annual Plan Grant

statusUnder review

Wikimedia Community Fund

Wikimedia Ghana User Group 2024/2025 Annual Plan Grant

start date2024-07-01

end date2025-06-30

budget (local currency)4732149 GHS

amount requested (USD)413021.96 USD

grant typeWikimedia Affiliate (chapter, thematic org., or user group)

funding regionSSA

decision fiscal year2023-24

funding program roundRound 2

organization (if applicable)Wikimedia Ghana User Group

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• Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/General Support Fund/Wikimedia Ghana User Group 2024/2025 Annual Plan Grant

This is an automatically generated Meta-Wiki page. The page was copied from Fluxx, the grantmaking web service of Wikimedia Foundation 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 information

Organization name or Wikimedia Username for individuals. (required)

Wikimedia Ghana User Group

Do you have any approved General Support Fund requests? (required)

Yes, I have already applied and received a General Support Fund

You are applying as a(n). (required)

Wikimedia Affiliate (chapter, thematic org., or user group)

Are your group or organization legally registered in your country? (required)

Yes

Do you have a fiscal sponsor?

No

Fiscal organization name.

N/A

Main proposal

1. Please state the title of your proposal. This will also be a title for the Meta-Wiki page. (required)

Wikimedia Ghana User Group 2024/2025 Annual Plan Grant

2. Do you want to apply for the multi-year funding or renewal process? (required)

Yes, multi-year funding with similar program, budget, and structure every year (strategic plan can be provided but is not required)

2.1. For how many years of multi-year funding are you applying? (required)

3 years

2.2. Provide a brief overview of Year 2 and Year 3 of the proposed plan and how this relates to the current proposal and your strategic plan? (required)

Our annual plan is structured into four programmatic categories, which for year 1 will be the same for years 2 and 3. We do not expect many changes in our plan unless something drastically changes in the ensuing years.

We are going for a multi-year grant this time because we have noticed some consistency in our grant operations and programmatic categories over the last two grant cycles. This essentially gives us room to grow as a non-profit and Wikimedia affiliate, which will feed into our future growth as we continue the process of attaining chaptership.

3. Proposed start date. (required)

2024-07-01

4. Proposed end date. (required)

2025-06-30

5. Does your organization or group have an Affiliate or Organizational Annual Plan that can help us understand your proposal? If yes, please provide it. (required)

Yes

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iG0gyN0kOQ7nOzpqH6oqMt0lw2h6JkqDtvzsbtRvjiU/edit?usp=sharing

6. Does your affiliate, organization or group have a Strategic Plan that can help us understand your proposal? If yes, please provide it. (required)

No

7. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)

Ghana

8. What are your programs, approaches, and strategies? What are the challenges that you are trying to address and how will your strategies support you in addressing these challenges? (required)

Since its inception in 2012, we at Wikimedia Ghana User Group have been dedicated to enhancing accessibility to Wikipedia and its sister platforms throughout Ghana. As we approach our 12th anniversary and nine years of active user group operation, we have learnt a lot of lessons over the years which is guiding us in planning this multi year grant moving forward.

Having evolved from Planning Wikimedia Ghana, our group transitioned to a user group in 2014 and subsequently to a non-profit organization in 2020, establishing robust structures to support our mission effectively.

In 2024/2025, we aim to fortify our governance framework while steadfastly advancing Wikimedia projects as the national affiliate. The initiatives outlined in this proposal will not only bolster our governance but also drive impactful programs and projects.

Our work can be improved to equitably spread impact across the country and to provide a hub to support groups who are not affiliates. For e.g, allow them to use our interns for admin work and our spaces for events and work.

A key focus of this grant is to cultivate leaders and advocates within our community and across Ghana, ensuring accurate representation within the movement. With clarity of purpose and a commitment to longevity, Wikimedia Ghana User Group is poised to continue its vital contributions to the Wikimedia ecosystem. We will also participate in global and regional Wikimedia events like Wiki Indaba, Wikimedia Summit, Wikimania, West Africa Hub formation, Policy and Advocacy initiatives and advancing knowledge sharing in Africa.

The approaches and strategies we will implement to achieve our goals will be segmented into four programmatic categories: 1. Increasing Participation, 2. Content Creation 3. Policy And Advocacy, and 4. Community Development.

Increasing Participation

The "Increasing Participation" program would build on the work we are already doing for trainers and new editors. We are in the process of rescoping Nimble as one of the tools we are building to grow new editors. We would like to connect with other open source and like-minded open movements in Ghana that connect to our movement such as the OpenStreetMap and Free Open Source communities and the others.

Content Creation

The "Content Creation" program will be one of the ways we will be engaging with both new and existing editors in Ghana. We will also use this program to engage our existing partners' growing facilitators and empower them to lead workshops and editathons in their various communities. Content Creation will take care of all activities that

Policy And Advocacy

The "Policy And Advocacy" would support expanding the work we are currently doing around "Freedom of Panorama" and Movement Strategy implementation conversations. On the back of FOP, we want to get the Government, starting with the Parliament of Ghana, to adopt open licensing of public documents and websites. We would also host several presentations to civil society organizations and institutions on FOP as well as engaging the community in movement strategy conversations.

Community Development

The "Community Development" program seeks to improve our work concerning memberships-focused activities and improve the user group's community culture. This program will implore strategies we have learned to grow our community and get them fully integrated into the Wikimedia movement.

Activities

• Annual General Meeting
• Training of the Trainer Programs to activate leaders in various cities, rather than going there for events
• Membership Drive
• Membership Sustainability Drive
• Quarterly Community Meetings
• Board Retreats and Capacity Building
• Community Grants

9. What categories are your main programs and related activities under? Please select all that apply. (required)

Category	Yes/No
Education	Yes
Culture, heritage or GLAM	Yes
Gender and diversity	Yes
Community support and engagement	Yes
Participation in campaigns and contests	Yes
Public policy advocacy	Yes
Other	No

Education

9.1.1. Select all your programs and activities for Education. (required)

Editing Wikipedia Training, Translation, Wikidata programs, Wikimedia Commons programs, Other Wikimedia project programs

Other programs and activities if any: N/A

9.1.2. Select all relevant audience groups for Education. (required)

Vocational, tertiary, or higher education, Teachers or professors

Other groups if any: N/A

Culture, heritage or GLAM

9.2. Select all your programs and activities for Culture, heritage or GLAM. (required)

Documenting or incubating languages on Wikimedia projects, Introducing new approaches to underrepresented culture and heritage, e.g. decolonising or reparative work; oral and visual knowledge; outreach to communities of origin, indigenous and first nations self-determination, Partnering with institutions, professional associations, and allied organizations to raise awareness of open culture, ethical sharing, and related issues

Other programs and activities if any: N/A

Gender and diversity

9.3. Select all your programs and activities for Gender and diversity.

Bringing in women and/or gender diverse participants and editors, Focusing on creating content about women and/or gender diverse groups, including biographies, intersectional topic areas and/or adding images, Focusing on creating content about marginalized (underrepresented) communities and their knowledge, Focusing on knowledge equity by bringing in contributors from underrepresented communities, Building organizer skills in women and diversity groups, Fomenting female leadership within the movement (either staff, members or boards), Sensitize and educate for gender perspective among Wikimedia projects stewards and editors

Other programs and activities if any: N/A

Community support and engagement

9.4. Select all your programs and activities for Community support and engagement.

On-wiki training of community members, Off-wiki training of community members, Organizing meetups, conferences, and community events, Supporting community members' participation in events and conferences, Offering microgrants and other financial support to community members , Offering non financial support and services to community members (equipment, space, books, etc.)

Other programs and activities if any: N/A

Participation in campaigns and contests

9.5. Select all campaigns that apply. (required)

Art+Feminism, Wiki Loves Women, Wikipedia Birthday or Anniversary

Other programs and activities if any: N/A

Public policy advocacy

9.6.1. What specific laws, or legislative topics, are you targeting with your advocacy plans? Please be as specific as possible. (required)

The amendment of Copyright Act 2005 (Act 690) with the inclusion of Freedom of Panorama (FOP).

9.6.2. What are the main methods and tactics via which you plan to advocate for this public policy change? Please be as specific as possible. (required)

Meetings with the Public Affairs department of the Parliament of Ghana lobbying them to get us into conversations with members of parliament. Engaging the public using created materials on the need for Freedom of Panorama included in our copyright act. Engage allies to build coalitions and plan campaigns together.

9.6.3. Approximately, how much of the requested budget will you dedicate to public policy advocacy (local currency)?

42841.7

10. Please include a link to or upload a timeline (operational calendar) for your programs and activities. (required)

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1tMDQLXHlXNWTKI2PNrm_8mP8F16JJSnGXW09nn21rP0/edit?usp=sharing

11. Describe your team. (required)

Administrative team

The Board

The Wikimedia Ghana User Group Board helps in the day-to-day administration of the user group. The Board, in collaboration with the community, contractors and volunteers, ensure that the user group goes by its annual planned activities. It acts as an advisor and sometimes supervises the implementation of our programs. The board currently constituted is made of all 3 first subscriber members (two voting and one non-voting member). The user group is electing a community board seat, a voting seat. The members of the board are as follows;

Voting Members

• Justice Okai-Allotey is a first subscriber voting board member and a long-standing community volunteer and grantee of the user group.
• Enock Seth Nyamador is a first subscriber voting member, a long-standing community volunteer, and editor of the user group.

Community Seat ongoing

Volunteer/Non-voting

• Sandister Tei

Brings work experience as Previous movement strategy facilitator, former grantee, event organiser, communications professional, has provided capacity building on project management resources, connected the group with partners in the Parliament of Ghana for our FOP work, Media and Social Enterprises, the Judiciary Services of Ghana for other campaigns, Educational Institutions, connects group with Product & Tech releases of interest, documentation support

Paid Roles

• Program Manager (Vacant)
• Chief Community Officer Robert Obiri (Currently Occupied)
• Finance and Accounting Consultant (Currently Occupied)
• Posting of invoices and banking transactions.
• Posting of accruals and other relevant journal entries.
• Month-end reconciliation of ledgers
• Preparation and filing of statutory documents
• Preparation of financial statements in accordance with IFRS for SMEs
• Year-end Audit support
• Finance advisory
• Communications and Administrative Interns (Vacant)

12. Will you be working with any internal (Wikimedia) or external partners? Describe the characteristics of these partnerships and bring a few examples of the most significant partnerships. (required)

We intend to open a Wikimedia Ghana UG community space where all affiliate groups in Ghana who want a co-working space to work from and an event space can reach out to us, book it and use it.

We will continue our relationship with the Parliament of Ghana, which has offered us in-kind support in the past by donating images to one of our programs. In this same light, we would be working with them to further our planned programs around our policy and advocacy.

Media partners: We have previously worked with a few media organizations to spread the news about our programs. We would intensify the already established partnerships for this grant as well.

Tech Hubs: We will continue our partnerships with tech hub spaces across the country to run our workshops and editathons in the different regions of Ghana. We would continue that partnership with them to host more of our workshops.

On a regional level, we are in conversation with other affiliates as we deliberate the formation of the West African Hub.

13. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select all that apply. (required)

Increase the Sustainability of Our Movement, Improve User Experience, Provide for Safety and Inclusion, Ensure Equity in Decision-making, Coordinate Across Stakeholders, Invest in Skills and Leadership Development, Manage Internal Knowledge, Identify Topics for Impact, Innovate in Free Knowledge, Evaluate, Iterate, and Adapt

Metrics

Wikimedia Metrics

14. Please select and fill out Wikimedia Metrics for your proposal. (recommended)

14.1. Number of participants, editors, and organizers.

All metrics provided are optional, please fill them out if they are aligned with your programs and activities.

Participants, editors, and organizers

Metrics name	Target	Description
Number of all participants	2500
Number of all editors	1000	N/A
Number of new editors	500
Number of retained editors	500
Number of all organizers	10	N/A
Number of new organizers	10

14.2. Number of new content contributions to Wikimedia projects. (recommended)

Contributions to Wikimedia projects

Wikimedia project	Created	Edited or improved
Wikipedia	2500	2500
Wikimedia Commons	1000	1000
Wikidata	500	500
Wiktionary
Wikisource
Wikimedia Incubator
Translatewiki	100	100
MediaWiki
Wikiquote
Wikivoyage
Wikibooks
Wikiversity
Wikinews
Wikispecies
Wikifunctions / Abstract Wikipedia

Description for Wikimedia projects contributions metrics. (optional)

Other Metrics

15. Do you have other quantitative and qualitative targets for your project (other metrics)? (required)

No

Other Metrics	Description	Target
N/A	N/A	N/A
N/A	N/A	N/A
N/A	N/A	N/A
N/A	N/A	N/A
N/A	N/A	N/A

Budget

16. Will you have any other revenue sources when implementing this proposal (e.g. other funding, membership contributions, donations)? (required)

No

16.1. List other revenue sources. (required)

N/A

16.2. Approximately how much revenue will you have from other sources in your local currency? (required)

N/A

17. Your local currency. (required)

GHS

18. What is the total requested amount in your local currency? (required)

4732149 GHS

Multi-year funding request summary

Year	Amount (local currency)
Year 1	1429652 GHS
Year 2	1572618 GHS
Year 3	1729879 GHS

Requested amount in USD

413021.96 USD

Multi-year funding request summary in USD

Year	Amount USD
Year 1	N/A USD
Year 2	N/A USD
Year 3	N/A USD

19. Does this proposal include compensation for staff or contractors? (required)

Yes

19.1. How many paid staff members do you plan to have? (required)

Include the number of staff and contractors during the proposal period. If you have short-term contractors or staff, please include them separately and mention their terms.

4 Contract Employment

Program Manager, Chief Community Officer, Accounts and Finance Consultants, Communications and Administrative Interns, Volunteer Facilitator

19.2. How many FTEs (full-time equivalents) in total? (required)

Include the total FTE of staff and contractors during the proposal period. If you have short-term contractors or staff, please include their FTEs with the terms separately.

4 Contract Employment

Program Manager, Chief Community Officer, Accounts and Finance Consultants, Communications and Administrative Interns, Volunteer Facilitator

19.3. Describe any staff or contractor changes compared to the current year / ongoing General Support Fund if any. (required only for returning grantees)

Our previous grant only had provision for a Program Manager & Communications and Administrative Interns. Having learnt from our previous grants, we have noticed the need to have a Chief Community Officer who will lead all our community efforts, currently occupied and then have a Program Manager (vacant). As one of the non-profit regulations in Ghana, we needed to file our taxes and audit statements. As such, we are hiring an Accounting Consultant (contract) to help us deal with such issues on a monthly basis. We also have a Board (unpaid) that oversees the work of contractors and all volunteers of the user group/non-profit.

20. Please provide an overview of your overall budget categories in your local currency. The budget breakdown should include only the amount requested with this General Support Fund (required).

Budget category	Amount in local currency
Staff and contractor costs	364154 GHS
Operational costs	309468 GHS
Programmatic costs	756030 GHS

21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YQqoNSPYmNl0B1ZrdvrLohuj4C2fSfed/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=115609628607063759380&rtpof=true&sd=true

Additional information

22. In this optional space you can add any other additional information about your proposal or organization that you think can help us when reviewing your proposal. (optional)

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By submitting your proposal/funding request you agree that you are in agreement with the Application Privacy Statement, WMF Friendly Space Policy and the Universal Code of Conduct.

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

Yes

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