Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Boulanger Initiative's Wikithons (ID: 23753241)
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Applicant Details
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
Caitib01
- Organization
Boulanger Initiative
- If you are a group or organization leader, board member, president, executive director, or staff member at any Wikimedia group, affiliate, or Wikimedia Foundation, you are required to self-identify and present all roles. (required)
I'm a group leader of an informal Wikimedia group.
- Describe all relevant roles with the name of the group or organization and description of the role. (required)
The project will be led by Dr. Caiti Beth McKinney, Boulanger Initiative’s Research Manager, who oversees all research, data integrity, and public knowledge initiatives, including BI’s Wikithons and the Boulanger Initiative Database (BID). She will be supported by Derek Goad, Director of Marketing, who will manage outreach, digital communications, and participant engagement for the events, and Lani Himegarner, BI's Research Fellow who facilitates Wikithons when Dr. McKinney is unavailable, and also assists with project preparation before each event. Together, these BI staff members bring expertise in archival research, community education, and digital strategy to expand access and equity within the Wikimedia ecosystem. Peripherally, they are supposed by Hannah Kolarik, General Operations Manager, and Angel Azzarra, Director of Institutional Advancement.
Main Proposal
[edit]- 1. Please state the title of your proposal. This will also be the Meta-Wiki page title.
Boulanger Initiative's Wikithons
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2026-04-03 - 2026-06-30
- 4. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)
United States of America
- 5. Are your activities part of a Wikimedia movement campaign, project, or event? If so, please select the relevant project or campaign. (required)
Other (please specify) Boulanger Initiative's Wikithons
- 6. What is the change you are trying to bring? What are the main challenges or problems you are trying to solve? Describe this change or challenges, as well as main approaches to achieve it. (required)
Boulanger Initiative’s Wikithons address one of the most persistent inequities in the field of music: the underrepresentation of women and gender-marginalized composers in publicly accessible knowledge sources. Despite their significant contributions across centuries, these composers remain vastly under-documented throughout the world of music education and on Wikipedia, leading to distorted public understanding of music history and depriving educators, students, and researchers of accurate information. The change we seek is to build a more complete, inclusive, and verifiable record of musical history by improving the coverage, sourcing, and accuracy of articles about women and gender-marginalized composers. Our approach combines research access, community education, and hands-on editing practice. Each Wikithon includes a brief training on editing fundamentals and sourcing standards, followed by guided editing sessions supported by BI’s staff and volunteers. In these publicly attended sessions, we don’t work to create new articles, (although one will see from her Wiki profile that our Research Manager Dr. Caiti Beth McKinney has done this work through the umbrella of Boulanger Initiative), but rather to deepen existing articles on women and gender-marginalized composers. This structure empowers new editors to confidently contribute while improving the reliability of existing content. To date, our Wikithons have added 35,621 words and 441 references across 159 composer pages, supported by BI’s own open-access database of 18,200+ works, a resource that has reached users in more than 98 countries. The database serves as a crucial foundation for accurate Wikipedia contributions, helping editors locate verifiable information about composers whose work is otherwise difficult to access. The primary challenge is the lack of visibility and accessibility surrounding women and gender-marginalized composers, whose work is often scattered, paywalled, or excluded from canonical sources. Wikipedia provides a vital platform to correct this imbalance. By integrating Boulanger Initiative’s archival research and public engagement expertise with Wikimedia’s collaborative ecosystem, BI’s Wiki-thons lower barriers to information and invite musicians, educators, and enthusiasts to become active contributors to public history. This participatory approach expands both the accuracy and diversity of composer articles while cultivating a more inclusive editing community aligned with Wikimedia’s mission of equitable knowledge access.
- 7. What are the planned activities? (required) Please provide a list of main activities. You can also add a link to the public page for your project where details about your project can be found. Alternatively, you can upload a timeline document. When the activities include partnerships, include details about your partners and planned partnerships.
Between April and June, Boulanger Initiative will host three WoCo Wikithons led and managed by Dr. Caiti Beth McKinney, BI’s Research Manager. Each session will train participants in Wikipedia editing and sourcing, provide live editing support, and integrate BI’s open-access database of 18,000+ works as a reliable research tool. These virtual events invite musicians, educators, and community members to collaboratively expand and improve articles on women and gender-marginalized composers. Under Dr. McKinney’s direction, the series will ensure high-quality contributions, participant mentorship, and measurable impact through article tracking and data reporting. This proven model directly advances Wikimedia’s mission by broadening participation and improving representation in the historical record.
Link to the Events Page: https://www.boulangerinitiative.org/virtual-events/upcoming-virtual-events
Link to Past Events: https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/Boulanger_Initiative/Boulanger_Initiative_December_2025_Wikithon https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/Boulanger_Initiative/Boulanger_Initiative_November_2025_Wikithon https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/Boulanger_Initiative/Boulanger_Initiative_and_Fleisher_Collection_October_2025_Wikithon
- 8. Describe your team. Please provide their roles, Wikimedia Usernames and other details. (required) Include more details of the team, including their roles, usernames, Wikimedia group, and whether they are salaried, volunteers, consultants/contractors, etc. Team members involved in the grant application need to be aware of their involvement in the project.
The project team (organizers) is composed of five members of Boulanger Initiative: Angel Azzarra (Wikimedia Username: liederlover) – Director of Institutional Advancement at Boulanger Initiative. Angel oversees project strategy, external partnerships, and community engagement, ensuring alignment between BI’s mission and Wikimedia’s goals for open, equitable knowledge access. (Full-time, salaried) Dr. Caiti Beth McKinney (Wikimedia Username: Caitib01) – Research Manager and lead coordinator for BI’s Wikithons. Dr. McKinney manages all aspects of research integrity, article development, and editorial standards to ensure accuracy and inclusion across Wikipedia entries. (Full-time, salaried) Hannah Kolarik (Wikimedia Username: Hannahkolarik) – General Manager of Operations & Personnel. Hannah provides logistical coordination, staffing oversight, and administrative support for the Wikithons, ensuring that each event runs smoothly and aligns with project goals and reporting standards. (Full-time, salaried) Derek Goad – Director of Marketing. Derek manages outreach, communications, and participant engagement for the Wikithons, leveraging digital strategy to expand accessibility and awareness. (Part-time, hourly) Lani Himegarner (Wikimedia username: Lhimegarner) – Research Fellow who facilitates Wikithons when Dr. McKinney is unavailable, and also assists with project preparation before each event. She is part-time, paid via monthly honorarium.
- 9. Who are the target participants and from which community? How will you engage participants before and during the activities? How will you follow up with participants after the activities? (required)
Our target participants include musicians, educators, students, researchers, and community members invested in equity and representation in classical music. Most come from the U.S. classical music ecosystem (performers, composers, and scholars seeking to expand their knowledge of women and gender-marginalized creators) alongside editors and advocates from the broader Wikimedia and open knowledge communities. Before each Wikithon, we conduct targeted outreach through partner institutions, universities, and BI’s communications channels. Registered participants receive clear pre-event materials, including editing tutorials, registration details, and links to the campaign dashboard. During the event, BI staff and trained facilitators provide live editing support, curated sources, and individualized guidance to help participants create or improve entries on women and gender-marginalized composers. Afterward, the campaign remains open for a week so participants can continue editing. BI follows up with a thank-you message, and invitations to future Wikithons to encourage ongoing engagement and community growth. We hope to begin including event statistics to give participants an understanding of the impact of their time and efforts.
- 10. Does your project involve work with children or youth? (required)
No
- 10.1. Please provide a link to your Youth Safety Policy. (required) If the proposal indicates direct contact with children or youth, you are required to outline compliance with international and local laws for working with children and youth, and provide a youth safety policy aligned with these laws. Read more here.
N/A
- 11. How did you discuss the idea of your project with your community members and/or any relevant groups? Please describe steps taken and provide links to any on-wiki community discussion(s) about the proposal. (required) You need to inform the community and/or group, discuss the project with them, and involve them in planning this proposal. You also need to align the activities with other projects happening in the planned area of implementation to ensure collaboration within the community.
This proposal builds on Boulanger Initiative's Wikithons series, active since 2023. The project has consistently engaged musicians, educators, and Wikimedia editors in collaborative editing focused on women and gender-marginalized composers. Feedback collected before, during, and after each event directly informs our approach, improving workflows and aligning with Wikimedia community practices. Because this request is for the sustaining of an existing, community-tested initiative, it reflects participant input and continued collaboration with volunteer editors. We welcome opportunities to share this proposal and its outcomes with relevant Wikimedia groups to promote transparency and strengthen connections across related editing communities.
- 12. Does your proposal aim to work to bridge any of the content knowledge gaps (Knowledge Inequity)? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Content Gender gap
- 13. Does your proposal include any of these areas or thematic focus? Select one option that most applies to your work. (required)
Gender and diversity
- 14. Will your work focus on involving participants from any underrepresented communities? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Not applicable
- 15. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select one that most applies. (required)
Identify Topics for Impact
Learning and metrics
[edit]- 17. What do you hope to learn from your work in this project or proposal? (required)
With funding resources for BI’s Women Composers Wikithon, we’d be able to not only sustain the program but improve upon it with better feedback processes and training for Wikithon editing participants. Our primary areas to focus on for improvement are helping first-time editors feel confident and motivated to continue contributing, and refining our preparatory methods to ensure articles on women and gender-marginalized composers are accurate, well-sourced, and complete.
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 139 | All participants are either pre-existing editors or new editors. The number above is our total number of participants, including BI staff, since the project began in 2023; our average number of participants (editors) is 6.36 per event. We haven't been able to find a way if the users are all unique or repeat attendees, however we are working to begin tracking this, and past Wikithons from 2023/2024 show that we consistently had brand-new editors attending. |
| Number of editors | 139 | All editors are also marked in the participants section. The number above is our total number of editors, including BI staff, since the project began in 2023; our average number of editors (participants) is 6.36 per event. |
| Number of organizers | 5 |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | |
| Wikimedia Commons | |
| Wikidata | |
| Wiktionary | |
| Wikisource | |
| Wikimedia Incubator | |
| Translatewiki | |
| MediaWiki | |
| Wikiquote | |
| Wikivoyage | |
| Wikibooks | |
| Wikiversity | |
| Wikinews | |
| Wikispecies | |
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
- Optional description for content contributions.
To date, BI Wikithons have added 35,621 words and 441 references across 159 composer pages. Each Wikithon typically generates 23.08 edits, with an average of 1,484 words added and 18.375 references added, contributed by both new and existing Wikipedia editors. Contributions are to the English-language Wikipedia, focusing on improving the accuracy, sourcing, and depth of articles about women and gender-marginalized composers. Increasing our existing numbers to achieve 5-10% growth is ideal across our April, May, and June Women Composer Wikithons. Seeing 25-30 edits per session, 1,750-2,000 words added and 20-22 references added with each funded wiki-thon, in addition to editor/participant increase, would give us tangible evidence of what funding can allow our Research manager to achieve in the project management and practice of hosting our Wiki-thons.
- 19. Do you have any other project targets in numbers (metrics)? (optional)
Yes
| Main Open Metrics | Description | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Edits per session | See description above. | 25 |
| Words added per session | See description above. | 1750 |
| References added per session | See description above. | 20 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
- 20. What tools would you use to measure each metrics? Please refer to the guide for a list of tools. You can also write that you are not sure and need support. (required)
The dashboard following each event.
Financial proposal
[edit]- 21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)
- 22. and 22.1. What is the amount you are requesting for this proposal? Please provide the amount in your local currency. (required)
1262 USD
- 22.2. Convert the amount requested into USD using the Oanda converter. This is done only to help you assess the USD equivalent of the requested amount. Your request should be between 500 - 5,000 USD.
1262 USD
- We/I have read the Application Privacy Statement, WMF Friendly Space Policy and Universal Code of Conduct.
Yes
Endorsements and Feedback
[edit]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).