Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Enhancing Operational Infrastructure for Wikimedia Bangladesh:Office Setup and Essential Amenities (ID: 22594538)/Final Report
Application type: Standard application
Part 1: Project and impact
1. Describe the implemented activities and results achieved. Additionally, share which approaches were most effective in supporting you to achieve the results. (required)
We successfully implemented key activities to enhance the operational infrastructure of Wikimedia Bangladesh by securing a dedicated office space, setting up essential amenities. The office space was acquired through a formal rental agreement, and necessary furnishings, lighting, and fixtures were installed to create a functional workspace. To support seamless connectivity and communication, we set up a high-speed internet connection, procured a multifunctional printer. Additionally, we installed a drinking water filtration system to ensure a sustainable water supply and purchased essential stationery as required.
These efforts have significantly improved our operational efficiency, allowing better coordination of Wikimedia Bangladesh activities. The office has become a hub for in-person meetings, planning sessions, and community engagements, fostering stronger collaboration among members. Our structured planning approach, community involvement, and focus on sustainability played a crucial role in achieving these results efficiently. This initiative has strengthened the foundation for Wikimedia Bangladesh’s long-term growth, ensuring a stable and organized working environment.
2. Documentation of your impact. Please use space below to share links that help tell your story, impact, and evaluation. (required)
Share links to:
- Project page on Meta-Wiki or any other Wikimedia project
- Dashboards and tools that you used to track contributions
- Some photos or videos from your event. Remember to share access.
You can also share links to:
- Important social media posts
- Surveys and their results
- Infographics and sound files
- Examples of content edited on Wikimedia projects
- Chapter Report of Wikimedia Bangladesh: https://w.wiki/Cm9x
Additionally, share the materials and resources that you used in the implementation of your project. (required)
For example:
- Training materials and guides
- Presentations and slides
- Work processes and plans
- Any other materials your team has created or adapted and can be shared with others
Not Applicable
3. To what extent do you agree with the following statements regarding the work carried out with this Rapid Fund? You can choose “not applicable” if your work does not relate to these goals. Required. Select one option per question. (required)
| A. Bring in participants from underrepresented groups | Neither agree nor disagree |
| B. Create a more inclusive and connected culture in our community | Strongly agree |
| C. Develop content about underrepresented topics/groups | Disagree |
| D. Develop content from underrepresented perspectives | Disagree |
| E. Encourage the retention of editors | Agree |
| F. Encourage the retention of organizers | Strongly agree |
| G. Increased participants' feelings of belonging and connection to the movement | Strongly agree |
| F. Other (optional) |
Part 2: Learning
4. In your application, you outlined some learning questions. What did you learn from these learning questions when you implemented your project? How do you hope to use this learnings in the future? You can recall these learning questions below. (required)
You can recall these learning questions below:
- Effectiveness of Centralized Workspace: How does having a dedicated office space impact the efficiency and effectiveness of Wikimedia Bangladesh's operations and activities?
- Community Engagement and Participation: What strategies are most effective in engaging volunteers, stakeholders, and community members in Wikimedia Bangladesh's activities when facilitated in a centralized office space?
- Partnership and Collaboration Opportunities: What opportunities arise for partnerships and collaboration with local organizations, educational institutions, and community groups as a result of having a physical presence in the form of an office space?
- Impact on Project Management and Coordination: How does centralizing project management and coordination efforts within a physical office space contribute to better planning, execution, and monitoring of Wikimedia Bangladesh's projects and initiatives?
- Learning from Community Feedback: What insights can be gained from collecting feedback from participants before, during, and after activities held in the office space, and how can this feedback be used to improve future events and engagement strategies?
- Compliance and Legal Obligations: What lessons can be learned from navigating legal requirements and obligations related to securing and maintaining a physical office space for a Wikimedia chapter, and how can this knowledge be shared with other chapters facing similar challenges?
By addressing these learning questions, we aim to gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of our efforts, identify areas for improvement, and contribute to the broader knowledge base within the Wikimedia community on the benefits and challenges of establishing and operating a physical office space for chapter activities.
Through the implementation of this project, we gained valuable insights into the importance of having a dedicated operational space for Wikimedia Bangladesh. One key learning was that a well-equipped office significantly improves coordination, efficiency, and engagement with stakeholders. We also observed that having a physical office fosters stronger collaboration among community members, providing a structured environment for meetings, workshops, and planning sessions.
Another important takeaway was the necessity of stable infrastructure, such as reliable internet, printing facilities, and essential office amenities, to support smooth operations. We learned that careful budgeting and planning are crucial to ensuring sustainability and minimizing unexpected costs. Additionally, we realized that legal and administrative compliance, including rental agreements and official documentation, requires ongoing attention to maintain transparency and accountability.
Moving forward, we will use these learnings to refine our future operational strategies. We aim to optimize resource allocation, explore long-term sustainability options, and enhance community engagement by utilizing the office space more effectively. These insights will also guide us in planning future expansions, ensuring that Wikimedia Bangladesh continues to grow as a well-structured and impactful organization.
5. Did anything unexpected or surprising happen when implementing your activities? This can include both positive and negative situations. What did you learn from those experiences? (required)
During the implementation of our activities, we faced both challenges and positive developments. One significant challenge was securing a suitable office space, which took longer than expected. Additionally, fluctuating costs for office setup required adjustments to our budget.
On the positive side, we received strong support from the community, with volunteers actively contributing to setting up the space and providing valuable insights on infrastructure needs. This experience highlighted the power of community-driven efforts. We also learned that having flexible contingency plans is crucial for managing logistical and administrative challenges. Moving forward, we aim to refine our processes and establish clearer protocols to ensure more efficient execution of office-related projects.
6. What is your plan to share your project learnings and results with other community members? If you have already done it, describe how. (required)
We have hosted several events in the office space and used it for preparing and managing logistics for larger events. This provided newcomers and existing volunteers with firsthand experience in setting up an office space and understanding the challenges we may face. Additionally, we exchanged ideas on how to improve the office space to make it more functional and inclusive for everyone.
Part 3: Metrics
7. Wikimedia Metrics results. (required)
In your application, you set some Wikimedia targets in numbers (Wikimedia metrics). In this section, you will describe the achieved results and provide links to the tools used.
| Target | Results | Comments and tools used | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 0 | 0 | |
| Number of editors | 0 | 0 | |
| Number of organizers | 0 | 0 |
| Wikimedia project | Target | Result - Number of created pages | Result - Number of improved pages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 0 | ||
| Wikimedia Commons | |||
| Wikidata | |||
| Wiktionary | |||
| Wikisource | |||
| Wikimedia Incubator | |||
| Translatewiki | |||
| MediaWiki | |||
| Wikiquote | |||
| Wikivoyage | |||
| Wikibooks | |||
| Wikiversity | |||
| Wikinews | |||
| Wikispecies | |||
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
8. Other Metrics results.
In your proposal, you could also set Other Metrics targets. Please describe the achieved results and provide links to the tools used if you set Other Metrics in your application.
| Other Metrics name | Metrics Description | Target | Result | Tools and comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
9. Did you have any difficulties collecting data to measure your results? (required)
No
9.1. Please state what difficulties you had. How do you hope to overcome these challenges in the future? Do you have any recommendations for the Foundation to support you in addressing these challenges? (required)
Part 4: Financial reporting
[edit]10. Please state the total amount spent in your local currency. (required)
573435
11. Please state the total amount spent in US dollars. (required)
4644.82
12. Report the funds spent in the currency of your fund. (required)
Provide the link to the financial report https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jD_3flXReKp85ALKOOYvPLcNJY1IiWAzJ_VNyAB1fTI
12.2. If you have not already done so in your financial spending report, please provide information on changes in the budget in relation to your original proposal. (optional)
13. Do you have any unspent funds from the Fund?
Yes
13.1. Please list the amount and currency you did not use and explain why.
Due to fluctuations in the dollar exchange rate, approximately $200 remains unspent.
13.2. What are you planning to do with the underspent funds?
B. Propose to use them to partially or fully fund a new/future request with PO approval
13.3. Please provide details of hope to spend these funds.
We intend to incorporate it into Wikimedia Bangladesh's next GSF application.
14.1. Are you in compliance with the terms outlined in the fund agreement?
Yes
14.2. Are you in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations as outlined in the grant agreement?
Yes
14.3. 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
15. If you have additional recommendations or reflections that don’t fit into the above sections, please write them here. (optional)
Review notes
[edit]Review notes from Program Officer:
N/A
Applicant's response to the review feedback.
N/A