Grants talk:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/General Support Fund/Wikimedia Libya Community Support Grant 2025
Add topicFeedback from the Middle East and Africa Regional Funding Committee regarding your application
[edit]Dear Wikimedia Libya,
Thank you very much for submitting an application for Round 1 FY 24/25 of the Wikimedia General Support Fund. We appreciate you taking the time to describe your activities and projects in support of the Wikimedia projects and the Wikimedia movement. The Regional Funds Committee has initially reviewed the proposal, and wishes to offer some initial feedback and questions for your review:
- The Committee commends the user group for the Learn, Celebrate and Implement framework, with clearly identifying how the different projects relate to this framework strategically.
- The Committee also recognizes that the user group is diversifying itself across a number of Wikimedia projects, with significant progress in milestones and evolution of metrics given that you are still an emerging user group
- While the Committee understands that the user group has faced some challenges related to the exchange rate, the increase is quite high at 150% from the previous approved grant (assuming it would have been an annual grant). There is a concern that given that the organizing team are only three individuals, with one member playing only an advisory role, does this team have the capacity to lead the program that you are proposing?
- Given your proposed increase in budget, the Committee would expect that the user group is no longer in the experimentation phase and rather has concrete programmatic activities that have shown impact. The Committee sees that the programs are still in experimentation phase, with metrics still relatively low given the amount requested in the budget. May the user group share more the rationale for the increase in budget given that you are still piloting projects?
- The Committee values the ambitious plan set by the user group, and is curious to learn more on how you plan on implementing this given that you are operating in Libya where there are two regions that are very geographically dispersed (Benghazi and Tripoli), with limited transportation between the regions. If there is one person representing the group based in Libya, how can this person deploy the program across the territory? Are there other organizers besides Salema based in Libya that can support this program? Given that the other organizer is not based in Libya, how do they plan on supporting the user group and what will be their exact role? The Committee would like more details of the paid roles and what exactly they will be paid for.
- May you please share an updated list of the members of your user group, in addition to how the user group has been growing over the last 6 months?
- The Committee also has a couple of clarifying questions with regards to the budget:
- Regarding the scholarships requested, is the user group requesting three scholarships for three people, or for three times for the same individual? How will the user group mitigate the risk with regards to visa issues or challenges facing Libyans in the attendance of Wikimedia conferences?
- May the user group explain the rationale for the salary of two organizers at $1,050/month?
- May the user group also clarify why an activity costs $5,000 which is rather different from the rest of the budget?
- The Committee recommends that the user group focuses more on a Train the Trainer program to recruit more organizers and build the capacity of the user group to expand their activities.
- The Committee also recommends to significantly decrease the outlined budget as it is more than double the previous year.
Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you on the comments shared and if you would like to meet with the regional funding committee, please inform the program officer. FElgueretly-WMF (talk) 10:00, 1 November 2024 (UTC)
Response from Wikimedia Libya Community team
[edit]Dear @User:FElgueretly-WMF and Team
QUESTION 1.There is a concern that given that the organizing team are only three individuals, with one member playing only an advisory role, does this team have the capacity to lead the program that you are proposing?
RESPONSE 1:Thank you for your feedback on our annual grant application. We would like to clarify a few points: Grant Nature and Exchange nature: This is our first annual grant application. The previous approved grant is not an annual grant. It is semi-annual since it starts on 1st July 2024 and ends on 31st December 2024. The exchange rate, which has significantly impacted our budget, has indeed more than doubled. At the time of application the tool used by the Wikimedia Foundation states 1 USD = 4.8 LYD, while the actual exchange rate in Libya is 7 LYD, an increase of over 50%. Team Capacity and Proven Track Record: Our team successfully led the current grant you approved, completing four activities out of six, with the fifth well underway. This demonstrates our ability to manage and execute projects effectively. The upcoming program aligns with these past activities, maintaining continuity and leveraging our experience.
Community Network and Resource: We have established strong connections with the established Wikimedia community members and trainers who support content preparation, such as for our Beginners and Advanced Wikidata activities. These activities were performed in collaboration with the Arabic Wikidata Community, e.g.: here and here. Please follow the link to explore our members participation.
Diverse Expertise and Dedication: Our team members are experienced Wikimedians with expertise in various projects, ensuring we have the capacity to execute this program. The advisory member, along with the entire team, co-founded the community and remains committed to its growth and sustainability. We continue to nurture a growing volunteer base equipped with editing and leadership skills.
QUESTION 2.Given your proposed increase in budget, the Committee would expect that the user group is no longer in the experimentation phase and rather has concrete programmatic activities that have shown impact. The Committee sees that the programs are still in experimentation phase, with metrics still relatively low given the amount requested in the budget. May the user group share more the rationale for the increase in budget given that you are still piloting projects?
RESPONSE 2:We agree with the Committee's assessment that our community is still in an experimentation phase. As a new community, we are continuously exploring and refining activities aimed at engaging more Libyan users over a longer period. This shift from shorter-term projects to a more extended annual approach requires a higher budget, but it is primarily focused on expanding programmatic activities.
This is our first application for an annual grant. The previous grant, which is still ongoing, was designed as an experimental initiative. While we are indeed still experimenting, the current proposal seeks to extend these efforts over a longer period and reach a broader audience, with the goal of attracting and retaining more users.
The longer period covered by this grant requires a corresponding increase in budget to support sustained community building and growth. This ensures a robust learning process and a stronger foundation for the future. The additional funding will enable us to reach more participants, enhance program quality, and foster a thriving, engaged community.
While it may seem that we are still piloting projects, the metrics we currently achieve align well with our strategic plans and framework. Our existing results reflect a realistic and practical approach to growth at this stage. The proposed budget allows us to scale up our efforts and build on these metrics for broader impact.
QUESTION 3.The Committee values the ambitious plan set by the user group, and is curious to learn more on how you plan on implementing this given that you are operating in Libya where there are two regions that are very geographically dispersed (Benghazi and Tripoli), with limited transportation between the regions. If there is one person representing the group based in Libya, how can this person deploy the program across the territory? Are there other organizers besides Salema based in Libya that can support this program? Given that the other organizer is not based in Libya, how do they plan on supporting the user group and what will be their exact role? The Committee would like more details of the paid roles and what exactly they will be paid for.
RESPONSE 3:Over the past year, our community has grown from being supported by one main person to an expanding base of Libyan volunteers across regions. Many of these volunteers have participated in the Training of Trainers (ToT) program and are equipped to implement activities as outlined in the grant request. We recognize the logistical challenges posed by the geographic dispersion between Benghazi and Tripoli and limited transportation. To overcome this, we have established WikiClubs within our programs across various regions in Libya. These clubs act as local centers for continuous activities, training, and community engagement. The 2024 ToT graduates will lead a series of Wikipedia Editing Trainings across four locations, ensuring consistent knowledge transfer and regional engagement. We closely monitor participants in our activities to identify those with an interest in organizing, encouraging them to stay involved and gain experience. We’ve also introduced a new role, “Organizer in Training,” where trainees assist lead organizers with simpler tasks and gain hands-on experience in event coordination. This structure allows them to gradually develop the skills needed for future organizational roles. While some organizers are not based in Libya, we have an effective strategy for remote support through multiple communication channels. This setup allows for continuous oversight, ensuring that activities progress smoothly and that participants and volunteers remain engaged.
We will perform a variety of tasks that are divided and shared among team members to execute the proposed program and activities effectively. A budget has been allocated within the application to cover these roles, which include coordination, organization, management, and consulting. Coordinator: Responsible for overseeing project progress, budget management, and reporting. They will also manage communication, publish materials and surveys, handle emails and social media, prepare grant applications and reports, collect feedback, schedule meetings, and manage documentation on Meta or relevant Wiki projects. Coordination with the fiscal sponsor is also a key part of this role. Facilitator: Will lead online and in-person training sessions, prepare training materials with trainers, maintain contact with participants and partners, attend meetings, and collect feedback. This division of tasks ensures that we utilize the skills of all team members, enabling us to implement our program across Libya successfully. The combined efforts of our in-region volunteers and remote team members will ensure the program's objectives are met.
QUESTION 4.May you please share an updated list of the members of your user group, in addition to how the user group has been growing over the last 6 months?
RESPONSE 4:Over the last six months, our community has seen significant engagement and expansion through various activities and events. These efforts have brought together numerous members and contributors who actively participate in our projects. Notable contributors who have volunteered both within the group and in broader Wikimedia initiatives include:
These established members have joined us and contributed to both internal projects and broader Wikimedia competitions and events. Some members have obtained additional editing rights, while others are working toward them. To further develop their editing skills, we organize weekly activities outside the grant plan, such as list creation and collaborative editing sessions (Local Edit-a-thons) where we work together in a sandbox environment, e.g. here, here, here, and here . We’ve attached documentation of our activities to show how our group has grown and evolved through these engagements:
ويكيبيديا:مجتمع ويكيميديا ليبيا/نشاطات 2024
QUESTION 5.The Committee also has a couple of clarifying questions with regards to the budget: Regarding the scholarships requested, is the user group requesting three scholarships for three people, or for three times for the same individual? How will the user group mitigate the risk with regards to visa issues or challenges facing Libyans in the attendance of Wikimedia conferences?
RESPONSE 5:To clarify, the scholarships requested are for three different individuals, not for the same person multiple times. Our role is to prepare and qualify users within our community for these scholarships, ensuring that they are ready to represent Libya effectively at Wikimedia conferences. These scholarships will enhance the participation of Wikimedia Libya Community members in global and regional conferences and events. By providing these scholarships, we help overcome financial obstacles and the lack of sufficient conference grants that could otherwise limit our members’ participation. The community has already had a successful experience, with Salema attending both Wikimania and WikiArabia, which demonstrates our ability to support members effectively. Ensuring the necessary paperwork from conference committees also plays a significant role in facilitating this participation. Additionally, a Wikimedia Libya Community member was granted a scholarship to attend the WikiArabia conference, though Oman's regulations prevented visas for those under 18.
We understand our role in qualifying and preparing members for these opportunities. However, issues beyond that, such as visa regulations, are not within our control. If the Wikimedia Foundation or the Committee has solutions or support mechanisms for navigating these visa challenges, we would greatly appreciate any guidance or assistance available.
QUESTION 6.May the user group also clarify why an activity costs $5,000 which is rather different from the rest of the budget?
RESPONSE 6:The intended activity is the establishment of WikiClubs, which will involve a series of training sessions across four different locations in Libya. These Wikipedia Editing Trainings will be supported by the graduates of the Training of Trainers (2024 ToT) program, ensuring that knowledge is effectively passed on to participants. The creation of these editing clubs is designed to facilitate continuous learning and foster local engagement within the community. The cost of 23,000 LYD reflects the resources needed for this comprehensive training initiative. It’s important to note that the exchange rate being calculated at the time of application was approximately 7 LYD per USD in the currency exchange market. For instance, the current exchange rate has decreased to approximately 5,8 LYD per USD, the 23,000 LYD budgeted for this activity converts to about $3285 at the current rate, highlighting the increased financial requirements due to changes in the exchange rate. This fluctuation impacts our budgeting and planning, as it affects how much local currency we need to allocate for these activities.
QUESTION 7:The Committee recommends that the user group focuses more on a Train the Trainer program to recruit more organizers and build the capacity of the user group to expand their activities.
RESPONSE 7:Thank you for your recommendation regarding the focus on a Train the Trainer program. We have incorporated this intention into our planning through the WikiClubs activity. This initiative aims to recruit and train more organizers, thereby building the capacity of our community to expand our activities effectively.
QUESTION 8:The Committee also recommends significantly decreasing the outlined budget as it is more than double the previous year.
RESPONSE 8:It’s important to note that the previous grant was a semi-annual grant, and our current budget reflects the need for expanded activities to meet the growing demands of our community. Additionally, the highly fluctuating exchange rate has significantly impacted our previous grant expenses. We faced challenges that required trade-offs, such as not participating in Wiki Indaba, in order to implement activities and increasing our volunteer base, especially given the delayed compensation adjustments related to the exchange rate from the foundation. Our priority was to ensure we had the necessary funds to complete our planned activities, even if it meant forgoing attendance at conferences. The current exchange rate is fluctuating. When we applied for this proposal it was 7 LYD, while it was 4.8 on the Foundation's tool. Now, as we write the reply, it is approximately 5.8 LYD per USD, which has been factored into our updated budget. In response to your recommendation, we have removed some activities while preserving essential training programs to ensure we maintain our focus on capacity building within the community. We appreciate your understanding and support as we navigate these challenges. We have attached a file that outlines the updated budget and plan for your review. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1m7G_80_OJlo_Yksy6RDLkyD9EuaElt6s/edit?gid=365288718#gid=365288718 Salema younus (talk) 22:40, 6 November 2024 (UTC)