Grants talk:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/General Support Fund/Wikimedians of the Levant General Fund 2025

Concerns about this group's UCoC compliance

Unfortunately, I have to note some serious concerns about this user group's appreciation of the UCoC and I have to share this RfC here: Requests for comment/threatening language and censorship by two Arabic Wikipedia admins. The problem is not limited to just these examples and these users, and there are signs that it is more systemic. This kind of behavior has the potential to drive away anyone who is not within the dominant political and ideological perspective there. The main reason I care about this is not that they are limiting my ability to find collaborators on a different Wikimedia project. There are much easier ways to do that. I am concerned because I honestly believe that what is happening completely contradicts the inclusive Wikimedia philosophy, with various forms of arbitrary admin actions. CC: @VThamaini (WMF) TheJoyfulTentmaker (talk) 23:29, 30 October 2024 (UTC)

@Fjmustak @Sandra Hanbo @Freedom's Falcon: As this group's administrators, I would very much like to learn your opinion about whether the examples shared there are compatible with the Universal Code of Conduct, which you have stated that you have read, in your application. Thank you in advance for sharing your perspective. TheJoyfulTentmaker (talk) 01:21, 31 October 2024 (UTC)

@TheJoyfulTentmaker: Thank you for raising this issue. What you have commented on, however, is the grant request for the Wikimedians of the Levant User Group. I do not see how your comment here is relevant. The User Group remains committed to the Universal Code of Conduct in all its activities and takes it very seriously. Conduct that runs contrary to this code within the User Group is dealt with accordingly. The Wikimedians of the Levant User Group has neither the mandate nor the capacity to deal with on-wiki complaints, or to give any opinion of any supposed violations of the UCoC that happens on Arabic Wikipedia or any other wiki. Best regards. --Fjmustak (talk) 11:55, 31 October 2024 (UTC)

@Fjmustak Thank you for taking the time to respond, but I believe my comment is relevant here and unfortunately I have not seen sufficient signal to believe that your user group takes the UCoC seriously. The incidents I reported are not ordinary on-wiki disputes. Most recently, the language boxes that I use on my ArWiki user profile to express myself were removed by one of your most senior members with a bullying edit summary. The UCoC prohibits such behavior and requires standing up for the user who is mistreated. Thanks for your consideration. TheJoyfulTentmaker (talk) 15:20, 31 October 2024 (UTC)

Please note the stated behavioral requirements for the General Support Fund: "Applicant must follow the Universal Code of Conduct and Friendly Space Policies". So my feedback is relevant for this application and I believe it should be considered in its evaluation. CC: @FElgueretly-WMF TheJoyfulTentmaker (talk) 23:02, 31 October 2024 (UTC)

Thank you for your comment, we have acknowledged it, the user group has shared their response with you above, and we will also be discussing this with the user group and the Regional Funding Committee. FElgueretly-WMF (talk) 10:15, 1 November 2024 (UTC)

Note: I regret to realize that my remarks here might have come across as an accusation against the entire user group. My concerns were directed only toward certain board members and individuals with known seniority within the group. To the remaining members of the Wikimedians of the Levant User Group, I extend my sincere apologies. TheJoyfulTentmaker (talk) 19:21, 12 January 2025 (UTC)

Feedback from the Middle East and Africa Regional Funding Committee on your application

Dear Wikimedians of the Levant,

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 appreciates that you are focussing on workshops and capacity building to improve the skillsets of community members, and that you are looking to build on your existing efforts for Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom, particularly in involving teachers that can improve the user group’s sustainability.
• The Committee also recognizes that the user group has a number of activities and competitions that are successful on Arabic Wikimedia projects, such as El Arz competition, among other photography competitions.
• Including a microgrant may also increase the user group’s ability to support more individuals in the region and their sustainability and allows more flexibility for requests coming in from four different countries. May you share more on the requests that are incoming from the community and what you have learned from the previous year? How will you ensure full transparency regarding the microgranting project, and how will you be held accountable for all of the decisions that are being made? Is there a transparent process to accessing the microgrants that can be placed online and how do you ensure that the process is clear for your community?
• The Committee also values your focus on raising awareness on cultural heritage and climate change topics, among other topics of impact.
• The Committee would also like to understand the user group’s strategic plan, the user group has many planned workshops and competitions, although what is the overall strategy and overarching goals that guide these activities?
• The Committee would like to see more clarity on budget, team, and mechanisms for communicating with the community in the Levant region. More specifically:
  • May you please explain how you convened members of the user group to agree on the user group annual plan? The Committee would also like further clarity on how you communicate with your members and community to ensure their inclusion in decisionmaking.
  • How do you coordinate among the four countries of focus (Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria), do you have a community representative for each country and what is the capacity of the team? How do you allocate resources for these countries?
  • Budget considerations
    • May you please break down the budget further so that it clarifies the exact expenses and line items for each competition and workshop?
    • May you clarify why an additional fee is needed for the project coordinator role?  
    • The Committee would like further clarity on why the budget is increasing, given that contribution metrics have decreased from the previous year.
  • Given that the three board members are receiving paid roles, may you please clarify on what exactly their roles are and how they differ from each other in supporting the Wikimedians of the Levant user group?
• The Committee noticed that they are missing the user group’s responses to one question in the application that shares the organization’s website, detailed financial reporting and/or audits, documentation of the governance structure, board list, and governance processes and documentation of the general assembly decision on your plan
• The Committee would also like to better understand the user group’s capacity to implement projects. From the mid-learning conversation that took place in July, the user group mentioned that many of their planned activities had been canceled or postponed. May you share how you plan on ensuring that the activities shared in this proposal will be implemented successfully, in addition to who is expected to implement which projects throughout the year, are they volunteers or paid staff roles?  
• The Committee also believes it is valuable for the user group to indicate more explicitly the evaluation strategy. For example, the moments of the year in which you take the time to pause, reflect and exchange learnings in the community. It appears that the user group is repeating many activities that have taken place the year before. Are there indications that these activities have been successful and how are you building on these activities?
• May the user group also clarify the timeline for the two planned education projects?
• In addition to seeking clarity in the above mentioned questions, the Committee also recommends that the user group explores diversifying across other Wikimedia projects such as Wiktionary, WikiQuote and WikiSource, as well as seeking partnerships with museums, libraries and other institutions.

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) 09:08, 1 November 2024 (UTC)

Replies on the Feedback from the Middle East and Africa Regional Funding Committee on your application

Thank you for taking the time to review the grant. We have made significant improvements to the financial document, resulting in a reduction of approximately $12,000, bringing the total to $41,536 from the original $53,680. You can reach our new budget proposal from:Here

Your detailed feedback was crucial in helping us achieve these adjustments. You can find answers to your review below.

Question 1

A. Including a microgrant may also increase the user group’s ability to support more individuals in the region and their sustainability and allows more flexibility for requests coming in from four different countries. May you share more on the requests that are incoming from the community and what you have learned from the previous year?

Answer

In 2024, microgrants play a crucial role in activating group members and attracting new participants to WMLevant, while also facilitating the organization of events. Currently, our efforts are primarily concentrated in Jordan due to the humanitarian situation in other Levant countries; however, we are also exploring opportunities to initiate projects in Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria.
Given that our user group is composed of volunteers, we have recognized the need for flexibility to ensure smooth operations. This flexibility not only encourages members to organize events but also supports them in identifying diverse topics that can create a meaningful impact in their communities.

B. How will you ensure full transparency regarding the micro granting project, and how will you be held accountable for all of the decisions that are being made?

Answer

To ensure full transparency in the micro-granting process, we follow a clear and open procedure communicated to all relevant parties. The process involves an internal application document for rapid grants, which our board members review thoroughly to make consistent, well-informed decisions. Once decisions are made, we share the outcomes with our user group via email, detailing the main points and allowing members the opportunity to review the information.
Regarding accountability, this process includes several safeguards. We discussed and refined the micro-granting process in a dedicated meeting with our user group, where members had the opportunity to share diverse perspectives. Since implementing this approach, no objections have been raised by members, indicating broad agreement with the process. This combination of transparency, openness to feedback, and structured communication ensures accountability in all decisions made.

C. Is there a transparent process to accessing the microgrants that can be placed online and how do you ensure that the process is clear for your community?

Answer

We always share the board member decision for granting via the mailing list of the user group and it can be reached online from: ADMINSTRATION here

Question 2

The Committee would also like to understand the user group’s strategic plan, the user group has many planned workshops and competitions, although what is the overall strategy and overarching goals that guide these activities?

Answer

Please review our two years strategy from: Here.

Question 3

The Committee would like to see more clarity on budget, team, and mechanisms for communicating with the community in the Levant region. More specifically: 1. May you please explain how you convened members of the user group to agree on the user group annual plan?

Answer

To ensure that all user group members have a voice in shaping the annual plan, we start by sending out a survey to gather suggestions for activities and events directly from members. Members can also share their ideas through one-on-one conversations with the board members or projects coordinator. Once we collect all suggestions, the board members review each one to decide which to include or exclude based on feasibility and alignment with our group’s goals.
The proposed annual plan, reflecting contributions from all members, is then presented in a transparent community meeting. During the very first meeting, we openly discuss the plan, invite feedback, and address any questions raised to enhance the final plan. This process ensures clarity, and inclusivity, and that members feel actively involved before we move forward with implementation.

2. The Committee would also like further clarity on how you communicate with your members and community to ensure their inclusion in decisionmaking.

Answer

We ensure inclusive communication with our members and community through monthly meetings, one-on-one conversations, surveys, social media channels, and our mailing list. These methods allow us to reach every member effectively and ensure their input in decision-making.

Question 4

How do you coordinate among the four countries of focus (Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria), do you have a community representative for each country and what is the capacity of the team? How do you allocate resources for these countries?

Answer

Coordination Among the Four Countries

Since our work has a regional scope, we primarily host online events that are accessible to participants from Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria, allowing engagement across all Levantine countries. Currently, our most active initiatives and events are centered in Jordan and Palestine, with plans to expand and enhance our activities in Lebanon. We do not have designated representatives or a fixed capacity per country, as our team functions collaboratively as a unified group.

Resource Allocation

Resource allocation is managed collectively, given our regional approach. We do not allocate resources based on specific countries but rather operate as a single, cohesive team, prioritizing projects and events that serve the entire community.

Question 5: Budget considerations

1. May you please break down the budget further so that it clarifies the exact expenses and line items for each competition and workshop?

Answer

It relies on member as we have internal microgranting system, thus the members sent the request adding these details multiple weeks in advance to review and make decisions.

2. May you clarify why an additional fee is needed for the project coordinator role?

Answer

The first row reflects her base salary. However, since she resides in Europe, an additional tax of 20% must be applied to her compensation.

3. The Committee would like further clarity on why the budget is increasing, given that contribution metrics have decreased from the previous year.

Answer

based on this feedback, we have revised our budget by reducing it. We have switched over some of the planned activities to a microgrant model to attract volunteer organizers.

4. Given that the three board members are receiving paid roles, may you please clarify on what exactly their roles are and how they differ from each other in supporting the Wikimedians of the Levant user group?

Answer

The board members work together to manage and provide strategic leadership, governance, and oversight to ensure the organization operates effectively and sustainably, as described in the grant proposal. Their collaboration ensures alignment with the mission and objectives, facilitates growth, and maintains transparency and accountability. We have describe their roles in team description question of this proposal.

Question 6

The Committee noticed that they are missing the user group’s responses to one question in the application that shares the organization’s website, detailed financial reporting and/or audits, documentation of the governance structure, board list, and governance processes and documentation of the general assembly decision on your plan.

Answer

We apologize for the oversight in our initial submission. You can find the requested information on our official page: Wikimedians of the Levant. This page includes:

• Details about our governance structure, including our board members and governance processes.

• Financial reporting and audit information.

• Documentation related to the general assembly's decisions on our plans.

Please let us know if you require any additional details or specific documentation. We are happy to assist further. Thank you for your understanding.

Question 7

The Committee would also like to better understand the user group’s capacity to implement projects. From the mid-learning conversation that took place in July, the user group mentioned that many of their planned activities had been canceled or postponed. May you share how you plan on ensuring that the activities shared in this proposal will be implemented successfully, in addition to who is expected to implement which projects throughout the year, are they volunteers or paid staff roles?

Answer

Most of this year's projects are finished, though some were delayed or cancelled due to various issues. For 2025, we plan to improve our organising process by encouraging more members to take on projects and having a junior organiser learn from experienced ones. This will help ensure sustainability and share knowledge within the community. Our monthly meetings will provide a space to discuss challenges and share experiences.

Question 8

The Committee also believes it is valuable for the user group to indicate more explicitly the evaluation strategy. For example, the moments of the year in which you take the time to pause, reflect and exchange learnings in the community. It appears that the user group is repeating many activities that have taken place the year before. Are there indications that these activities have been successful and how are you building on these activities?

Answer

We plan to be more active in WM projects because they have a good audience and have achieved positive results. We also recognize the importance of documenting these events for our community and underrepresented communities. By doing these activities, we believe we can achieve greater visibility and impact. Furthermore, we are committed to regularly pausing, reflecting, and exchanging learnings within our community throughout the year. This will help us evaluate the success of our activities and ensure that we are building on them effectively. If you have any additional events or suggestions for us to work on, we would be pleased to hear them.

Question 9

May the user group also clarify the timeline for the two planned education projects?

Answer

The timeline for the two planned education projects is still being finalized, as we are coordinating with members and aligning with the schedules of our partner GLAM institutions. However, we anticipate that one project will take place between February and March, and the other is expected to occur during the summer break.

Question 10

In addition to seeking clarity in the above mentioned questions, the Committee also recommends that the user group explores diversifying across other Wikimedia projects such as Wiktionary, WikiQuote and WikiSource, as well as seeking partnerships with museums, libraries and other institutions.

Answer

Thank you for your suggestions. We will incorporate them into our events and emphasize to our members the importance of working on these projects. Additionally, we appreciate your recommendation to explore diversification across other Wikimedia projects like Wiktionary, WikiQuote, and WikiSource, as well as seeking for GLAM partnerships.

Please feel free to reach us for more questions or clarifications.
Best,
Sandra Hanbo
Projects Coordinator of the user group, on behalf of Wikimedians of the Levant user group.
--Sandra HANBO (talk) 08:56, 19 November 2024 (UTC)

Funded for 19,580 USD

Dear Wikimedians of the Levant,

I am writing to share an update regarding your general support grant submitted for Round 1 of fiscal year 2024-2025.

After much discussion with the Wikimedia Foundation Community Resources team and the Middle East and North Africa Regional Funds Committee, we will approve your upcoming annual grant for the equivalent of 19,580 USD.

We are very motivated to continue to support the important work of the user group, particularly your ongoing contests such as Al-Arz competition. That said, we would like to reflect with you and recommend a number of areas for learning and improvement.

While we understand that the region has been ongoing several challenges in the last year that has made it difficult to implement several activities, we see that an underspend of 19,580 USD is rather high, representing 40% of the total grant amount. We also recall that the user group had requested an extension for the 2022/2023 previous grant as well. We see that there can be a significant improvement in the financial management of the grant, particularly planning in advance how the grant will be spent and allocated.

Moreover, we see that the timeline shared is still missing a lot of details.

We recommend that you use the approved amount for this fiscal year to focus on the most important projects that you know exactly when will happen and take place, sharing a clear and detailed budget for how this amount will be spent.

In the meantime, you may consider revisiting the group's governance structure, reconnecting with members and finding innovative ways to re-activate the group.

We would like to reiterate that we are still very committed to supporting the user group and we see Wikimedians of the Levant user group as one of the most important user groups in the Arab region. We hope that through the commitment of its leaders and volunteers it will continue to grow and thrive.

Wishing you all the best in the next year,

On behalf of the WMF Community Resources team and MENA Regional Funds Committee, FElgueretly-WMF (talk) 14:55, 19 March 2025 (UTC)