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Community Resources and Partnerships/India Rapid Project

India Rapid Project
Partnership

Currently, Wikimedians from India are accessing resourcing through Wikimedia Foundation’s Funds. Going forward, we are adopting a streamlined approach to facilitate more intentional access to funding.

The new approach allows us to align ourselves to the regulatory requirements in India. This process involves collaborating with long-time movement partners. In India, the Centre for Internet and Society has stepped forward to spearhead this pilot approach and we will continue to source for more partners who can step into the role as well to increase access to new markets/ geographies.

This pilot is a step towards advancing two of our four main goals for the 2024 and 2025 annual plan namely, advancing knowledge as a service (infrastructure) and supporting knowledge equity.

More about the pilot

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As part of the pilot, CIS will be able to combine the roles they play through supporting community collaborations and project management. We recognise that these roles are adaptive based on needs and for a start, have captured the essence below:

  • Provide - where needed and requested for - project proposal support to Wikimedia community members and groups (contractors) from India to carry out their project in areas of:
  • Outreach and awareness about the Wikimedia movement;
  • Content contribution on Wikiprojects;
  • Technology Partnerships
  • Organising conferences in India or South Asia level
  • Contribute to the project proposal review process by providing input on the feasibility of the project in alignment with local legal requirements and in partnership with the South Asia Regional Committee; support the implementation of projects and account for final reporting of projects underwritten by CIS (and/or its contractors)
  • Provide the support for individual contractors - where needed and requested for - to report on and fulfil their tax obligations related to scope of appointed project work as required by the law of India

How will this new pilot impact me?

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If you are an existing (or new) movement organiser or an affiliate (recognised/ unrecognised) in India and would like to continue (or start) implementing projects in the country that need resourcing, you can do that by putting in a project proposal. Your project should support the achievement of Wikimedia's mission and strategic direction. It should aim at improving one or more of Wikimedia projects. To be in alignment with the global Wikimedia movement in project resourcing, please read the following sections before putting in an application: How to apply; What we fund; Eligibility requirements; Application process; and Timeline.

Additional care should be taken at these points:

  • Pre-planning:  As this is a new process, we encourage first-time project applicants to be in touch with the South Asia regional programme officer, Jacqueline Chen (sa_fund wikimedia.org) on your draft project plan. Where needed, your programme officer may also connect you with CIS (or vice versa) so that they can provide further support to ensure your project is aligned with legal requirements in India and the reporting requirements of CIS and WMF.
  • Documentation required upon submission of the project proposal: Proof of identity for individuals (i.e. Aadhaar card, PAN card); proof of non profit status for organisation and Goods and Services Tax identification number. These are also captured in the application form (i.e. section on applicant details).
  • Budgeting: When putting together your project budget, you will need to apply the following line items to your project subtotals (see budget template)
    • A flat rate of 15% (of project subtotal) institutional development fee  - for CIS’ supporting role in the above process; and
    • Chartered Accountant fee  - Based on local context, while we understand the existing practice is to allocate INR 4000 - 8000 for this, do adjust your budget estimates based on the quote you received from your Chartered Accountant. The requirement of the Chartered Accountant is to provide a utilisation certificate for your project expenses (i.e. verified and signed on their letterhead to serve as the final financial statement). This should be submitted together with your final project report as a supporting document.
    • The grand total of your project budget should not exceed USD 5,000 (or the equivalent in Indian Rupees)
    • CIS will be reviewing your budgets for the above as part of their screening process
  • Budgeting for equipment purchase: We do not support private purchase or ownership of equipment. While equipment purchase can be considered for groups, organisations and affiliates, projects that require the purchase of specialised equipment will need to clearly demonstrate the need, requisite experience and how the equipment will be shared with other community members. An equipment log or list must be publicly available for community members and included in the application. Please note that there is a possibility that the project may be partially funded (with the exclusion of equipment purchase support). For one-off projects with no or limited activity track record, please consider renting the equipment.
  • Tax implications: In the event that you plan to budget for an honorarium fee in your project (i.e. fees for Independent Contractor or professional or technical services), and if the amount exceeds INR 30,000, CIS will deduct a TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) at 10% on the amount above INR 30,000, together with documentary evidence of remitting such taxes to the Government of India in Form 16A. In addition, Good and Services Tax (GST) will not be applicable to any services provided for your project. CIS will honour all supporting bills from you (and your project team) that includes GST, provided the bills are GST-compliant.
  • Project cash flow: CIS will be disbursing your project funds in two tranches
    • Wire 1 (80% of project budget) upon completion of the onboarding process with CIS; and
    • Wire 2 (20% of project budget) will be released when you notify CIS to release the rest of the funds. See also the section on reporting.
  • Application process: The current application process from submission of application to disbursement of payment is expected to take about 65 days (approximately 2 months) in total. As this working partnership with CIS continues to evolve, we look to shorten and simplify the process. We invite your patience, grace and feedback on this iterative journey.
    • At the same time, we are exploring working with different partners so as to make the process more efficient. We will gather the learnings from the pilot to inform similar partnerships in future.
  • Onboarding process: Once your project is resourced, CIS will reach out to you to start the onboarding process. These include
    • Issuing Individual Contractor Agreement to the Individual Contractors
    • Providing necessary information on CIS policies
    • Making entry and registering the Individual Contractors in the system
    • Registration with required personal information and banking details from the Individual Contractors
    • Financial transaction

When will this pilot be implemented?

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The pilot will kick off in October 2024 and we hope to continually learn and adapt with each rapid project cycle. We also plan to hold space to do a review of the pilot in time. Please reach out to your South Asia regional programme officer, Jacqueline Chen (sa_fund wikimedia.org) if you would like to be part of the review and we can formally invite you to participate in the  process when it happens.

How can I find out more?

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You can reach out to your your South Asia regional programme officer, Jacqueline Chen (sa_fund wikimedia.org) or join a scheduled conversation at the following timings:

We may also add more sessions, if there is strong interest.

More details about resourcing projects from India

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How to apply

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  1. Read about the project and who can submit a proposal below.
  2. Go to Wikimedia Foundation Portal (Fluxx) and log in.
    1. If you do not have an account, click Register Now and provide the requested information. You will receive confirmation of your registration within two working day.
  3. Go to the For community members from India section on the main page and click the Apply for Rapid Project button on the main page. Click Save and Continue or Save and Close to save the application.
  4. Follow the instructions on the application form. You will need to give information about your project and upload several documents.
  5. Click Submit to submit the application for review.
  • We accept proposals in any language. We will support translation for proposals and discussions as needed.
  • The project proposal will be published to Meta-Wiki automatically within two days. This is done for community review and feedback.
  • You can prepare the proposal offline. Make a copy of the form, answer the questions and copy the text to Fluxx.
  • For first-time applicants, do factor in an additional 48 hours for your Fluxx account to be approved by the Grants Administration team after request.  

Application form: India Rapid Project (English)

Budget template: India Rapid Project (English)

What we fund

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  • Individuals coordinating local events related to a global campaign in their community.
  • Informal and formal community meetup
  • Wikimedia editathons and workshops
  • Strategic and annual plans from Wikimedia affiliates
  • Education projects, for example, reading or editing training on Wikipedia, Wikidata or other Wikimedia projects
  • Cultural and heritage projects that support contribution of content, curation of the content and promote accessibility of that content.
  • Gender and diversity projects, for example, bringing in and training women and gender diverse participants and editors. Also, creating content about women, gender diverse groups, underrepresented communities and their knowledge.
  • Small-scale software development projects

Eligibility requirements

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This fund is for you if you:

  • Are applying for funds between 500 - 5000 USD and its equivalent in Indian Rupees at the time of the application. Funds are distributed in Indian Rupees.
  • Are a Wikimedia community member, or part of a group or organisation from the Wikimedia movement.
  • Have a 1-12 months-long project in mind. Projects must be for future, planned work.
  • The total fund amount an individual can access per fiscal year (e.g. July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024) is up to USD 10,000. Individuals can have one open Project Proposal at any given time.
  • The total fund amount an organisation or group can access per fiscal year (e.g. July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024) is up to USD 10,000. You are encouraged to have access to a joint bank account. Groups and organisations can have two open Project Proposals at any given time.
  • Have current contribution history and experience on the target Wikimedia project(s) mentioned in your project proposal. You also need to have organising experience or training experience. For example, if you are planning to train newcomers on Wikidata, you must demonstrate editing and training history on Wikidata.
  • Have informed the team members about your project proposal and involved the community in discussing the proposal.
You are not eligible for funding if:
  • The project you have in mind aims to improve third-party websites.
  • Works and contributions are not published under ethical, open-access agreements.
  • You are not in compliance with all requirements and in good standing for any current activities or programmes linked to the Wikimedia Foundation and CIS/A2K...
  • You are listed on the United States Department of Treasury Specially Designated Nationals And Blocked Persons List (SDN).
  • You are a full-time staff at the Wikimedia Foundation or CIS.
  • If you receive project funding for an existing project from the CIS (i.e. we do not recommend access to more than one funding with the same project)
  • You are a board member, leader (contacts submitted to AffCom), president, bank account signatory, executive director, or other paid staff or contractor of a Wikimedia affiliate/group/organisation with existing Wikimedia Foundation Fund awards.
    • When there is no significant overlap between the volunteer role (especially board members), group activities, and individual proposal, the Program Officer may make exceptions to this criterion.
  • You are an individual applying on behalf of different groups or organisations.
  • You do not provide all information and documents needed to receive the funding.
Behavioural requirements

We take all applicants through a due diligence process. This means you need to be in ethical good-standing, (e.g. Wikimedia behaviour, social behaviour, financial behaviour, legal behaviour, etc.).

  • Applicants must follow the Universal Code of Conduct and Friendly Space Policies.
  • Applicants should be in good standing in regard to ethical behavior within the community (e.g. social behavior, financial behavior, legal behavior, etc.), as determined through the due diligence process.
  • Within the last year, applicants have not been blocked, banned, or otherwise flagged by Wikimedia Foundation staff or another affiliate for violations of the Universal Code of Conduct and Friendly Space Policies, or for other types of violations or conduct issues. If such issues have occurred in the past, the applicant is required to demonstrate learning and understanding in regard to the cause for the issue, such that they are ready to serve as a role model for others as an applicant.
  • Within the last year, applicants have not been repeatedly blocked or flagged for the same issue and/or have not been banned on the Wikimedia Projects. If a block/ban is recorded in the applicant's account history, the applicant is required to demonstrate learning and understanding in regard to the cause for the block, such that they are ready to serve as a role model for others as an applicant.
  • Applicants are not eligible for funding if indefinitely blocked on any Wikimedia project, even if the proposed work is independent from that Wikimedia project.
Youth Safety

Youth Safety Policy must be in place for any activity that involves underage community members.

  • If the proposal indicates direct contact with children or youth, it also outlines compliance with international and local laws for working with children and youth, and provides documentation of the local laws in the annex.
  • The proposal demonstrates how they will ensure the safe engagement of young people in all of the project’s activities.
  • The proposal demonstrates that any adults who will be working in close contact with young people have been properly vetted and trained.
  • The proposal outlines an action protocol in the case that incidents occur relating to the physical and psychological safety of young people.

Application Process

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After submission, the application will be processed according to the following steps:

  • Initial review (7 days)
    • CIS screening
  • Review (28 days)
    • Eligibility checks
    • Review and feedback by Program Officer and/or Regional Funds Committee
    • Applicant receives and engages with feedback of proposal, making adjustments
  • Decisions and agreement (18 days)
    • Decisions are announced by the Program Officer
    • CIS collects all required documents
    • CIS issues and signs contract with you
    • CIS starts onboarding; processes and makes the payment
  • Project starts (21 days)
    • Project start date should be after all described steps are completed

Timeline

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Here are the important dates for the upcoming two rounds:

Round 2:

  • Submission deadline: 1 October 2024
  • Review: 2 October  – 8 November 2024
  • Decision date: 15 November 2024
  • Contract, payment, and onboarding: November 16 November - 3 December 2024
  • Project start date: after 4 December, 2024

Round 3:

  • Submission deadline: 1 December 2024
  • Review: 2 December 2024 – 10 January 2025
  • Decision date: 24 January 2025
  • Contract, payment, and onboarding: 25 January 2025 - 10 February 2025
  • Project start date: after 10 February 2025

Future rounds will be published based on learnings from these rounds.

How to submit a report

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If your project proposal is approved, you will need to submit a final report (i.e. narrative and financial report) to WMF within 30 days after you complete the project.

  1. Go to Wikimedia Foundation Funds Portal (Fluxx) and log in.
  2. Find the Reports section on the left sidebar. Select the Upcoming link and you will see all upcoming reports.
  3. Select the Rapid Project report and click Edit. Answer the questions in the form. You can write it in any preferred language.
  4. When your report is complete, click Submit to send it for review.
    • You can prepare the report offline. Make a copy of the report form, answer the questions and copy the text to Fluxx.

In addition to the above, you are also required to reconcile your project cash flow with CIS at two points:

  • (Point 1) After spending 80% of project budget
  • (Point 2) After spending 100% of the project budget. Your final financial report should be verified and signed by a registered chartered accountant on their letterhead.

You can use the same financial reporting format for documentation to CIS and WMF.

Frequently Asked Questions

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1. Where can I find more information about CIS?

The Centre for Internet and Society (CIS) is an Indian non-profit organisation that engages in research and advocacy on topics related to digital rights, internet governance, and open knowledge.

Over the past decade, CIS has focused on building and supporting Indic Wikimedia communities by fostering leadership, partnerships, outreach, content development, and diversity. CIS also invested in nurturing collaboration between open knowledge networks and the Wikimedia movement, while building & advocating for inclusive technology and innovation in content creation and community growth.

For more information on CIS, refer to their website - https://cis-india.org/; contact email: finance cis-india.org

2. Apart from CIS, are there plans to also onboard other partners in a similar way?

Yes, the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) Partnerships team is actively exploring opportunities to onboard additional partners in a similar capacity.

3. How will CIS be screening applications?

CIS will primarily screen for the regulatory, financial, and operational feasibility of project applications based on local context.

4. What can I expect during the onboarding process with CIS?

As part of onboarding, CIS will issue an Individual Contractor Agreement outlining the terms of your engagement. CIS will provide you with information on the terms of reference of the working arrangement. For further details, refer to the onboarding section.

5. Will there be a conflict of interest given CIS is an existing grant holder while also holding this operational function?

CIS’s A2K team has received and continues to apply for WMF’s grant. CIS, a multidisciplinary research organisation, has various teams working together. To avoid conflicts of interest, CIS has nominated a non-Access to Knowledge employee to screen the applications and lead these operations.

6. Apart from this initiative, are there plans in the pipeline to include new programmes in the future?

Yes the plan is to extend this new funding pathway to include future project resourcing needs when ready.

7. Is there an option to work with another service provider besides CIS?

The Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) Partnerships team is actively exploring opportunities to onboard additional partners in addition to CIS. Please reach out to your South Asia regional programme officer, Jacqueline Chen (sa_fund wikimedia.org) if you have further feedback about CIS as a service provider or the process in general. As this is a pilot, we invite your patience, grace and feedback on this iterative journey.

Review proposals

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FY 2023-24

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Round 6

FY 2024-25

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Round 2
Round 3

No pages meet these criteria.

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