Grants:APG/Funds Dissemination Committee/FDC process issues list

Please build on this list and add ideas for answers!

Funds Dissemination Committee – index Edit
Guiding principles discussion WMF resolution: Wikimedia fundraising principles (10-9-2010) WMF communication: Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees letter regarding fundraising accountability (8-5-2011) Resolution:Developing Scenarios for future of fundraising (1-18-2012) Final Board resolutions (discuss)(3-31-12) | FAQ Overview of relevant data Interview summaries Draft grantmaking survey Funds Dissemination Criteria Table Resource list (for survey preparation) Where the money comes from today Funds Dissemination Committee Funds Dissemination Committee/Feedback Design principles List of design decisions to be made FDC Advisory Group FDC Advisory Group Mailing List Archive Advisory Group Meeting 1 Advisory Group Meeting 2 Operations Framework for creation and initial operation FDC Pledge of Commitment and Conflict of Interest Questionnaire Nominations to serve on the FDC

Issues to cover in the design of the Wikimedia Funds Dissemination Committee

Purpose

• Overall description of the role of the FDC

Scope of Authority

• Level of formal decision-making authority
• Balancing FDC authority with role of each entity's board and internal review processes
• Scope of decisions that FDC takes (spectrum from allocation only to line-item level approval of budgets)
• Process for dispute resolution, appeals, vetoes
• Role of the Board of Trustees of the Wikimedia Foundation
• Methods for ensuring Wikimedia Foundation and fund recipients meet their legal and fiduciary responsibilities under governing law

Scope of Responsibility

• Types of funding requests considered (vs. through other channels)
• Role in interpreting alignment of funding requests with strategic goals and priorities
• Role in conducting due diligence on funding requests
• Role in evaluating the success of grants
• Types of support/capacity building given to those submitting requests

Membership

• Number of members, composition, and terms
• Eligibility, qualifications and characteristics requirements
• Participation expectations and standards of engagement
• Selection process
• Training and on-boarding process
• Compensation (if any)

Administration

• Meeting schedule and budget for operations
• Role of support staff to the FDC and organizational structure (part of WMF staff organization or separate)
• Relationship to Foundation, Board of Trustees, Wikimedia Chapters Association, etc.

Definition of Processes

• Request formulation and submission
• Application preparation requirements and support
• Prerequisite criteria for entity eligibility
• Request review criteria with possible differences by type (e.g., core vs. non-core, program vs. admin, different standards for different levels of funding)
• Request evaluation, approval, fund dissemination schedule
• Aligning funds approvals with each entity's fiscal year and own budget processes (or aligning processes around FDC calendar?)
• Approach to providing entities with stable funding to support core operations and multi-year projects
• Funds handling process for moving money around the movement from sources to uses
• Addressing gridlock, appeals, vetoes
• Renewals vs. new requests
• Methods of providing transparency in the decision-making process
• Reporting requirements and methods of ensuring these are met
• Evaluating and reporting of grant outcomes and use of evaluations in informing future decisions
• Supporting multi-lingual nature of the community
• Assessing the Funds Dissemination Committee’s Performance and refining the approach