Grants:IEG/Wikimedia Bronx

statuswithdrawn

Individual Engagement Grants

Wikimedia Bronx

summaryWikimedia Bronx will recruit, and organize new volunteer Wikipedia contributors, and editors in Bronx, New York, USA.

targetEnglish Wikipedia

strategic priorityimproving quality

themeoffline outreach and partnerships

amount2500 USD

grantee• Nicholas DiCostanzo

contact• n.dc1@hotmail.com

this project needs...

volunteer

advisor

created on23:04, 21 September 2014 (UTC)

2014 round 2

Friendly space expectations

Project idea

What is the problem you're trying to solve?

The problem we're trying to solve is the lack of meeting place for Wikipedians in the Bronx borough of New York City, and the lack of quality contributions to the Wikipedia from the Bronx.

What is your solution?

The solution is to provide time, and space for educated people in the Bronx to meet, share, and get involved with the Wikipedia.

Project goals

This project's goals are:

1. To secure a space in the Bronx for Wikipedia volunteers to meet, and engage in Wikimedia Foundation / Wikipedia related activities such as training, "edit-a-thons," and group discussions.

2. To recruit a group of 12-20 volunteers to meet in the Bronx to engage in activities similar to the ones mentioned above.

3. To determine future need for continued volunteer engagement, group direction, and growth.

4. As a result of this grant the change I expect to see is an increase in involvement with the Wikipedia in the Bronx.

Project plan

Activities

First, we will secure one Metropolitan New York Library Council affiliated member space to host our meetings, and will simultaneously recruit volunteers to come to our meetings. Methods used will be the Metropolitan New York Library Council website, the Wikipedia mailing lists, and face to face grassroots organizing. At our first meeting, which we aim to hold in January, 2015, volunteers will be trained to edit the Wikipedia, and begin to contribute. Possibilities for completed work at the end of the project include new written articles, quality edits to existent articles, quality expansions of existent articles, new Wikipedia code, quality Wikipedia code edits, and overall expansion of the Wikipedia movement.

Budget

• Project Management: $2000.00
• Wikimedia merchandise, and / or equipment rental: $500.00
• Total Budget: $2500.00

Community engagement

At first, we will advertise ourselves to the community through outreach efforts focused on people's knowledge of the Wikipedia, and the Wikipedia philosophy of shared knowledge. We can also attract college students by drawing attention to volunteer involvement as a resume, and proposal builder. Once volunteers are actively engaged with us, we will facilitate direct engagement with the Wikipedia so we can begin to research, and edit documents of interest to the foundation. Wikimedia Foundation principles will be discussed, and celebrated to keep volunteers on the right track, promote unity, and continue outreach. As people become familiar with us, more advanced Wikimedia policies, community practices, and opportunities will be discussed to help further engagement. Wikipedia merchandise may also be used as an incentive.

Sustainability

After the grant ends, the project may continue to grow through more grants, and/or donations.

To measure the success of this project, we will record the place of meeting, the number of volunteers present at the meeting, each volunteer's Wiki identity, each volunteer's residency status, and then track each individual's contributions for one year from the first meeting. Based on our results from these measurements, we will determine the need for future engagement.

Get involved

Participants

• Nicholas DiCostanzo has experience editing the Wikipedia, organizing volunteer groups, and teaching/training.

Community Notification

Please paste links below to where relevant communities have been notified of your proposal, and to any other relevant community discussions. Need notification tips?

• Bronx Community College
• Fordham University
• Wildlife Conservation Society Library and Archives
• Links will be provided when more organizations are notified...

Endorsements

Do you think this project should be selected for an Individual Engagement Grant? Please add your name and rationale for endorsing this project in the list below. (Other constructive feedback is welcome on the talk page of this proposal).

• Community member: add your name and rationale here.
• Dorothy Howard, Wikimedia Foundation & METRO Library Council