Grants:Simple/Committee/Workroom

Simple Annual Plan Grants Committee
Workroom

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applications

roles

meetings

responsibilities

tools

current applications

• Simple/Applications/WikiJournal User Group/2022/Final report
• Simple/Applications/Wikimedians of Albanian Language User Group/2022
• Simple/Applications/Wikimedia New York City/2021-2023

scheduled meetings

See meeting archives for past meeting agendas.

None scheduled at this time.

roles

• We are focusing on involving committee members in mentorship of current grantees
• Improve the new orientation document.

Role of liaisons

The role of the committee liaison is to, *Work with the applicant to pass eligibility and improve their application, including attending calls and collaborating on application materials.

• Offer the applicant insight from the point of view of the committee.
• Offer fellow committee members additional context about the application or group.
• Keep up-to-date with the grantee's work throughout the grant, and work with the grantee on any issues that arise during the grant period.

committee responsibilities

These are suggestions, which we can discuss together as a committee. #Suggestions. Provide suggestions about applications, and engage in conversations with applicants early in the review process. Strategy. #Assessments. Assess final applications together with other committee members. Strategy. #Feedback. Give written feedback to applicants about the final decisions. Strategy.

1. Engagement. Engage with grantees throughout the life of the grant.
2. Development. Provide input to develop the simple annual plan grants process together with WMF.

staff responsibilities

1. Eligibility. Evaluate the eligibility of potential applications, and set up application forms. Offer early feedback to potential applicants during eligibility. ---> This will be more lightweight during the transition year.

#Analysis. Prepare analysis to help the committee with review. Strategy. #Facilitation. Facilitate the committee's review process, and provide expertise. Strategy.

1. Decisions. Implement the committee's recommendations, approve grants, and send funds to grantees.
2. Support. Provide non-financial support to grantees throughout the life of the grant. ---> This will be more lightweight during the transition year.

committee tools

Phase 1: Early review & suggestions

Key questions

• Based on the results the applicant is likely to achieve, should we fund this application for the amount requested?
• If we should not fund the application as it is, what changes would make us more likely to fund the application?
• What additional information do I need to make a good decision about this application?

A few suggestions for communicating during the early review phase

• Be polite and respectful, and keep the grants space friendly.
• Consider introducing yourself, if you don't yet know an applicant.
• Include positive feedback alongside criticism, and acknowledge the work and achievements of applicants.
• Consider asking questions before commenting, if important information seems missing.
• When you make critical comments, be specific and constructive, so your comments can help the applicant improve.
• Address big ideas first, so applicants can work on revising the details after big ideas are improved.
• Stay focused on programs and results, rather than focusing the conversation on financial details.

Phase 2: Decisions

• Staff will provide some analysis, including financial analysis and impact analysis, to guide the committee in its decisions. We can post analysis relevant to current applications in this space.
• The committee will use the assessment framework to guide their review of each application. Committee members will submit individual responses and staff will aggregate the results to begin discussions about final decisions.
• The committee may choose to make recommendations about grant amounts or specific line items, but may also choose to make more general recommendations. Staff will work with each applicant to implement the committee's decisions in cases where changes are needed.
• After the committee publishes decisions and requested changes are implemented, staff is responsible for formally approving each grant.

conflicts of interest

Each each member of the committee will,

1. Review the WMF's Conflict of Interest Policy;
2. Disclose any possible personal, familial, or business relationship that could reasonably give rise to a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest in the Conflict of Interest Questionnaire.

WMF and the committee will work together to appropriately address any conflicts of interest or potential bias that committee members identify, to maintain the integrity of the decision making process.