Strategy/Wikimedia movement/2018-20/Working Groups/Revenue Streams
Movement strategy working groups are currently undergoing a transition as the process moves from drafting recommendations to synthesizing those recommendations into one coherent set. We are not in an open consultation phase at the moment, but you can review the draft recommendations below. |
Overview
Keywords
Financing models, Donors, Fundraising, Partnerships
Focus
- principles for revenue streams in the movement;
- models for revenue streams that already exist in the movement and in other non-profit organizations and movements;
- development of models for revenue streams in alignment with the development of the product;
- ways to tap into the full potential of movement stakeholders (like organizations, groups, allies, partners and donors) when it comes to generating revenue streams;
- evaluation and enhancement of current structures and responsibilities for the generation of revenue streams for the movement.
Rationale
Today, Wikimedia is operating one of the world’s most popular and beloved websites, which is generating the majority of movement’s revenues through banner campaigns. As more and more people access our content via third party services and pages, and we ourselves are developing our product and technology to meet the expectations of next generations of users, there is an evident need to map, explore and evaluate alternative models for revenue.
Any global shift in our revenue strategies, however, needs an agreement on principles for the generation of revenue streams. We are not only lacking this agreement, but do not even have a clear communication channel or platform to have such conversations. The same applies to sharing of experience and expertise. Diverse models for generation of revenue streams are already in use in some Wikimedia organizations and groups (e.g. support from philanthropic foundations or governments, membership fees or organizational partnerships), but there is hardly any peer mentorship or transfer of know-how. As a result we are not tapping into the full potential of diverse movement stakeholders when it comes to generating financial resources for our cause.
There is also potential for optimizing our fundraising efforts through communication with our donors to better understand their funding interests. Similar potential lies in more thorough exploration of revenue models of similar organizations and movements. Inclusion of external experts could take us even further in developing innovative approaches for the generation of financial resources. We need to conduct the necessary research and create networks on local and global levels to maximize the revenue for the movement and help us to move towards our strategic direction.
The task of the working group will be to tackle existing challenges and create structures and channels to initiate and facilitate thoughtful conversations around future funds generation for the Wikimedia movement.
Guiding Questions
These questions are not meant to be answered one-to-one but should help the group frame their own conversations and their consultations with movement stakeholders.
- How can we maximize the revenue for the movement?
- What do we need to change or add to our current fundraising structures and processes to make them more sustainable, adaptive, and distributed appropriately?
- What “red lines” should exist to guide our practices? What new approaches are we willing to consider to maximize the revenue streams for the movement?
- Which (movement) bodies should take on what (local, regional, global) responsibilities in ensuring revenue streams for the movement? How can these efforts be best coordinated?
- Do we need to connect or align our strategic approaches for revenue streams with those for resource allocation?
Mailing list
wg2030-revenuestreams
wikimedia.org
Members
| Name | Organization / project | Role | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amélie Cabon | Wikimédia France | Staff member | Western Europe |
| Biyanto Rebin | Wikimedia Indonesia | Board member | Southeast Asia |
| Gayane Vardanyan | Wikimedia Armenia | Staff member | Central and Eastern Europe |
| Guillaume Paumier | Wikimedia Foundation | Staff member | Northern America, Western Europe |
| Ido Ivry | Simple APG Committee, Wikimedia Israel | Volunteer | Western Asia |
| Megan Hernandez | Wikimedia Foundation | Staff member | North America, Western Europe |
| Sebastian Kersner | Wikimedia Argentina | Staff member | South America |
| Tanya Capuano | Wikimedia Foundation | Board member | North America |
Reports and documents
Recommendations
- Please take a look at the draft recommendations (September 2019).
- First draft recommendations are available as well (August 2019).
- There is also an abbreviated, translated version prepared for easier engagement.
Scoping document
Activities and reports
Wikimedia Conference Working Group Report (2018)
There was no group working on the theme of Revenue Streams at the Wikimedia Conference.
Resources
Existing materials
This is a non-exhaustive list. Please add more sources that provide context, background information and insights related to the thematic area.