Wikimedia Deutschland/Community projects budget

The Community projects budget is a 250,000 euro funds sponsored by Wikimedia Deutschland to support the realization of community-driven project proposals. Sole prerequisite is that project ideas must be dedicated to advancing free knowledge, with a specific emphasis on furthering and improving the Wikimedia Projects. Funds are allocated by a committee consisting of seven volunteers: Wikimedia Deutschland's Treasurer, three community-elected members, and three chapter-elected members.

Members of the budget committee 2011: (Anneke Wolf (resigned July 2011), Martin Rulsch, Veronika Rüther-Weiß, Peter Wuttke, Rainer Braun, Ralf Roletschek, Olaf Kosinsky)

Current round

The second round started on September 16, 2011. There are two deadlines which need to be observed:

By October 14, 2011, everyone who is interested in submitting a project proposal must add their name to the public list of applications. Simply send an e-mail to cpb@wikimedia.de with a title for your project and your name. There is no obligation to actually submit a proposal at a later time. The committee does not accept any proposals that were not added to the list by this deadline.

All proposals must be completely submitted by October 28, 2011. No submissions after that date will be considered in this round.

Funding rules

Regulations of substance and selection criteria

1. The community projects budget only funds initiatives that are dedicated to support free knowledge with a special emphasis on the Wikimedia Projects.

2. There are no restrictions on the substance of submitted project proposals. Proposed projects may not violate the relevant fundamental rules of the Wikimedia Projects.

3. Projects that are primarily directed at achieving commercial success will not be funded through the community projects budget.

4. Projects that are very similar to existing Wikimedia Projects or that are intended to recreate existing instruments can only be considered if they substantially improve on existing content or instruments, or if they replace them consensually.

5. Projects that are likely to improve participation in Wikimedia Projects by currently under-represented user or editor groups will get preferential consideration.

6. Funding through the community projects budget is intended to be subsidiary to other existing suppory by Wikimedia Germany (e.g. literature stipend programs, existing chapter programs, etc.)

7. Projects ought to consider the annual goals enacted by the Wikimedia Deutschland's general assembly.

Regulations of procedure

1. Project proposals will only be funded subsequent to an application.

2. Minimum funding is 5,000 euro.

3. Projects may only be funded if their realization will not be performed by Wikimedia Deutschland directly.

4. Individuals or corporations dependent on Wikimedia Deutschland may not submit proposals.

5. The application form provided by the committee must be used.

6. The application form must be completely filled out. Faulty or incomplete applications will be disregarded.

7. At the begin of a funding round, two deadlines will be published:

7.1 By the first deadline, every potential applicant must add themselves to the list of applications by sending an e-mail with the project title and the name of the application to Wikimedia Deutschland. There is no obligation to actually submit an application later. The committee does not accept any proposals that were not added to the list by this deadline. The application list is intended to help the committee structure their work.

7.2 All proposals must be completely submitted by October 28, 2011. No submissions after that date will be considered in this round.

8. Every applicant may, prior to the second deadline, submit their application to Wikimedia Deutschland staff for review.

9. Project proposals may also be submitted by foreign nationals. Projects may target countries other than Germany. All applications must be submitted in German lanugage.

Financial regulations

1. Applications lacking a sufficiently detailed estimate of cost will be disregarded without further review.

2. The community projects budget only funds project expenses. The budget does not provide general institutional funding.

3. Types of funding: The allocation proposed by the budget committee determines the maximum funding amount for a project.

4. Whenever a project receives financial support for capital expenditures (e.g. technical equipment), such assets will be purchased by Wikimedia Deutschland and lent to the project lead for the duration of the project. They must be returned to the association afterwards.

Resolution

The following resolution was passed by the 8th General Assembly of Wikimedia Deutschland on March 19, 2011:

1. For the purpose of supporting community initiatives for the promotion of free knowledge, a community projects budget shall be established according to the following basic principles:
   1. The community projects budget will fund initiatives that are dedicated to support free knowledge, with a special emphasis on the Wikimedia Projects.
   2. Project proposals shall be funded subsequent to an application. The minimum funding for an individual project shall be 5,000 euro.
   3. Projects may only be funded if their realization will not be performed by Wikimedia Deutschland directly.
   4. Individuals or corporations dependent on Wikimedia Deutschland may not submit proposals.
   5. Allocation of the budget shall be conducted twice a year and based upon all applications received by the respective deadline. The allocation shall be determiend by the Board upon the recommendation of the budget committee, for which the following rules shall apply:
      1. The budget committee shall consist of seven members.
      2. Thee members shall be elected by the members of Wikimedia Deutschland by absentee ballot.
      3. Three members shall be elected by the community of the Wikimedia Projects.
      4. The Treasurer shall be ex-officio member of the budget committee with full voting rights. Until the committee's rules of procedure have been determined, he shall also serve as the chair of the committee.
   6. The members of the committee shall server a term of one year.
   7. The budget committee shall make decisions by vote of a majority of its members.
   8. The budget committe shall have the responsibility to determine funding rules, subject to approval by the Board.
   9. Decisions on the allocation of budget funds shall be published.
   10. The budget commitee shall evaluate and report on its proceedings twice a year.
   11. For the 2011 fiscal year, the amount of 200,000 euro shall be appropriated to the community projects budget. For subsequent fiscal years, there shall be appropriate allocations to the community projects budget as part of the association's annual plan.
   12. There shall be sufficient staffing resources to manage the community projects budget.
2. The current community budget shall be continued with a maximum funding amount of 4,999 euro per project.