Wikimedia Foundation elections/FDC elections/2015/Candidates/Ineligible

The election ended 31 May 2015. No more votes will be accepted. The results were announced on 5 June 2015. Please consider submitting any feedback regarding the 2015 election on the election's post mortem page.

Begin your candidacy for: Funds Dissemination Committee (FDC) • FDC Ombudsperson

Unfortunately, these candidates do not meet the candidate requirements for this year's election.

Joseph Seddon (Seddon)

Seddon (talk • meta edits • global user summary • CA • AE)

Candidate details	Joseph Seddon, Wikimania 2014. Personal: Name: Joseph Seddon Age: 25 Location: Reading, United Kingdom Languages: en-N, de-1, es-1 Editorial: Wikimedian since: January 2006 Active wikis: en.wikipedia
Statement	The FDC has driven more positive change within Wikimedia affiliates than any other force. It has encouraged effectiveness, transparency and accountability among affiliates that are in receipt of publicly donated funds. I want to ensure this progress continues. The FDC can do this in four ways: Affiliates face a challenge in effectively monitoring their programmes. Development of useful universal KPI’s to enable fair comparison of programmes and the creation of tools to help organisations assess their impact is key. Entities should be encouraged to be innovative and strive to find new successful types of projects. Experimentation should not be discouraged but fostered in an environment of good planning. Affiliates should create and share template project plans so that others can build on their successes. Similarly, lessons learnt from projects that don’t deliver the intended impact should be documented and shared with the wider movement. Both enable others to avoid potential pitfalls or follow best practice, avoiding wasteful use of movement funds. In the last two rounds, only 3 non-European organisations were awarded APG funds compared with 11 European. The FDC should look at how support can be given to affiliates outside the European bloc and especially the global south, particularly in planning and accounting best practice, to enable their participation in future years, .
Compulsory questions	1. What experiences of yours do you think will enhance the work and recommendation process of the FDC? 1.1. Around directing and/or evaluating annual plans and programs? The role of a trustee with Wikimedia UK has shifted to providing a more strategic and oversight role as its matured. As result there are a lot of similarities with the role the FDC in the movement. Both have a fiduciary duty to donors and to ensure the effective use of funds in line with the organisation's or movement's strategic plan. I am more than versed in the assessing of annual plans submitted by chapter staff through my work as a trustee and providing feedback during the annual plan process. It's a key duty shared by the FDC is to ensure that activities are aligned to the movement strategic plan and that work is focused as well as being financially prudent. WMUK uses key performance indicators to measure how effectively we are working towards our strategic goals. This is an area that the FDC has started looking into to guide it's funding decisions which has huge potential and I hope to be able to help push this forward, bringing the knowledge learnt from Wikimedia UK. 1.2. Around grantmaking? The board of Wikimedia UK receives requests from outside organisations that are looking for a partnership or for funding to be able take part in our programmes. I have helped in the assessment of proposals for Wikipedian-in-residences requested by GLAM institutions as well as grant requests from education bodies. Although indirectly related, I have also been a part of tendering processes within the chapter for external contractors. All of these involved establishing the ability of an external body to run the proposed programme, their alignment with our ideals, how they will contribute to our strategy as well as the financial viability of their proposal. 2. How does your history with Wikimedia make you suited for the FDC? Since 2006, I have been involved on the projects as an editor and later admin; worked for the foundation for two years on the global fundraiser; and in 2013 became the first returning trustee at Wikimedia UK where I am in my fourth year of service. It is the latter that has given me the knowledge base that makes me suited for the FDC. I understand the growing pains that come from an affiliate moving from an ad-hoc group; to becoming formally incorporated and striving to achieve non-profit status (including the added complications that come with that); the professionalization of the organisation; and most recently the challenges faced following a reduction in funding. That experience gives me a fundamental understanding of the role that funds can play in bringing together a community and supporting program growth; the mistakes that can be made throughout a chapter’s development and how they can be avoided and rectified. Most importantly, I fully appreciate the impact and outreach that affiliates can have in the real world and with that a tangible value to our online projects. Throughout my time within the movement I have always tried to conduct myself in the best manner possible, to try to see the bigger picture when faced with decisions that don't go my way or when making those difficult decisions myself to act in the best of interests of the movement. I have worked on both sides of many fences and disagreed with many along the way as we all do. I confidently feel though that I have always retained the respect of those I disagreed with and worked with them to find a solution. That ability, combined with a critical eye, would sit well on a WMF committee that aims to support the activities of global affiliates, furthering not just the affiliates mission but the mission of the whole movement and the success of the online projects.
Verification	Identity verification performed by Wikimedia Foundation staff and eligibility verification performed by the Elections Committee
	Eligibility: Candidate not eligible Verified by: Varnent (talk)(COI) 21:55, 27 April 2015 (UTC)	Identification: Verified Verified by: Jalexander--WMF 19:50, 27 April 2015 (UTC)