Grants talk:PEG/Metro/Institutional Growth and Community Fellow

Evaluation by the GAC

GAC Members who oppose this grant request

1. MADe (talk) 17:23, 17 June 2014 (UTC), see below

Comments

Comments by MADe

I started going through your grant request. I had some questions on the existing financial agreement:

This project is building off the preexisting support of the Metropolitan New York Library Council by extending the Wikipedian-in-Residence position into the fiscal year and employing the WiR for two days out of the week for the duration of the grant, completing the project July, 2014. This brings the Fellow up to 3 days at the Metropolitan New York Library Council.

Can you elaborate in the grant request what funding is already available, and what the specific impact of the budget increase will be? MADe (talk) 20:48, 10 June 2014 (UTC)

Hi User:MADe. The impact of the budget increase and adding a day to my WiR schedule will be responding to the community need and inquiry that I have not been able to meet working 2 days a Week as a WiR while using the available network and resources as a launch pad for more outreach and community organizing efforts. The grant also enables me to do outreach with institutions currently out of my capacity as my employer currently requires that I only hold meetings with (METRO member institution libraries and archives. I am currently receiving roughly the same pay per hour as the grant requests, and working 16 hours a week (8 hours per day) at METRO plus weekend events sometimes. This extra day would thus enable the expansion of a larger network of GLAMs in NY than possible otherwise. Also, we do not currently provide food at our events (having to ask other hosts for funds to do so) and usually take Commons photos for events on cell phones, so having some funds for these aspects of events would make them more professional and desirable for hosts. Thanks OR drohowa (talk) 18:29, 11 June 2014 (UTC)

It is based on an existing 'Wiki In Residence' agreement. This budget extension extends and build on the existing grant and does not really add new aspects or ideas. As such I would prefer to see this budget extention within the existing WiR discussion.

Lastly, NY has a good working local chapter, I currently lack a bit their involvement in this request / the project. MADe (talk) 17:22, 17 June 2014 (UTC)

Hi MADe. To elaborate. I am currently being paid a stipend for my 2 days as Wikipedian-in-Residence, which comes in full from the Metropolitan Library Library Council. WMF is not currently providing me with a grant. Can you explain what you mean by preferring this budget extension to be within the existing WiR discussion? What would that look like?

Also, I have asked Wikimedia NYC for their endorsement and have talked extensively with members of the Board as well as Board members of Wikimedia DC about this grant and have also created a written agreement for them to sign. I expect them to post a statement to this discussion soon detailing our planned relationship pertaining to my activities with this grant. Thanks.

Comments by Ilario

Hi, I don't see any big problem in a formal point of view except that of the community engagement. It seems to me that a GLAM would be a point of reference or point of contact of other GLAMs in an area. Probably I misunderstood, but please inform me if this is happening. My concern is that I don't see a possibility for a continuity plan in this project because it's unrelated from a chapter of an affiliated group. In my opinion a big commitment of an affiliated group can assure a continuity. If there is a WIR, it would not be a problem, but the WIR in general is a short-time figure in order to help the GLAM to be introduced in Wikipedia world. A wider competence would be good under the umbrella of an affiliated group. --Ilario (talk) 11:26, 20 June 2014 (UTC)

Hi llario. I'm not sure I understand your question. Can you restate it? I have the endorsement of the WMNYC Chapter as listed on the grant, as well as individual members of WMNYC, i.e. User:Bluerasberry, an endorser. My goal in doing outreach will be to introduce local GLAMs to Wikipedia and possibilities of collaboration but teach people how to edit and manage these activities on their own so that the project is sustainable once the grant is over, and also so they know who to contact for questions about Wikipedia projects in the future. OR drohowa (talk) 19:00, 22 June 2014 (UTC)

Comments from Wikimedia New York City board members

I am writing to support this request as an individual that has been involved with the Wikimedia NYC chapter, METRO, and several of its institutional members for several years. My experience working with these entities has allowed me to gain familiarity with areas where assistance is needed.

The local chapter is composed mainly by volunteers whose other work and life responsibilities severely limit the participation necessary in order to successfully run outreach events. METRO's WiR position has allowed for a tremendous improvement in organizational direction, without which efforts like the hosting of the national WikiConference would not have been possible.

GLAM institutions in the area are also held back by a problematic disconnect. Small institutions, as well as departments in larger ones, frequently face challenges of funding and staffing, that hinder any new initiatives, even if they are key to continued growth and survival. I would argue that engagement with online platforms such as Wikipedia is one of these needed and often, neglected, areas. Regional associations like METRO address these problems to some extent, but of course, much more work needs to be done. By allowing the WiR the additional resources needed to broaden outreach to more institutional entities in the region, it would better serve not only institutional members of METRO, but the larger community as well, enabling much needed potential collaborations.

I would be happy to address these matters in further detail if needed. --Mozucat (talk) 19:24, 23 June 2014 (UTC) (Wikimedia New York City chapter board member)

Approved

Thank you for this detailed grant proposal and to the GAC for their engagement. We also appreciate evidence of WMUS-NYC's support. Based on OR drohowa's exisiting and highly successful work, we approve this request. We were very impressed with the feedback you received from the community at WikiCon USA and hope you can extend this great work to institutions outside of METRO's network. Alex Wang (WMF) (talk) 21:05, 25 June 2014 (UTC)

Request for Date Change on Grant

I'm writing to request a date change on my grant from the listed time frame of (July 1st-January 1st) to a new listed frame of (July 14th- January 12th). Although the grant was approved on June 25th, it took into the week of July 14th that METRO had me working the extra (1 day a week) that the grant allots, and the payment distribution agreement between me and METRO, internally, were agreed upon. As such, in order to get in a precise 26 weeks (6 mos), I propose that the time frame be shifted to reflect as much. Thank you very much, OR drohowa (talk) 17:08, 21 July 2014 (UTC)

Thank you for the update. This change in the grant date is approved. Your final report is now due March 13, 2015. Alex Wang (WMF) (talk) 17:20, 21 July 2014 (UTC)

Request for Date Change on Grant

Hi, I'd like to make a request to extend the end date of the grant to February 8th. I did not use up all the Food funds before the January 12th original last date of the grant, and am hoping to use remaining funds for an Edit-a-thon that I've been helping organize: Wikipedia:Meetup/NYC/Black Life Matters Editathon. Thanks, OR drohowa (talk) 06:01, 6 February 2015 (UTC)

Hi OR drohowa. This request is approved. Your final report due date will remain the same -- March 13, 2015. Alex Wang (WMF) (talk) 18:26, 6 February 2015 (UTC)

Requesting Reporting Extension

Hi! I'd like to request that the date the report is due be moved to Friday, March 27th, 2015. I am at METRO twice a week, and with many events happening in the last month, it's been hard to find the time to finish up all the grant reporting procedures. I hope this date will be convenient for the Grants reviewers. Best, OR drohowa (talk) 21:20, 23 March 2015 (UTC)

Hi OR drohowa. Thanks for the update. The request is approved. Alex Wang (WMF) (talk) 21:30, 23 March 2015 (UTC)

Thanks! OR drohowa (talk) 21:47, 23 March 2015 (UTC)