Grants talk:Project/Rapid/Wiki Universitarios + Wiki UANL + Wiki FaPsiUANL 2020

Comments from WMF

Hello BrendaPadilla3, thank you for submitting this rapid grant application. We have reviewed it and left a few questions and comments regarding your application:

1. As we noted in our response to the final report from this year’s grant, we cannot allow grant funds to be used to compensate the event organizers, even with gift cards. Please remove this item from your budget. If you would like to use the gift cards as prizes for edit-a-thon contributors instead, you are welcome to make that adjustment.
2. Given that there is not an experienced Wiki editor at ULSA, how did that university come to be chosen as one of the participants for this year? Are you confident that there are enough enthusiastic students and staff to make the event a success?
3. You mentioned in the application that coordination might be a challenge this year, with two new participating universities. What strategies have you considered to make coordination easier?

We look forward to reading your responses. Thank you for taking the time to make these edits! Best regards, WJifar (WMF) (talk) 00:04, 3 December 2019 (UTC)

Reply to comments

Hello WJifar (WMF). Thank you for your comments. I will try my best to address them:

1. Yes. In the description of activities, we have included that "during the editathon sessions we will have mini-contests for people that do the most edits (a prize per session)". I confirm that event organisers will not participate in these contests. I have clarified this in the description of the activities and also in the budget.
2. I have a very good friend who works at ULSA, and she has support from the academic coordinator. I have collaborated with her students in the past (but not in Wikimedia-related activities). I am confident that she will make things happen. Ideally, we will find the funds to get an experienced someone from UANL over there to provide support face to face during the editathons (and hopefully to give a talk on open knowledge and Wikipedia). If this is not possible, UANL and UDV will offer support online. I will personally try to help my friend as much as possible so she can manage during the day(s). Fortunately, we do have enough time to adapt our plan.
3. The first strategy is the early planning. We have enough time to sort everything before the events. Also, the people who are coordinating at ULSA and UDG are my close friends. We might find challenges, but we trust each other enough to talk openly about everything. The previous experiences I've had organising editathons are very helpful. I will share tips and lessons learned with them. For example, now I know that it is better to have a relaxed environment, where people can socialise and enjoy themselves as they contribute (as opposed to a very formal, serious environment). I know that several shorter editathons (about 2 hours) are more efficient than a single longer session (it's easier to train everyone at once on how to edit). I can list the benefits of editathons to respond to potential criticisms. I can warn them about this. I'm a bit worried about the mini-contests, as this would be the first time we run them. But we have enough time to make some tests.

Please let me know if I can clarify anything else. --BrendaPadilla3 (talk) 01:40, 3 December 2019 (UTC)

Approved

Hello BrendaPadilla3, thank you for providing responses to my questions. I am approving your grant request. Best regards, WJifar (WMF) (talk) 22:05, 5 December 2019 (UTC)

Thank you!

Thank you so much, WJifar (WMF)! This is great news! Your support is greatly appreciated! :)

Request: New effective date to start incurring grant funds

Hi. Would it be possible to change the effective date to start incurring grant funds for the 15th of January? This would enable us to buy a cheap flight if we can find one. Many thanks!

Approved new effective date

Hello BrendaPadilla3, thank you for putting your request here. I have approved it. Best regards, WJifar (WMF) (talk) 01:00, 3 January 2020 (UTC)

Unforeseen situation requires budget change

Hi, WJifar (WMF)!

We have a situation. We are four institutions collaborating. One of them (ULSA) is new in organising editathons (their process has been an adventure, but I will tell you about it in the final report). The original plan was training someone who is originally from Oaxaca but studies at UANL, so they can go to ULSA to help. I bought the flights in January. Unfortunately, this person had a personal situation and will not be participating in the event.

We are moving to plan B: I am going to Oaxaca to help. However,

• The flights I bought in January were cheap. I can only get a partial refund from one of the flights (about 65 USD out of 123 USD, in 10-40 days time). I'm completely losing the payment for the other flight (80 USD).
• My time is limited (I am also helping with the events at UANL and online at UDV). It was not as easy for me to find the cheapest flights (I did try!).
• I will travel from Monterrey to Oaxaca via Mexico City. Flights from Monterrey to Mexico City are often delayed. So, I decided to play it safe, travel to Mexico City, stay near the airport (I got a free room upgrade, so that's a silver lining) and fly the next day to Oaxaca. If my flight gets delayed, at least I do not have to worry about being stranded in Mexico City for the night (I've been in that situation before). I will do the same when flying back home.
• Due to the timing (the events are next week; I completed all the flight and accommodation bookings today), the costs are higher than the original budget.

So far, I have spent 467 USD in this trip, not counting the cost of the taxis to and from the airport, local transportation, food and the 138 USD that I've lost from the original flights.

I was wondering if it is possible to increase the original budget from 6,000 MXN | 311.69 USD to 10,000 MXN | 515.39 USD. This should be enough to cover flights, hotels, taxis and maybe a meal. I would cover the cost of the lost flights (although if I could get some support with that, I would be most thankful) and other related costs (e.g., my dog sitter).

I am sorry to have to request this change.

Plan C is to maybe use part of the budget for miscellaneous supplies (600 MXN | 31 USD) to pay for two airport taxis. Please let me know if this is an option if the budget cannot be increased.

With kind regards, --BrendaPadilla3 (talk) 08:20, 28 February 2020 (UTC)

@BrendaPadilla3: Hi Brenda, my name is Chris Schilling and am managing the Rapid Grants program. Thanks for this request for additional funding and explaining the circumstances around your needs to make different travel arrangements as the intended participants is now unable to participate in the event. I appreciate the amount of work you have put into revising your travel plans given limitations on your time and the risks related to flight delays and getting stuck at airports. I am approving your specific requests for an additional funding to cover the following:

• 203.70 USD increase in the original budget to cover flights, hotels, taxis, and a meal
• 80 USD for the lost payment for the other flight
• 58 USD to cover the remainder of the partial refunded flight.

This amounts to an additional budget of 341.70 USD. Our grant administrators will contact you over e-mail when these additional funds are wired so you have an idea of when to expect them. With thanks, I JethroBT (WMF) (talk) 20:50, 3 March 2020 (UTC)

@BrendaPadilla3: I have also updated the end date of your grant to 31 March 2020 to ensure there is enough time for you to receive these funds. Thanks, I JethroBT (WMF) (talk) 21:38, 3 March 2020 (UTC)

@I JethroBT (WMF): This is fantastic!! Thank you soooo much!! --BrendaPadilla3 (talk) 05:01, 4 March 2020 (UTC)