Talk:Affiliations Committee/Budget 2012/13

Approving start up grants

Hi, I was quite surprised to learn that the AffCom has the power to approve start up grants. I was not aware of this during my time at the GAC (and I'm pretty sure that my former colleagues there are not aware of this). Given that this resolution was passed in 2006 when there weren't any mechanisms in place to oversee the Grants Process, do you still find it relevant and helpful that AffCom maintain this powers to date? Abbasjnr (talk) 04:13, 27 December 2012 (UTC)

Great question, thank you!

With this budget request we tried to remedy the fact that the board has not made allocations in previous years for start up grants (either before or after the GAC). However, the GAC has a very important role to play in grant review, and the intention is that the WMF Grants Program (which includes the GAC) would have the final say on grants spent from the AffCom budget.

The update to our Internal Process on Spending to be published in the next few days clarifies the process for grants (developed together with Asaf and Winifred, who have a bit more work on their plate so we can have AffCom grants). Also, our charter (at the bottom) clarifies a bit and supersedes the Board resolution you linked.

In sum, I can still see a place for AffCom grants, I would like there to be more of them (and we have just laid the procedural foundations for that), however, the process will include the GAC and I am sure they will be informed of everything they need to know at the time of the first grant. –Bence (talk) 11:48, 27 December 2012 (UTC)

Thanks :-) Abbasjnr (talk) 12:06, 27 December 2012 (UTC)

The updated process description is here. If you think it is useful, please share it inside the GAC. Best, --Bence (talk) 13:07, 27 December 2012 (UTC)