And to Pharos' point, for new groups i don't think becoming a penalty. If a group goes from no Wikimedia recognition to being a user group they go from no access to resources to access to the Wikimedia trademarks, access to grants big and small, listing with other official groups...it's a big change. Of course groups might want to become a chapter later on, but that's not exactly always an easy process... On Feb 12, 2014 1:20 PM, "phoebe ayers" &lt;phoebe.wiki(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: > If a group was in the process of applying to affcom, we will consider > then case by case - this decision does not apply to groups in process. > > If there's a group out there that had just talked about it but not talked > to affcom - we don't have a way of knowing about them! New groups who > haven't already talked to affcom and are trying to figure it out should > apply to be a user group. > > Phoebe > On Feb 11, 2014 11:58 AM, "Pharos" &lt;pharosofalexandria(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: > >> Certainly, in the last 2 years and before, a handful of Wikimedia >> volunteer groups have been quite as active and organized as those >> currently being classified as User Groups - only the option of being >> recognized as User Groups did not exist for them at the time of their >> founding. >> >> And it is a good thing that this category exists now, but is seems >> wrong to penalize Wikimedia volunteer groups that *do* have a track >> record of effective programmatic experience, just because they were >> started before the User Group category was in existence. >> >> Thanks, >> Richard >> (User:Pharos) >> >> On Tue, Feb 11, 2014 at 12:33 AM, phoebe ayers &lt;phoebe.wiki(a)gmail.com&gt; >> wrote: >> > Hi all, >> > >> > I want to draw your attention to two Wikimedia Board of Trustees >> decisions >> > that were recently published, regarding funds allocated to the >> FDC/Annual >> > plan grant process and Board approval of chapter/thematic organization >> > status. In a nutshell, the Board decided to allocate approximately the >> same >> > amount of funding to the FDC for the next two years. The Board also >> decided >> > that new organizations should first form as a user group and have two >> years >> > of programmatic experience before being approved as a legally >> incorporated >> > entity (either a chapter or thematic organization). >> > >> > The decisions are published in the meeting minutes here: >> > https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Minutes/2013-11-24#Movement_roles >> > >> > There is also a FAQ on Meta: >> > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Movement_roles_FAQ >> > >> > You will notice these decisions are published in the minutes for the >> > November meeting. We originally took these decisions at that meeting; >> > however as the FAQ explains it took us some time to talk to community >> > groups, clarify our wording and write the FAQ. >> > >> > Hopefully the FAQ will answer many of your questions about these >> decisions; >> > however, if there are other questions please do ask them, here or on >> the >> > meta talk page. Thank you! >> > >> > for the Board, >> > Phoebe >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Wikimedia-l mailing list >> > Wikimedia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org >> > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, >> <mailto:wikimedia-l-request@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Wikimedia-l mailing list >> Wikimedia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org >> Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, >> <mailto:wikimedia-l-request@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> > >