[Foundation-l] Chapters

[Kirill Lokshin]

On Wed, Aug 10, 2011 at 9:23 PM, <Birgitte_sb at yahoo.com> wrote:

> On Aug 10, 2011, at 7:56 PM, Kirill Lokshin <kirill.lokshin at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > On Wed, Aug 10, 2011 at 8:51 PM, <Birgitte_sb at yahoo.com> wrote:
> >
> >> I don't think chapters are being cut off I think they are being
> >> centralized. Centralization, not lack of funding, is what I believe will
> >> make chapters ineffective.  Frankly, I think cutting off their funding
> would
> >> be less detrimental (although still not a good thing) to the chapter's
> >> long-term effectiveness than centralizing them into a grant program.  It
> >> would be worse for the near-term, but many would still recover from it
> as
> >> owner-led organizations funded locally outside of the WMF banner
> campaign.
> >>
> >
> > Perhaps I'm missing something, but where has it been suggested that
> chapters
> > would not remain free to raise funds independently of the WMF?  My
> > impression was that the change being discussed here would merely remove
> > participation in the WMF fundraiser as a funding source and replace it
> with
> > direct WMF grants; presumably chapters could seek funding elsewhere?
> >
> >
>
> I don't see why such a thing wouldn't be possible, but I don't find it very
> likely.  I am looking mostly at the incentives each structure produces. As
> the proposal seems to be funding the WMF approved operating budget of a
> chapter with a WMF grant, I don' t think the general rule will be an
> organization that is locally funded. Do you find it otherwise?


I would imagine that would depend on whether a chapter would like to do
things that the WMF is not willing to fund.  Obviously, if the grants cover
everything a chapter desires, there will be little motivation to raise funds
elsewhere; but if a chapter asks for something and is refused, I imagine
there would be a great deal of interest in seeking additional funding.

Kirill