[Foundation-l] Chapters

[Delphine Ménard]

On Sun, Aug 28, 2011 at 12:53 AM, Ray Saintonge <saintonge at telus.net> wrote:

> If the question is one of "minimum standards of accountability" the
> WMF's first obligation would be to publish the standards which it
> requires, presumably consistent with IFRS. Chapters incorporated within
> particular jurisdictions will be subject to the financial reporting laws
> of their respective jurisdictions.  These are more important than the
> FUD and distrust at the heart of recent proposals.  There is no doubt
> that a small band of individuals unaccustomed to large infusions of cash
> will have challenges to face, but in these cases the WMF would do better
> to help these chapters find competent help in their own countries than
> to play the role of a distrustful parent.

+1
I'm still baffled at the Wikimedia Foundation wanting to go against
what other international organisations are doing, ie. they fundraise
locally. (Take a look at the international pages of oxfam, wwf,
médecins sans frontières, etc.). Who are we to know better than these
people who've been around for like... ever? Surely there is a reason
for them doing this the way they do?


>> If it were only the chapters themselves at stake (as is the case when
>> they raise funds independently), then they could get money first and
>> organization second. But the WMF shares in the risk, and is offering
>> organizational support to chapters, so cart before horse does not make
>> sense.
>>
>
> There's a difference between organizational support and organizational
> takeover. One possible solution might be to not allow chapters to
> participate in the global fundraiser unless they already have a suitable
> organization in place, but that could make it more difficult for the WMF
> to take a piece of the chapter's action.


Which brings up the question: how do chapters ever get to the point of
being organisationally ready if they never take a crack at doing
fundraising on their own? Pleasing donors near you brings on an
incomparable motivation to do great things and adapt our mission to
what is expected and needed in a given region. Pleasing the Wikimedia
Foundation somehow does not, seem to me to have the same potential.
You know, the very old parable of giving a fish and teaching to
fish...

Best,

Delphine