The on-wiki version of this newsletter can be found here: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Abstract_Wikipedia/Updates/2023-07-17 -- Google.org supports Abstract Wikipedia with $3 Million grant

We are very happy to share that Wikifunctions and Abstract Wikipedia will be supported by a Google.org https://www.google.org/ grant. Let’s first introduce Google.org in their own words:

*About Google.org*: Google.org, Google's philanthropic arm, supports nonprofits that address humanitarian issues and apply scalable, data-driven innovation to solving the world's biggest challenges. They accelerate progress by connecting nonprofits with a unique blend of support that includes funding, products, and technical expertise from Google volunteers. They engage with these believers-turned-doers who make a significant impact on the communities they represent, and whose work has the potential to produce meaningful change. Google.org wants a world that works for everyone—and they believe technology and innovation can move the needle.

The goal of Abstract Wikipedia is to build a knowledge base independent of language, making it easier for Wikipedia editors to share, add, translate, and improve knowledge across languages on the online encyclopedia. In short, the initiative will enable more people to contribute content in their preferred languages, making the knowledge available to a larger and more global audience. This is aligned with the goal of Google.org for a world that works for everyone.

Google.org is supporting the Wikimedia Foundation with a grant of $3 million over the course of three years in order to support the development of Wikifunctions and Abstract Wikipedia, as accepted by the Wikimedia Foundation board.

As previously reported, Google.org had supported Abstract Wikipedia through the fellowship program in the summer of 2022 https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Abstract_Wikipedia/Updates/2022-04-12. This grant supports us in bringing the results of the fellowship program to fruition.

This grant is part of an ongoing relationship between the Foundation, Google, and Google.org https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Overview_of_Wikimedia_Foundation_and_Google_Partnership. We’re happy to continue our work with both entities to support a healthy web ecosystem, making knowledge more accessible and representative of the diversity of the web’s users.

This grant will join in funding Abstract Wikipedia, in addition to the previously announced grants by The Rockefeller Foundation https://diff.wikimedia.org/2023/07/12/abstract-wikipedia-gains-new-support-from-the-rockefeller-foundation/ and the Wikimedia Endowment https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Abstract_Wikipedia/Updates/2023-04-28. Public NLG meeting tomorrow, Tuesday 18 July

We have our monthly public meeting of the natural language generation group tomorrow, Tuesday, July 18, 2023, at 16:00 UTC https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1689696059, on meet.jit.si/AWVolunteersCorner

Due to the Northern Hemisphere's summer vacation period, many of the group members will not be able to attend, so we expect a short meeting.