(Apologies for cross-posting!)

The Community Resources team is inviting you to an exciting opportunity to be a committee member as part of the grants programs' participatory grantmaking practice.

Participatory grantmaking ensures that resourcing community efforts in the movement is diverse, equal and inclusive. This practice aligns with movement strategy recommendation 4. Ensure Equity in Decision-making: Establishing shared responsibility and accountability for decision-making and distribution of resources. 

Serving committee members will have the opportunity to inform and advise funding decisions and proactively share recommendations and mentorship to support grantees worldwide in their development, growth, and sustainability strategies; that contribute to a world in which every single human being can freely share in the sum of all knowledge.

You will also strengthen your capacity in participatory decision-making processes while learning about our community's incredible work and the different contexts that influence their work. 

Here is statement by a current committee member, Thepwnco, on their experience;

My experiences with Wikimedia Foundation grant programs have been very rewarding, and I feel fortunate to have served as a volunteer committee member since 2014. Grant programs contribute to equity and sustainability in our movement through funding unmet and under-resourced needs. Under our participatory approach to grantmaking, volunteers play a key role in decision-making. Volunteers also help support and strengthen community-led initiatives by reviewing grant proposals for impact and providing feedback and other support to prospective grantees. But being a volunteer committee member is much more than just a way to share your knowledge and insights, it’s also an incredible opportunity to learn and be inspired by the breadth of amazing and innovative work taking place across the movement and in diverse communities and regions.

Here are the committees that are currently soliciting new members:

Project Grants: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Project

** Project Grants Committee reviewing Community Organizing proposals: This committee reviews proposals for projects that inspire and coordinate volunteers, via campaigns, training, contests and other forms of community organizing. You can learn more about Project Grants here: 

** Project Grants Committee reviewing Research and Software proposals: This committee reviews proposals for projects that create or maintain software that supports the Wikimedia movement, or that conduct research to answer questions important for Wikimedia communities and projects. Simple Annual Plan Grants: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Simple/About 

** Simple APG Committee: This committee reviews proposals to fund a group or organization's programs and operating expenses for 12 months. The groups and organizations need to have experience managing programs and grant funding already. 

Orientation and training is provided for new members, and you don’t have to have previous experience to sign up. 

Committee responsibilities include:

• Providing review and constructive feedback to help support applicants and strengthen grant proposals
• Evaluating and recommending promising proposals for funding
• Helping recruit and spread the word about grants
• Optional: Becoming a project advisor for proposals that interest you

Eligibility requirements for committee members can be found here: 

* Project Grants: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Project/Committee/Eligibility#committee-criteria

* Simple APG: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Simple/Committee 

You can sign up as a candidate for a committee here:

* https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Project/Committee/Candidates

* https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Simple/Committee/Candidates

Deadlines for submitting committee candidacy: 

• Project Grants Committee reviewing Community Organizing proposals --February 5, 2020 
• Project Grants Committee reviewing Research and Software proposals -- March 5, 2020
• Simple APG Committee -- February 5, 2020

Please reach out to projectgrants@wikimedia.org  for questions on the Project Grants Committee and simple@wikimedia.org  for questions on the Simple APG Committee.

Warm regards,

Veronica Thamaini, Program Officer for Simple APG

Marti Johnson, Program Officer for Project Grants