Hello again, Wikimedia Hackers!
We invite technical community members and affiliates to apply for Rapid Fund grants to host local meetups during or around the Hackathon. Grants can be between 500 and 5,000 USD. Please note that we cannot go above 5,000 USD per grant, so plan accordingly. The deadline to apply is March 20, 2022. This is a quick turn-around, so note that proposals do not have to be extensive or complex.
Examples of requests include:
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Food for community meetups before, during, or after the online Hackathon (please keep meetups within a month of the Hackathon dates). -
Venue rental for attendees -
Transportation or commuting expenses -
Scholarships to help local community members attend, which can include data packages, childcare costs, or transportation -
The Foundation offers this list of eligible expenses https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Project/Rapid/Learn (e.g., you can use this grant money to pay for direct expenses like supplies, but you cannot use funds to pay for an event coordinator). You cannot pay honorariums to speakers you have at your events but you can give material gifts (gift cards, etc.). -
Note that at this moment, in-person meetups of 10 people or fewer can be held without extra approval; if your meetup will be larger please follow the steps listed for Risk Assessment. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Risk_assessment_during_COVID-19
Eligibility:
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Proposals should support the achievement of Wikimedia’s mission https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mission and be related to the Hackathon (this cannot support edit-a-thon projects for example). -
There are some countries to which the Foundation cannot disburse funds. If you have been ineligible for WMF funds through other opportunities, please email hlepp@wikimedia.org to verify your eligibility for this application. -
Both individuals and organizations are welcome to apply. -
Someone in your group must have access to a bank account which can receive international wire transfers. -
The Code of Conduct for Wikimedia's Technical Spaces https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Code_of_Conduct will be in effect throughout the event, on all platforms and at local meetups. Please have a look at it and ensure you are willing and able to follow it.
How to Apply: Start your application https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Project/Rapid/Apply#Other in the yellow box marked “Other”. Enter the title of your proposal: Hackathon + [Institution/Group/Individual Name] (e.g., Hackathon University of Ghana Legon) and click “Start my application”. Submit the application. Any questions can be sent to hlepp@wikimedia.org.
Cheers,
Your Wikimedia Hackathon Committee