Ting writes:

yes, this is also very unconvenient for the foundation and this is the reason why the board want to talk to the chapter about the growth and maturity of the chapters. If we can help, we would like to help. We want that all chapters can do agreements and the foundations don't need to do them in these areas. We also hope that the chapters can talk with the museums and archives and organize academies and so on. We would like to see the chapters more active.

I think Ting's comment here underscores a possible disconnect between his comments and Florence's. Florence is correct that the chapters thus far have had only very limited autonomy to develop business arrangements without Foundation approval. But Ting is correct (as I understand it) that the Foundation believes the chapters are well- positioned to do things like develop relationships with museums and other repositories of information, as well as organizing academies and similar functions.

In other words, the chapters are not, in general, agents delegated to do business on behalf of the Foundation. Instead, they are independent organizations who do outreach and education in service of the projects and the larger Wikimedia movement.

Of course, my own understanding of all this is probably as imperfect and evolving as anyone else's.

--Mike