*[TL;DR]* FDC elections are coming up. If you want to run or know someone who would be good on the FDC or as an ombudsperson, please see https://meta.wikimedia. org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_elections_2017

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Dear Wikimedians,

As you may know, the Funds Dissemination Committee (FDC) [1] is a volunteer committee that makes recommendations to the Board of Trustees on how to spend funds to achieve the movement’s goals. Each year, the FDC meets twice in person to deliberate on annual plan grant proposals submitted by affiliates and aligned partners of the Wikimedia movement. Allocated through a participatory, transparent, collaborative grantmaking process, these funds are used by organizations to expand and deepen participation and enable the creation and curation of quality content on Wikimedia projects.

As foreseen in the FDC framework [2], five seats on the committee are open to election this year, as is the position of the ombudsperson. Serving on this committee is an opportunity to deepen your engagement in the movement, build your leadership and experience, and work closely with other colleagues who are interested in helping the movement achieve more impact.

The commitments are significant: you will be expected to come to at least two face-to-face meetings each year that last up to 5 days, in addition to reviewing more than 15 proposals and significant background documents each year. For most committee members, participation in the meetings also includes significant international travel. Note that the committee will meet for a four/five-day period mid-November, possibly in San Francisco, so you must be available during this period. The other mandatory face to face meeting usually happens around mid-May.

We're looking for a diverse group of people with the following attributes:

* Experience directing or evaluating programs, within or outside of the Wikimedia movement; * Expertise with grants (you have received or managed grant funds or you have experience making grants); * Knowledge and understanding of, and personal credibility within the Wikimedia movement and on the Wikimedia projects (that is, experience with Wikimedia programs, Wikimedia organizations, or on-wiki leadership roles); * We seek gender, geographic and linguistic diversity on the committee, as well as experience with diverse roles within the Wikimedia movement (e.g. content contributors, program leaders, user group leaders, functionaries, chapter board members) * To find more information about eligibility requirements, how to nominate candidates, or to publish your self-nomination, please visit the election homepage: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_elections_2017

Please reach out to me with any questions about these elections or the work the FDC does.

Cheers,

Delphine Ménard

[1]https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Funds_ Dissemination_Committee [2] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:APG/Funds_ Dissemination_Committee/Framework_for_the_Creation_ and_Initial_Operation_of_the_FDC