[Foundation-l] Chapters

[Jimmy Wales]

On 8/9/11 1:46 PM, David Gerard wrote:
> (I don't think that is the intent - apparently WMF feels like it can
> mess people around and still get 100% from them. I do consider that
> the problems really haven't been considered.)

I don't think the WMF thinks that they can "mess people around" at all, 
actually.

But it is necessary that we take a leadership role - all of us - in 
doing the right things *globally*.  What does that look like?

We should recognize that there is evidence before us that the previous 
model wasn't working.  The chapters - and no blame is being assigned 
here, as I will explain in a minute - have not lived up to what we 
should all hope to see in terms of reporting, financial controls, etc. 
Nothing bad has happened yet - to my knowledge - but there are risks 
that can be brought under control and must be brought under control.

Let me tell you what I mean about me not blaming anyone.  Being on the 
board of a small nonprofit organization is both incredibly fun and 
rewarding and also totally not fun and thankless, in different respects. 
  That I was contacted by random accountants who were members of the 
public during the last fundraiser, who told me that the UK chapter was 
about to be stricken off the charity rolls for failure to comply with 
government reporting requirements was incredibly alarming to me - and 
yet totally understandable.

I strongly support that chapters should be innovative, creative, and 
independent.  I am not in favor of the Foundation attempting to direct 
the work of chapters in a top-down fashion.  One aspect of that is that 
I think we should have a model in which chapters near-automatically 
receive funds in a timely fashion.

But not automatically, not without accountability to themselves, to the 
communities serve directly, and to the broader movement.  The WMF has a 
moral responsibility to be engaged with this.

--Jimbo