[Foundation-l] Omidyar Network Commits $2 Million Grant to Wikimedia Foundation

[Gerard Meijssen]

Hoi.
When I read that people with a seat on the board aren't supposed to be paid,
I hope you mean that they are not paid by the Wikimedia Foundation. Because
the alternative is that all people on the board have to independently
wealthy and if that is the case I am relieved that I only just lost from SJ
in the board elections ...

I had a talk with Matt at Wikimania ... and he seems to be an OK kind of
person. He came across as thoughtful and given that his focus will be very
much on the strategy of the WMF and his experience is in this direction, I
think a lot of thinking power is now online for us to think in terms of
strategy ... That is imho a good thing.
Thanks,
     GerardM


2009/8/27 Anthony <wikimail at inbox.org>

> On Thu, Aug 27, 2009 at 3:23 AM, Joshua Gay <joshuagay at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > When Matt Halprin is on the board of Wikimedia, he is doing his job for
> > Omidyar Network.
>
>
> That's quite an accusation.  WMF board members aren't supposed to be paid.
>  If they're paid by a third party, is that okay?
>
>
> > So, yes, I think ON has bought a seat on the board, and I even think that
> > it
> > is likely that Matt personally orchestrated that it.
>
>
> Even that is problematic, though more from the point of view of the ON and
> not the WMF.  If the ON, through its 501(c)(3), bought a seat for $2
> million
> and gave it to Matt Halprin, who is free to act in his individual capacity,
> isn't the 501(c)(3) in essence giving Halprin $2 million?
>
> These are interesting questions, but ultimately, not our problem.  The WMF
> and the ON are not community-run foundations.  We have no legal right to
> demand answers.
> _______________________________________________
> foundation-l mailing list
> foundation-l at lists.wikimedia.org
> Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-l
>