[Wikimedia-l] Fwd: [Chapters] Question: How do we define lobbying?

Sat Apr 20 06:22:31 UTC 2013

Certainly, it's possible: lobbying can be funded via the Wikimedia Grants
Program, and the process is precisely the same as with any other type of
activity.

Detailed instructions at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Index

    Asaf
On Apr 20, 2013 3:38 AM, "Samuel Klein" <meta.sj at gmail.com> wrote:

> I believe the WMF can spend $1M a year on lobbying (per Doug's
> comments, our budget, and our current choice to use the 'expenditure
> test').  We currently spend almost none of this -- which I think is
> too little.
>
> http://www.irs.gov/Charities-&-Non-Profits/Measuring-Lobbying-Activity:--Expenditure-Test
>
> Also worth noting: some related activity is not considered lobbying.
> If you are unsure about whether a project that you think is important
> would include lobbying, it is worth asking for specific advice.
> http://www.clpi.org/images/pdf/Exclusions%20from%20Lobbying%20Color.qxp.pdf
>
> I would like to see a discussion (on the Grants talk page) on how a
> group might apply specifically for a lobbying grant. That would at
> least let the WMF calculate how much was being spent in lobbying
> across all of its [lobbying grants] for the year.   Is this possible?
> I don't know if there are further restrictions on funds spent on
> international lobbying.
>
> SJ
>
>
> On Fri, Apr 19, 2013 at 9:17 PM, J Alexandr Ledbury-Romanov
> <alexandrdmitriromanov at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Forwarding a reply from a non member of the list.
> >
> > Alex
> >
> >
> > ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> > From: rexx <rexx at blueyonder.co.uk>
> > To: Wikimedia Chapters general discussions - closed list <
> > chapters at wikimedia.ch>
> > Cc: Wikimedia Mailing List <wikimedia-l at lists.wikimedia.org>
> > Date: Fri, 19 Apr 2013 18:04:45 +0100
> > Subject: Re: [Chapters] Question: How do we define lobbying?
> > I was aware that in the USA non-profits can lobby, but there are limits
> on
> > how much they can spend on it. The most restricted type of non-profit is
> a
> > 503(c) and such an organisation may choose to spend up to 20% of their
> > first $500,000 of annual expenditure on lobbying - the maximum any 503(c)
> > may spend on lobbying in a year is $1,000,000.
> >
> > I assume that the WMF would need some mechanism to ensure that the grants
> > it makes do not become used for lobbying in such a way that the total
> > exceeds the $1M total - which would jeopardise their tax-free status. It
> is
> > therefore perfectly understandable that WMF may decide that the easiest
> way
> > to be certain is to bar the use of granted funds for lobbying completely.
> > If we wanted to move away from that, each grantee would probably need a
> > more complex accounting system to be able to reassure the WMF that
> spending
> > on lobying was strictly limited. I'm not suggesting such a system would
> be
> > impossible, only that it would require some negotiation between Chapters
> > and WMF.
> >
> > Some quick Google results for background reading:
> >
> > http://www.clpi.org/the-law/faq
> > http://apps.americanbar.org/buslaw/blt/2009-03-04/mehta.shtml
> >
> http://www.asaecenter.org/Resources/whitepaperdetail.cfm?ItemNumber=12202
> >
> > Cheers
> > --
> > Doug Taylor
> >
> >
> > On 19 April 2013 16:37, Fae <faewik at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >> In a workshop in the Milan conference, there was a break-out
> >> discussion led by Iolanda (WMIT) on lobbying. There is a lot of
> >> interest in finding ways of supporting change in copyright legislation
> >> and open knowledge access in as many countries as possible.
> >>
> >> One of the interesting features of the WMF agreement when providing
> >> funds under the FDC process is that this money should not be used for
> >> lobbying. During the coffee break I had a quick chat with Garfield
> >> (the WMF CFO) about a possible clarification. My understanding from
> >> that chat was that if there were valid reasons for lobbying in support
> >> of our cause, this should be a separate grant for traceability
> >> reasons, it is not intended to imply a blanket ban, but traceability
> >> is needed to satisfy the IRS. If a chapter has separate income from
> >> the WMF, then there is no concern as this is a matter for the
> >> individual chapter board and membership to worry about.
> >>
> >> I think this is a useful clarification, and this ought to be followed
> >> up as an action from our workshop.
> >>
> >> I would welcome any comments from the wider community on what sorts of
> >> lobbying as a movement that we definitely want to support, encourage
> >> and possibly provide funds for, and if we could come to a clearer
> >> definition of what lobbying is (such as political protest) and things
> >> we do as a community that is not quite lobbying, even though it may
> >> relate to government legislation (such as publishing a white paper
> >> with our summary of the benefits of changes in copyright law).
> >>
> >> Cheers,
> >> Fae
> >> --
> >> faewik at gmail.com http://j.mp/faewm
> >> Guide to email tags: http://j.mp/mfae
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> >> Chapters at wikimedia.ch
> >> https://intern.wikimedia.ch/lists/listinfo/chapters
> >>
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>
>
> --
> Samuel Klein          @metasj           w:user:sj          +1 617 529 4266
>
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