Purpose and background
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If you receive a grant from Wikimedia Foundation, you or someone from your group or organization will need to sign an agreement with Wikimedia Foundation about how you and Wikimedia Foundation will work together on your grant.
Wikimedia Foundation uses a number of different agreements to meet the specific needs of different projects and grantees. These agreements are intended for international use and are not country-specific. Even grantees in the same program or grantees of the same type (groups, organizations, individuals) may need different types of agreements specific to their situations. We have provided some general information here about the types of grant agreements we use, but your grants administrator will choose the appropriate agreement for you and your project if you do receive a grant from Wikimedia Foundation.
In general, each agreement will address the following:
- Your responsibilities for reporting and record-keeping around this grant.
- When to notify WMF of changes affecting you or your grant.
- Requirements for compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
- How and when you can receive grant funds.
- How you can use the grant funds, and what you can and can't use them for.
We encourage you to review the text of your grant agreement carefully once you receive it, and to ask the Grant Administrators if you have any questions before you sign.
Table summary of the grant agreements
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This summary is not a legal document, and you will need to consult the terms of your own grant agreement to understand the requirements there.
Agreement used by
Individuals, Organizations, Groups
Organizations, Groups
Organizations
Organizations
Organizations
Agreement used for
Rapid grants
Conference grants
General support grants
Project related activities
Fiscal sponsorships
Final report required
Within 30 days of end of grant term
As instructed by WMF
Within 30 days of end of grant term
Within 30 days of end of grant term
Within 90 days of end of grant term
Interim reports required
As required by WMF
As required by WMF
1 midterm report and as required by WMF
1 midterm report and as required by WMF
As required by WMF
Financial/expense report required
Within 30 days of end of grant term
As instructed by WMF
Within 30 days of end of grant term
Within 30 days of end of grant term
No
Funds for charitable
or educational purposes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Use of grant funds for lobbying permitted
No
No
No
No
No
Purpose of grant funds
As outlined in Appendix
As outlined in Appendix
As outlined in Appendix
As outlined in Appendix
As outlined in Appendix
Re-granting permitted
Yes, under conditions specified in Appendix
Yes, under conditions specified in Appendix
Yes, under conditions specified in Appendix
Yes, under conditions specified in Appendix
Only to grantee
Separate bookkeeping required
As required by WMF
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Joint account required
As required by WMF (for groups)
As required by WMF (for groups)
No
No
No
Remaining funds
Return within 30 days of grant term
Return within 30 days of grant term or as instructed by WMF
Return within 30 days of grant term or as instructed by WMF
Return within 30 days of grant term or as instructed by WMF
Return within 30 - 60 days of grant term or as instructed by WMF
Maintain financial records and receipts
4 years
4 years
4 years
4 years
4 years
Changes to project budget
Notify WMF of variations of more than 20%, or as instructed
Notify WMF of variations of more than 20%, or as instructed
Explanation all variances in progress report, or as instructed by WMF
Explanation all variances in progress report, or as instructed by WMF
Notify WMF of variations of more than 20%, or as instructed
Conflicts of interest
Notify grants administrator
Notify grants administrator
Notify WMF; Maintain policy
Notify WMF; Maintain policy
Notify program officer or grants administrator
Changes to leadership
(board, staff, key personnel)
Organizations, notify WMF
Notify WMF
Notify WMF
Notify WMF
Notify WMF
Changes to access to grant funds
Notify WMF
Notify WMF
Notify WMF
Notify WMF
Notify WMF
Potential or actual legal or regulatory actions related to the grant
Notify WMF
Notify WMF
Notify WMF
Notify WMF
Notify WMF
Potential or actual legal or regulatory actions related to the grantee
Notify WMF
Notify WMF
Notify WMF
Notify WMF
Notify WMF
Payment schedule
As instructed by WMF
1 installment or as instructed by WMF
1 installment or as instructed by WMF
2 installments or as instructed by WMF
As instructed by WMF
Links to example grant agreements
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