Grants talk:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/General Support Fund/Wikimedia Nigeria Foundation Inc- Annual Activities 2025

Dear Wikimedia Nigeria User Group,

Thank you very much for submitting an application for Round 1 FY 24/25 of the Wikimedia General Support Fund. We appreciate you taking the time to describe your activities and projects in support of the Wikimedia projects and the Wikimedia movement. The Regional Funds Committee has initially reviewed the proposal, and wishes to offer some initial feedback and questions for your review:

• The Committee values the user group’s clear strategic plan, the planned online and offline work on Wikipedia projects and the user groups capacity to deliver microgrants to other communities.
• The Committee also recognizes the user group’s efforts to build on their application from the year before and it is clear that some concerns raised by the Committee have been reviewed and used to improve on their application this year.
• The Committee sees that the office space for the user group is a great opportunity to build partnerships and to offer training and other forms of engagement with their community and beyond.
• The Committee also appreciates the user group’s innovation in using skits to develop engaging content for Nigeria’s internet ecosystem on Wikimedia projects
• Given that the user group is requesting a large budget this round with a lot of activities, the Committee had some concerns about the budget:
• May the user group please clarify why there is a separate event for prizes for each competition, in addition to high expenses for each prize.

We do not have separate events for prizes for each competition. We organise five distinct campaigns annually, each coordinated with different international partners, scheduled at various times of the year (e.g., Wiki Loves Monuments in September, Wiki Loves Africa in April, Wiki Loves Earth in July). Each campaign has a unique budget, including a national prize allocation of USD 300. We do not organise separate events solely to award prizes. However, the types of events organised vary by project. For example, for photo contests like Wiki Loves Monuments and Wiki Loves Africa, we hold photo walks for professional photographers and upload sessions. For the WPWP campaign, we organize edit-a-thons to help add images to Wikipedia articles that lack them. You can review our campaign calendar here

• May the user group also add the number of attendees for their activities in the budget so that it will help inform the rationale for the budget?

This has now been added to the budget.

• May the user group further clarify the increase of 30% in salaries from the previous year, in addition to an increase of 68% of total budget from the previous year, given that the number of participants have decreased from the previous year?

Noting the 2024 budgetary item for salary covers only nine months, the increase partly reflects an adjustment to align with the January-December grant cycle, as mutually agreed with the WMF grant team.

• May you also share the rationale for 30ドル-50/hour in salaries, does this indeed reflect the cost of living in Nigeria?

While we recognise this rate exceeds typical costs of living in Nigeria, these rates were justified for several reasons:

Specialized Skill Sets: The project requires highly skilled personnel in film/documentary production with expertise in oral history, recruited by Wikimedia Nigeria as contractors.

High-Risk Conditions: Due to remote fieldwork and potential hazards, these contractors face significant risks, including potential equipment loss and life-threatening situations. Only a limited pool of professionals is willing to accept such conditions, often at a premium.

Contractor as an Entity: The costs charged by contractors may seem high, but they reflect more than just their professionalism and expertise. Contractors bear significant risks associated with the nature of the production. For instance, they are responsible for covering all associated costs, such as:

1. Replacement or repair in cases of vandalism to equipment.
2. Legal or operational challenges, such as staff arrests or physical attacks by locals.
3. Medical expenses for their staff in case of accidents or environmental hazards.

These risks and liabilities are managed entirely by the contractor, ensuring that the hiring organization is shielded from these additional burdens.

• May you clarify the rationale for why micro-grants offered to 1,000 people represent a third of the participants planned for a budget of 50,000,ドル with management costs of 9,000ドル?

The question is somewhat unclear, as we do not issue microgrants to 1,000 individuals. However, we would like to clarify the structure and management of our microgrant program. Each microgrant provides up to 1,000ドル to fund individual projects, with an average of over 60 grantees funded annually. The grant applications are reviewed by an independent committee and a dedicated grant-making officer oversees all aspects of the program, including proposal review, evaluation, grant award management, monitoring and compliance, reporting, grantee engagement and communication, impact assessment, data analysis, and program improvements. This officer, who earns 750,ドル manages these responsibilities to ensure the effectiveness of the microgrant program. Annual salary of 9,000ドル is fair and reasonable for such a high-skill role. That is less than 10% of the annual}} salary of a grant officer in the U.S for example.

• May you also share a justification for the transport costs as the Committee sees that they are relatively high.

Our transportation costs reflect the logistical challenges unique to this project, including:

Remote Locations: The project requires extensive travel to remote, often inaccessible villages where indigenous speakers reside.

Vehicle Arrangements: Due to the rough terrain and extended hours, we retain vehicles around the clock, including costs for reliable transport, fuel, and vehicle replacements if breakdowns occur.

Security Measures: The project operates in volatile areas, necessitating armed security.

Additional Costs: Expenses include highly experienced drivers, fuel, fees for site access, and compensations for local permissions. Please refer to a comparable cost example here.

• The Committee is interested to learn more about the videos that the user group plans on designing to reach new audiences. May you please share more on this? They are curious to understand more on the animation work that the user group plans on doing (amounting to 4,000ドル). May the user group share more on this line item and what is the expected outcome?

Please refer to the attached script for further details regarding the planned animation work. The objective of the animation is to engage and educate new audiences, conveying the mission of the Wikimedia Nigeria community in an accessible and visually appealing format. The expected outcome includes increased awareness and understanding of Wikimedia’s projects, especially within underrepresented communities in Nigeria.

• May the user group explain what is the rationale for having a separate paid role for a grantmaking support officer, given that there are already existing paid roles in the user group?

The creation of a separate Grantmaking Support Officer role is essential due to the specialized nature of grant-making in the Nigerian Wikimedia community. Some key reasons include:

1. Specialized Expertise: Grant-making requires specific skills, especially in managing grants within diverse and underrepresented communities that are relatively new to Wikimedia's granting process. The officer therefore engage in supporting grantees on developing proposal and report-writing skills within the community.
2. Managing Community Recommendations: The officer oversees community recommendations for each grantee and ensures responses are integrated into the discussion pages, fostering engagement and transparency.
3. Maintaining Grant Cycle Integrity: Grant processes must follow strict timelines to ensure integrity. This is a complex and continuous task that a volunteer cannot manage reliably before the number of time allocated for each cycle. Each Cycle comprises time bound task like; Grant application announcement, convey and supervises committee review, attending to recommendations and reply from grantees on meta page , scheduling of approved grants for payment and reporting. This task doesnt include occasional grant making trainings, attending to specific needs of grantees. Etc.
4. Community Growth and Expansion: Grant-making has been a key driver in the growth of our community, especially through specialized reports that provide critical insights into the community's development see an attached sample report.https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QcFb8hJizn2pgIOR3BPs2M06KYetYtRERqOw4IFy4To/edit?tab=t.0
5. Addressing Nigeria’s Diversity: The officer’s role will be crucial in navigating Nigeria’s linguistic and cultural diversity, ensuring the success of grant initiatives in different regions.

• Regarding the oral documentation project team, may you share why a coordinator is needed beside the director and documentation officer? Can we not find a documentation officer (the one doing the actual interviewing and documenting) who can also do whatever coordinating is necessary?

The role of the Project Coordinator is indispensable for managing and overseeing the project's activities to ensure successful documentation and preservation of oral histories. Below are the key responsibilities of the Project Coordinator:

1. Planning and Scheduling: Developing the project timeline and managing fieldwork activities to keep the project on track.
2. Team Coordination and Communication: Acting as the central point of contact for the team, ensuring collaboration and clear communication among all team members.
3. Community Engagement: Coordinating with local communities and stakeholders to ensure cultural sensitivity and respect during fieldwork.
4. Training and Capacity Building: Organizing training for team members on interviewing techniques and technical skills related to audio or video recording.
5. Data Management and Documentation: Overseeing the collection, organization, and archiving of interview materials, ensuring they are securely stored and easily retrievable.
6. Quality Control and Compliance: they engage the production crew to ensure content meets project standards and ethical guidelines.
7. Budget and Logistics Management: Tracking expenses, managing resources, and handling logistical aspects such as travel arrangements.
8. Outreach and Publicity: Promoting the project and raising awareness of its goals and outcomes.

The Documentary Director in oral history documentation focuses on the creative and technical aspects, such as framing, lighting, and overseeing post-production processes to ensure the final product aligns with the project’s goals. They ensure that the content is engaging, authentic, and culturally sensitive. The Documentation Officer plays a key role in managing and preserving the collected data. Their responsibilities include organizing raw data, ensuring quality control, overseeing transcription, managing permissions, and maintaining ethical standards in data collection. Considering the scope and specialized nature of each role, it would be technically impossible for the Documentation Officer to also manage the coordination responsibilities, as each role requires distinct and dedicated focus.

• The Committee would also like further clarification on the graphic design costs of 100ドル/month for (digital) flyers for the Naija office hours. Considering that there is a volunteer who is the graphics and creative officer, may you explain this expense further?

A volunteer works on graphic design for the Naija Office Hour and all our graphics work. However, Naija Office is one of our flagship events, held every two months, and not every month as mentioned in the question (six times a year), and serves as a platform for conversations that engage the Wikimedia community and the Nigerian public. Given its role in connecting our community with a broader audience, we have deployed a promotional strategy to increase awareness and participation in the event through paid social media engagement. To meet this need, we estimated 30 USD for Facebook, 30usd for Twitter and 20usd Instagram for social media engagements and a balance of 20usd as a subsidy to cover the stipends for the graphic designer's internet, energy subisidy and other related costs for each engagement. This cost represents the estimated 100ドル per event, amounting to a total annual expenditure of 600ドル for social media promotions.

• The Committee would also appreciate additional detail to the timetable and constraints of activities listed, as this will ensure that the user group has the capacity to implement the programs specified.

The activities outlined can be grouped into five categories, each with a specific timetable and constraints:

Campaigns (e.g., Wiki Loves Events)

Timetable: These campaigns are typically held annually, lasting 1-2 months.

Constraints: Challenges include maintaining volunteer engagement over an extended period and handling a large volume of submissions. We manage these by breaking the campaigns into phases (e.g., launch, submission, judging) with clear guidelines and technical support. Partnerships also play a crucial role in mitigating these challenges.

GLAM (e.g., Oral History Project)

Timetable: This project spans several months, with outreach and partnerships in the first 2 months, fieldwork in the next 3 months, and content curation in the final 2 months.

Constraints: Logistical challenges such as securing permissions, coordinating travel, and managing data security. We address these by leveraging pre-established partnerships and utilizing virtual tools for fieldwork management.

Capacity Development (e.g., Training the Trainers)

Timetable: Training sessions are held quarterly, focusing on skills such as editing, community management, and event facilitation.

Constraints: Variability in participants' availability and skill levels. We evaluate participants’ skills in advance and offer flexible training options, both in-person and online, with follow-up mentoring.

Content Creation/contests (e.g., Edit-a-thons)

Timetable: These events occur monthly or bi-monthly, often centered around specific themes like local languages or notable figures.

Constraints: Issues such as limited internet access or time constraints for participants. We mitigate these by offering data stipends, pre-uploading reliable references, rewarding outstanding performances, and providing post-event follow-up support.

Education Programs (e.g., Wiki in Schools, Wiki Fan Clubs)**

Timetable: These programs run continuously and align with the academic calendar (semester-based).

Constraints: Ensuring sustained engagement throughout the academic year. We address this with mentorship programs, periodic check-ins, and a reward system to encourage consistent participation.

Advocacy

Timetable: Advocacy efforts are ongoing, focusing on key policy frameworks like the National Language Policy.

Constraints: Engaging high-profile stakeholders and navigating regulatory complexities. We overcome these challenges by building formal partnerships and aligning advocacy goals with national priorities to ensure visibility and relevance.

• The Committee is curious to learn more on how the user group gathered community insights and feedback in developing the strategic plan and proposal. May you share more on this? To ensure the programs are meeting the needs of participants, may you share your structured feedback system, how this you will systematically collect and analyze feedback from participants, and how this feedback will inform future program design.

We gather insights and feedback through a variety of channels to ensure that our programs are effective and aligned with community needs. The process is as follows:

Community Insights & Feedback Gathering

1. Community Consultations: We engage stakeholders, including volunteers, content creators, and educators, through online surveys, virtual meetings, and open discussions. These consultations help us identify community needs, priorities, and areas for improvement. For example, a demographic survey earlier this year helped us understand the community better, guiding our resource allocation.
2. Workshops & Focus Groups: We also organize in-depth workshops and focus groups to explore challenges in content creation and local engagement. These sessions foster collaboration and generate solutions for program improvement.
3. Post-Event Feedback: After major events like edit-a-thons, we collect feedback through surveys to assess the effectiveness of the activities and identify areas for improvement.

Feedback Collection Mechanisms

1. Surveys & Questionnaires: We use post-event surveys to gather both quantitative and qualitative feedback, enabling participants to rate their experiences and provide suggestions.
2. Online Polls & Discussion Threads: We utilize polls and discussion threads on platforms like WhatsApp and mailing lists for ongoing feedback.
3. Direct Feedback Channels: We offer real-time feedback channels via email and social media for participants to voice their opinions continuously.

Data Analysis

1. Quantitative Analysis: We analyse survey data to identify trends, satisfaction levels, and common concerns.
2. Qualitative Analysis: Open-ended responses are reviewed to identify recurring themes and actionable insights.

Feedback Review & Implementation

We regularly analyse the feedback in team meetings, identifying patterns and concerns. This allows us to:

1. Address common issues raised by participants.
2. Develop action plans to improve program elements.
3. Adjust future events based on feedback, such as refining the event format or improving communication strategies.

Informing Future Program Design

1. Incorporating Feedback into Program Adjustments: We adapt our programming based on feedback. For example, if participants find certain workshops too advanced, we may offer beginner-level sessions. If there’s a demand for localized content, we prioritize it in future projects.
2. Continuous Improvement: Feedback is an ongoing process. Each program provides valuable insights, ensuring that our strategic plan remains dynamic and responsive to the community’s evolving needs.
3. Community-Driven Decision Making: We incorporate community feedback into our decision-making process, ensuring that our activities align with the interests and needs of the community.

This ongoing feedback loop ensures that our programs remain relevant, impactful, and aligned with the goals of Wikimedia Nigeria.

• The Committee recognizes that there is a very active Wikimedian community in Nigeria, and that there are other user groups in Nigeria. How is the user group collaborating with other user groups and how do they ensure that there is no overlap in activities?

Wikimedia Nigeria actively collaborates with other user groups in Nigeria to enhance the effectiveness of our initiatives, share resources, and amplify our collective impact. We recognise that all groups share a common mission: advancing free knowledge. Our approach to collaboration ensures that we avoid duplication of efforts and strengthen the Wikimedia movement in Nigeria. Here is how we collaborate and ensure no overlap in activities:

1. Collaboration with Other User Groups

Joint Programs and Initiatives: We regularly partner with other Nigerian user groups, including the Igbo Wikimedians User Group, Hausa Wikimedians User Group, Yoruba Wikimedians User Group, and Tyap Wikimedians User Group, to co-organise events such as edit-a-thons, workshops, and awareness campaigns. For example, all Wiki Loves events are jointly hosted as a community, and we recently collaborated on the inaugural Wikiconference Nigeria.

Sharing Knowledge and Best Practices: To enhance cooperation, Wikimedia Nigeria participates in cross-group discussions where we exchange insights, challenges, and solutions. These dialogues facilitate the sharing of best practices in areas like content creation, community engagement, and event planning. A recent initiative, the Public Advocacy Group, includes leads from all Nigerian Wikimedia affiliates to strengthen cross-group engagement.

Coordinating Events: For larger events, we proactively coordinate with other user groups to avoid competing activities and maximise participation. We have established regular communication channels, including mailing lists and WhatsApp groups, to discuss and align our event schedules. For instance, each working group for the planning of Wikiconference Nigeria was led by representatives from all recognised affiliate members in Nigeria.

2. Ensuring No Overlap in Activities

Centralised Planning and Communication: We maintain an open and transparent communication system with all Nigerian user groups. Through regular planning meetings and digital platforms, we ensure all user groups are aware of each other’s activities, preventing duplication and ensuring complementary efforts.

Clear Division of Focus Areas: Each user group has specific focus areas that align with regional languages and cultural priorities. For instance, the Igbo Wikimedians User Group focuses on Igbo language and culture, while Wikimedia Nigeria handles broader national programs. This clarity ensures that each group’s contributions are unique and prevents redundancy.

Feedback and Monitoring: We regularly assess our collaboration efforts through feedback from participants and partner groups. If any overlap or redundancy is identified, we adjust our strategies to better synchronise future activities. This feedback loop ensures that our collaboration remains efficient and adaptable.

• How is the user group draw the line between what is considered volunteer work from what are paid salaries for staff?

The distinction between volunteer work and paid staff roles at Wikimedia Nigeria is clearly defined by the scope of responsibilities, task nature, and level of commitment required. Here’s how we differentiate between the two:

Volunteer Work

Volunteer work is carried out by individuals who freely contribute their time, skills, and expertise without financial compensation. Volunteers support Wikimedia’s mission by participating in various activities.

Characteristics of Volunteer Work:

Project-Based Contributions: Volunteers typically engage in specific projects or events, such as edit-a-thons, workshops, or content creation initiatives. They may help with tasks like editing Wikipedia articles or assisting with event organisation.

Flexibility and Autonomy: Volunteers have the freedom to choose how much time they dedicate, with no formal contract or long-term commitment.

Unpaid Roles: Volunteers work without financial compensation, though they are recognised through non-monetary rewards such as certificates, recognition, or professional development opportunities. We reimburse out-of-pocket expenses when needed.

Involvement in Community-Centric Tasks: Volunteer work is typically focused on content enhancement and community engagement, such as organising events, supporting outreach programs, and mentoring newcomers.

Paid Staff Roles

Paid staff positions are associated with specific, ongoing tasks that require more regular involvement, specialised expertise, and professional commitment. These roles go beyond the scope of occasional volunteer work.

Characteristics of Paid Staff Roles:

Ongoing and Consistent Commitment: Paid staff are responsible for regular, full-time or part-time tasks, such as managing partnerships, overseeing grant applications, or executing long-term outreach campaigns.

Specialised Expertise: Staff roles require specific skills and knowledge, such as project management or documentary direction, to ensure the proper functioning of the organisation.

Clear Work Hours and Expectations: Paid roles come with defined working hours, job descriptions, performance expectations, and compensation structures. Staff are contracted or salaried and are responsible for tasks like budget management, reporting, and complex project execution.

Professional Services: Paid staff often manage tasks that require professional qualifications and formal expertise, such as coordinating large-scale partnerships or ensuring compliance with operational standards.

• You mention in your proposal that you plan on reactivating partnerships, may you share what partnerships in particular that you plan on reactivating?

We are planning to reactivate the following partnerships

1. African Women in Media (AWiM) - We partnered to organize the visibility project, a projects that has resulted in training more than 800 women across Africa
2. Wiki Women Radio Program - We partnered with the radio station to create awareness for Wikimedia projects in Nigeria.
3. Goethe-Institut Nigeria - We partnered to organize several projects including the Wiki Loves Women project
4. Eloy Awards and Exquisite Magazine - Technical/Outreach Partner for International Women’s Day 2019
5. CEE-HOPE - We partnered to organize various capacity building programs for women.

• The Committee recommends that the user group adopt formal agreements (e.g., MOUs) with partners to outline long-term goals, resource commitments, and mutual benefits. This would help solidify relationships and ensure continued collaboration beyond specific events or projects.

This recommendation would be implemented as suggested by the Committee

Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you on the comments shared and if you would like to meet with the regional funding committee, please inform the program officer. FElgueretly-WMF (talk) 09:26, 1 November 2024 (UTC) Reply

Hello FElgueretly-WMF, thank you and the committee members for taking the time to review our proposal, as well as for your questions, suggestions, and recommendations for improvement. We have provided our responses inline above.Thank you once again for your time and support. T Cells ^Talk 22:21, 17 November 2024 (UTC) On behalf of the Wikimedia UG Nigeria.Reply

Dear Wikimedia Nigeria User Group Team,

Thank you for your thorough and ambitious proposal for the General Support Fund for Round 1 of FY 24/25. We are impressed by your clear strategic plan, innovative approaches and your commitment to building capacity within the Wikimedia community in Nigeria.

Following an in-depth review, the MEA Regional Funding Committee has approved 203,500 USD for this funding round. This decision reflects our confidence in your ability to execute impactful activities while addressing some concerns about budget allocation and long-term sustainability.

Budget Adjustments. While your proposal outlines several interesting initiatives, some costs require adjustments to ensure efficient use of resources. Specifically:

Animation Costs: The budget for animations (4,000 USD) is not fully justified. We recommend reducing or repurposing this allocation.

Staff Costs: Salaries appear disproportionately high. Consider revising staff remuneration to better reflect the scope and scale of activities.

Leadership development and succession planning. To ensure the sustainability of Wikimedia Nigeria UG, we encourage you to begin considering a succession plan that prepares the next generation of leaders to step into key roles in the user group, with particular focus on leadership development to build the capacity of existing members and volunteers, strengthening organizational and community governance , reducing reliance on external hires for tasks like grant writing. Moreover, to ensure the financial health of the user group, we also encourage you to conduct an audit that accounts for the user group’s finances, which will bolster trust and accountability within your user group and the broader Wikimedia community.

We would hope to learn about the progress and outcome of the audit during our mid-learning conversation.

It would be great if you could share an updated budget that reflects reductions in animation costs, staff costs, and other high-expense items, and that throughout this grant period you share how you plan on enhancing leadership development, succession planning, and financial oversight.

We deeply value the significant contributions of Wikimedia Nigeria UG to the Wikimedia movement and your ongoing efforts to engage with and support the Wikimedia community in Nigeria. With these adjustments, we believe your team will achieve even greater success.

On behalf of the MEA Regional Funds Committee, FElgueretly-WMF (talk) 09:47, 14 December 2024 (UTC) Reply