[Foundation-l] Funding for the newly elected Board Members

Mon Jun 21 00:48:40 UTC 2004

Delirium wrote:

> daniwo59 at aol.com wrote:
>
>> I know that the Wikimedia is currently strapped for cash. However, I 
>> would like to propose that we cover certain key expenses for our 
>> elected board members relating to their participation in Wikimedia 
>> work. For instance, telephone calls overseas should be covered by the 
>> Foundation, and not the elected representatives. A broadband 
>> connection should be covered by the Foundation as well.
>>  
>> While every participant is doing their work on Wikipedia and the 
>> other projects voluntarily, Ant and Angela are expected to represent 
>> us, the users. We should make it as easy for them as possible.
>
>
> I wouldn't consider this a high priority---certainly far below buying 
> servers, which we already don't have enough money to buy.  Unless we 
> find ourselves in a situation where we have so much cash we don't have 
> any place it could better be spent, I think a better approach would be 
> to simply use email to communicate like everyone else does.  As for 
> internet connections, I assume anyone involved in the project already 
> has one (how else would they be Wikipedians, given that this is 
> primarily an internet-based project?).

Adding a qualification to this: I wouldn't be opposed to voluntary 
donations by people who feel strongly about this.  If there are expenses 
that are turning out to be problematic, there could be a fund-raising 
campaign to provide funding for the board members.  But this should come 
out of specific donations for that purpose: people should know they're 
donating specifically to the "Wikimedia board of trustees communication 
and travel fund" or something.

This is something I feel somewhat strongly about, especially since 
someone mentioned how other organizations routinely do it: they are most 
definitely not models to emulate.  A great many non-profit organizations 
are inefficient, wasteful, and often simply corrupt, with a relatively 
small percentage of their money going towards their actual stated mission.

-Mark