Organizational Growth & Development Network

The purpose of the Organizational Growth & Development Network (OGDN) is to enable Wikimedia chapters to operative effectively and efficiently, to fundraise at a professional level, to become and remain established local representatives of the Wikimedia movement, and to become and remain reliable partners for the Foundation and other Wikimedia chapters. Succes of the network is defined as a state where all Wikimedia chapters will consider themselves and act as integral parties of the Wikimedia movement.

Pilot project

To build the network, a pilot project has been started by four chapters, led by Sebastian Moleski, current chair of Wikimedia Germany. The objective of the pilot project is to determine whether chapter organizational growth and development can be supported effectively and efficiently through a deliberate combination of grant giving and consulting assistance.

Requirements of satisfaction

The pilot project is deemed successful if it catalyzes organizational growth and development among the four participating chapters. More specifically, success will be defined as follows:

Each participating chapter has engaged in a strategic planning process outlining its own vision and goals while engaging all significant stakeholders.
Each participating chapter has set for itself a one year plan outlining the program activities it wants to engage in and the resources needed to realize them.
End-of-term evaluation of the pilot project by each chapter show an 80% approval rate.

Project participants

Wikimedia Czech Republic
Wikimedia Hungary
Wikimedia Netherlands
Wikimedia Sweden

Tasks

Pre-Commitment Assessment

Prior to getting chapter participants to commit, a preliminary external assessment is created outlining the chapter’s history, potential areas of assistance, key individuals involved, and size of the related community. The result will be used to customize the pitch thereby increasing the chance of commitment as well as speed of project execution after launch. The project will be presented to the board’s chair or similar with authority to make the commitment.

On-Boarding

Once commitment is secured, the project will be presented to the full board in a special meeting. This meeting will provide opportunities for initial feedback and getting a better feeling of the chapter’s challenges and “atmosphere”.

Assessment

The next step is a thorough 360 degree assessment of the chapter’s situation, vision, challenges, needs, wants, and concerns. A large portion of the assessment will be conducted through individual interviews with past and current board members, general chapter membership, volunteers, engaged donors, community members, Foundation staff and board members, and, where applicable, members of staff and contractors. The interviews will be supplemented with general surveys and a review of activity reports, meeting minutes, and any other available documentation. The results of the assessment will be presented to the board and discussed in a dedicated meeting.

Strategy development & planning process

Based on the results from the assessment, a strategy development process will be proposed, refined, and agreed by the chapter’s board and other decision-making bodies, as appropriate. The general elements of the process will include stakeholder analysis, mission statement, vision definition, priority setting, and establishment of long- and mid-term strategic goals. First steps of this process will be executed with facilitation through us.

(a) In parallel, we will facilitate a faster planning process covering a horizon of 12 months. Special emphasis will be placed on engaging Wikimedia project communities, chapter membership, and other relevant stakeholders. The result of this process will include a set of potential program activities as well as an understanding of the resources needed to realize them.

OR

(b) Capacity building based on a specific chapter need, as identified during or following assessment.

Project evaluation

Near the end of the pilot project, a comprehensive evaluation of the project’s effectiveness will be prepared. The evaluation will be compiled from individual evaluations by each participating chapters as well as evaluations by members of the project team.

Deliverables

Assessment report for each participating chapter
Strategy planning process for each participating chapter
Chapter activities plan for the following twelve months
Comprehensive pilot project evaluation

Milestones

Chapters has agreed to participate in the pilot project.
Chapters development needs and interests have been assessed
Customized strategic planning process has been agreed
First steps of planning process have been completed
Activity plan for the following twelve months has been established

Preliminary schedule

November 2010: project proposal accepted by Wikimedia Foundation
November - December 2010: commitment by five chapters to participate (i.e. Hungary, Czech Republic, Sweden, United Kingdom, Netherlands)
January 2011: on-boarding with all chapters
February - March 2011: individual chapter assessments
March - April 2011: strategic development process creation
May - June 2011: strategy development & activity planning
June 2011: project evaluation and continuation decision

Resources

The available human resources for this project will include two part-time consultants (Sebastian Moleski and Anna Royon-Weigelt) and a research assistant (to be named).

Sebastian Moleski is the current President of Wikimedia Deutschland and CEO of a German IT services company. He has been an active contributor to Wikimedia projects since 2004 and a member of the Wikimedia Deutschland board since 2007. In 2008/2009, he also served as the chapter’s interim executive director. He has a degree in Economics from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas.
Anna Royon-Weigelt has been a facilitator for organizational change and strategy development since 2001 and a licensed mediator since 2010.. She has also worked as a professional coach for current and future expatriates focusing on intercultural communication and career development. In 2009 and 2010, she facilitated the initial board retreats of Wikimedia Deutschland which each focused on the chapter’s strategy development. Also in 2009, she facilitated many of the chapters sessions during the first annual Wikimedia Conference in Berlin. She has a degree in European & International Law and a degree in Legal Sociology from Université Panthéon-Assas in Paris, France.

Tech and office needs will be met as needed. For some activities, local meetings with chapter board members and other affiliated individuals will be required.

Budget

Item	Ext.
Preliminary assessment (5.8 hrs x 4 chapters)	€1,740
On-boarding (13 hrs x 4 chapters)	€3,900
Assessment (26 hrs x 4 chapters)	€7,800
Strategy development, planning (62.4 hrs x 4 chapters)	€18,720
Travel (3 meetings x 4 chapters)	€6,500
Materials, supplies	€1,400
Project preparation, management, evaluation	€9,975
Project total	€50,035

Funding

Generally, participating chapters will fund costs of participation themselves. The Wikimedia Foundation has generously offered to provide funding for chapters in need of financial assistance through the chapters grants process.

Progress reports

FAQ

What is the chapter development pilot project?: The pilot project is an experiment at supporting chapter growth and development through a sensible combination of grant giving and consulting assistance. Within a rough timeframe of six months, four chapters will engage in a thorough 360 degree assessment of their own performance and outlook and start a strategy development process for their organization. The project will end with a comprehensive evaluation and a recommendation on how to continue.

Who is driving the pilot project?: The project is a joint effort of Wikimedia Sweden, Wikimedia Czech Republic, Wikimedia Netherlands, and Wikimedia Hungary led by Sebastian Moleski. Generous support is provided by the Wikimedia Foundation's Global Development team.

How can my chapter partcipate?: Primarily for practical reasons, the scope of the pilot project was limited both in time and geography. For the mentioned timeframe, only those four chapters will be actively participating. If the evaluation shows that the approach used here is successful, the project is expected to be extended to other interested chapters. Since all the findings of the project will be published here, every chapter will have the opportunity to draw from these results and use them for their own needs, even if they are not actively participating.

How can I become a consultant for Wikimedia chapters?: Once the project has concluded, a decision will be made regarding how to proceed from there. If the project is continued, there will be a need for more experienced Wikimedians to engage as consultants. We'll make public announcements about this as soon as is possibly, likely in August of 2011.

Who can I talk to if I have more questions?: You can use the talk page to ask any questions about the project. Please also feel free to contact Sebastian directly.