Internal:Partnership guide
Status: Draft
This document details the strategy by which Wikimedia District of Columbia will engage with partner organizations in holding outreach events and for other purposes.
Purpose
WIkimedia DC benefits when it has the opportunity to partner with organizations on events that further the mission of the organization. Partnerships allow us to share resources and experience, to include more people into our organization, and to work on innovative projects based on a common interest. Wikimedia DC has partnered with several institutions in the Washington, D.C. area, including high-profile organizations like the Library of Congress, and we will continue to maintain and pursue these kinds of partnerships.
This plan is developed to ensure that Wikimedia DC gets the greatest benefit possible out of a partnership, and to ensure that Wikimedia DC can provide the greatest benefit possible for its partners. A quality partnership requires the active involvement of Wikimedia DC, and this plan describes how to achieve this.
Policy
Under the Delegation of Authority Policy, the President of Wikimedia DC has the authority to enter into agreements and carry out transactions in the course of ordinary business, provided that he or she consults with the Board of Directors where feasible. The policy describes specific exceptions to the authority granted to the President.
Wikimedia DC will not enter into partnerships that do not further the mission of Wikimedia DC. The President may determine at his or her discretion whether a partnership is appropriate for Wikimedia DC, Further, Wikimedia DC will not enter into partnerships that would jeopardize its status as a Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization or would otherwise violate the law. For example, a partnership involving a political organization for the purpose of electioneering would be inappropriate, as would a partnership for a project contrary to the Wikimedia movement's values.
The President may determine at his or her discretion whether Wikimedia DC can pursue a particular partnership. The Treasurer has the authority to deny funding for any program or expense that would jeopardize Wikimedia DC's financial position or would violate relevant laws and regulations.
Tracking partnerships
The Technology Committee is responsible for maintaining a central database for Wikimedia DC to store information regarding the persons and institutions it has contacted. The purpose of this is to create an institutional record of inter-organizational relationships that anyone working under Wikimedia DC's employ can use. This database should include:
- Name of partnering institution
- Name of contact(s) at partnering institution
- Contact information for contact(s) at partnering institution
- Events and programs pursued with partnering institution
- Resources, financial and in-kind, contributed to or received from the partnering institution.
- Name and contact information of the Wikimedia DC representative adding the information
When a Wikimedia DC officer, director, staff member, or volunteer ("Wikimedia DC representative") engages with a representative of a partnering institution, the Wikimedia DC representative is responsible for recording this information into the database.
Event strategy
The President or the Event Coordinator should appoint a specific person or persons to represent Wikimedia DC at a planned event. The responsibility of the representative(s) is to assist with organizing the event beforehand, attend the event on behalf of the organization, and to report on the event to the Board of Directors upon the completion of the event.