Olay sa Wikipedia:Bikol Wikipedia Exhibit and Bikolano Digital Heritage Launching

WMPH does not provide stipends. This practice was discontinued since we would be reimbursing other expenses related to implementing a project. -- Namayan (olay) 11:13, 23 Enero 2013 (UTC)

Hi! This is dindin. May i clarify that the stipend indicated in the project cost is in part the labor cost the would be incurred in the actual setting up of the exhibit. Could this be considered?

Hi Dindin, this is a great initiative. I would have to be frank though and I already relayed to Irvin some of the concerns I (as a member of the Board and Treasurer) have regarding this project, let me break this down to: (I apologize this would rather be long)

• Timing – This is just too soon to commence (Jan. 28), barely allowing the Board to even deliberate it, the first Board meeting for 2013 is on Sunday, Jan. 27. In several exchanges I've had with Irvin I had always advised him to submit proposals at least two months in advance.
• Funding – the "Microgrants Fund" where we source the funds for Philippine Wikimedia Communities, has been almost consumed practically by the Bikol Community. I'm still holding up some of Irvin's reimbursements until he submits the project report of the 5th Bikol Wikipedia Day events held two months ago.
  The operational budget that we have is virtually used up, it was a grant from the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) in October 2011, which was carried over into 2012 (we did not ask for replenishment last year) in order to synchronize our funding requests with WMPH's fiscal year (calendar year), we had been following WMF's fiscal year (June to July). We are synchronizing it so it won't cause a confusion once we submit WMPH for accreditation by the Philippine Council for NGO Certification (PCNC). We are under obligations with the WMF to pursue a status where donations to us would be tax free, and RA 8424 (Internal Revenue Code) mandates PCNC to provide the standards that would have to be met.
  We have some left-over funds from a previous project, which we cannot touch, until our request to re-appropriate it is approved by WMF's Grants Advisory Committee (GAC) which deliberates on grant requests for at least a month some even more. I also happen to be a member of the GAC that's why I'm very familiar with the process and time frames.
  The Board meeting on Sunday will discuss the budget we are proposing to the GAC to obtain approval to re-appropriate the left over funds for other purposes and ask for additional funding for our operational budget for the year and other projects that have been requested. More or less that approval can only be secured by the first fortnight of March. Only by that time that the left over funds could actually be dispensed for other purposes.
• Independent projects – We are not keeping you holed-up in a situation that you cannot proceed with your project without the Board's approval. You may still pursue the funding of this project or any project that you may think of by submitting a Grant proposal here: http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grant (you may check the Eligibility requirements there) and operate and implement the project independent of WMPH. The bad news is, the GAC takes a month or two to deliberate it.
  On the other hand, if the project would be pursued under the auspices of WMPH, we would always suggest that project proposals be submitted at least two months in advance to allow the Board to deliberate it, and obtain insights from the proponent if ever there's a need for clarifications. If we don't have any more available funds to provide, we will be the one to process the grant request and defend it before the GAC. Pursuing projects independently would be a good learning experience too, formal assistance from officers of WMPH may not be easier to obtain though as that would already be beyond their responsibilities as no one is paid to perform these tasks. -- Namayan (olay) 15:04, 23 Enero 2013 (UTC)

Please clarify these statements: "I also happen to be a member of the GAC that's why I'm very familiar with the process and time frames." and "If we don't have any more available funds to provide, we will be the one to process the grant request and defend it before the GAC." There must be a conflict of interest here. --Filipinayzd (olay) 07:17, 24 Enero 2013 (UTC)

Asaf Bartov can answer that for you in length, but in a nutshell if a GAC member is part of the project or the proponent of the project he cannot participate in the deliberation of the grant except to answer questions or clarifications being raised by the GAC. -- Namayan (olay) 13:07, 24 Enero 2013 (UTC)

I just feel a lot of "animosity" in the context of Namayan's response. It is just that the latter complicates the matter which I believe was simplified in the first hand. The project proposed is simple but the process of obtaining funding has so obviously been complex and confusing to undertake. I understand the concern of "liquidation" which obviously is the reason behind such complexities. I really doubt WMF is imposing such a complex requirements. Or may be the people at WMPH are just making it more complicated. As my management professor always remind us with apologetics: "Please SS" which means: "Please Simplify Stupid." Though I felt the pain in my bosom when I heard him say that, but it works a lot. Just a suggestion please. Thanks. Geopoet (olay) 00:28, 24 Hulyo 2015 (UTC)