Årsmøte 2011/Styrets beretning/en
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Wikimedia Norway - Annual report, 2010-2011
This is a translation of Styrets beretning
- This is an unauthorized translation of the original Annual report, notified to the "Årsmøte" (Annual Chapters Assembly) of "Wikimedia Norge" (Wikimedia Norway), on April 9, 2011.
In the period 2010-2011, the Board of directors of Wikimedia Norway has consisted of Jarle Vines, Lars Åge Kamfjord, Anne-Sophie Ofrim, Erlend Bjørtvedt, Jørund Leknes, Morten Haugen, Lars Roede and Trond Trosterud. Proxy memebrs of the board have been Harald Groven and Jon Harald Søby. From April 19, 2010, till April 9, 2011, the Board of Wikimedia Norway has carried out most of the action points proposed in the 2010-2011 Activity Plan; organized a Wikipedia Academy, celebrated the 10th anniversary of Wikipedia, offered training courses to external users, wikipedia meet-ups for contributors, and ten Board meetings. The organisation is considerably strengthened with a two-three-fold multiplied membership figure, and a solid financial situation. The working procedures of the Board of directors have been improved and made transparent to the outside wold. The relationship with the other ombudsmen of the organisation, and the outside public, has been improved.
At the 2010 Annual Chapters Assembly (Årsmøtet 2010), the present Chairman of the Board proposed an Action Plan which was notified to the annual assembly. The Activity Plan identified a number of Key Initiatives: to improve the organisation's economy, trust and openness, enlist more members, and work for more available access to public photographic material. The Activity Plan advocated the continuation or ordered termination of ongoing external projects, and chose to prioritize training cources for external users and communication directed at the general public. The Activity Plan indicated priority to a 2010 Wikipedia Academy, and potential projects within the area of public education.
In the period April 2010 - March 2011, the Board has acted on all these Key initiatives, and carried trhough projects in addition to what the Plan identified. Focus has been on Key initiatives by strengthening the organisation and developing trust among members and the general public. Thanks to great contributions from a number of members, the organisation has been able to carry out much external communication, parallell to the aspiration of strengthening the organisation internally.
Trust and openness
The Board of directors of Wikimedia Norway has re-established the close relation that should exist between the elected bodies of the organisation. The Elections and Auditing Committee has been included in organisational processes, and had full access to all information that the Board has handled. Already at an early stage of the mandate year, the Board identified priority to external communication, and internal communication with members. Regularly, information emails were distributed to members.
Membership and finances
At the Annual Chapters Assembly in April, 2010, the chapter had approximately 30 members. During summer and fall, 2010, the Board conducted a considerable recruitment of new members, and at the end of 2010 the organisation had 97 members. Recruitment continued at a somewhat lower level in early 2011, first and foremost, as a result of the celebration of the 10th anniversary, and recruitment in conjunction with Wikipedia Academy 2011. The Board finds that the considerable recruitment and expansion of the membership has contributed in enhancing the legitimacy of the chapter.
To assist recruitment, the Board has got t-shirts and pins from an external sponsor to distribute as member give-aways, and for sales to external audiences.
The chapter's finances were very poor in April, 2010. In early 2010, contracts over expensive accounting services were concluded at an annual expense of some 50.000 NOK. The Board became aware of these agreements after the 2010 Annual Chapters Assembly, and terminated them as soon as possible. Further, just before the 2010 Annual Chapters Assembly, considerable amounts were transferred to individual board members without mandate from the Chapter Budget. The combined effect of these measures was that all liquidity was lost, and only the grant from the Sametinget remained. Therefore, efforts to restore finances demanded more resources than anticipated at the Annual Chapters Assembly. The Board has secured a substantial volume of private donations and membership fees through recruitment. From being severe, the financial situation at the start of 2011 was very good. Transfers to previous board members without sufficient budget mandates or documentation, have to a large degree been paid back to the chapter. Efforts to restore finances have demanded focus from two board members in close collaboration with the Elections and Auditing Committee.
To enhance the Board's financial management, it has ratified a Board and Financial Procedure document, which establishes detailed routines for Board proceedings, protocollar practices, financial dispositions and reporting, including account management and continuous financial oversight. Monthly financial reports are distributed to the Board, the The Elections and Auditing Committee, and the Auditor.
In late summer, 2010, the Auditor elected by the Annual Chapters Assembly withdrew from his position, since he totally abandoned his professional occupation as a registered auditor. The Board, in close collaboration with the the Elections and Auditing Committee, then decided to name an internal auditor - Finn Rindahl.
Access to public photographic material
The Board has given high priority to the notable lack of freely licenced photographic materials in Norway, a situation that imprints on Norwegian-language Wikipedia versions. At this point, the Board has not managed to achieve break-throughs. A visit and study of the possibilities for a pilot project with the museum world has been conducted, and the Board has delivered two well documented applications to the "Fritt Ord" Foundation. Unfortunately, the foundation has not accepted the applications.
Training courses and wiki-pods
The Chapter has carried out a considerable number of training courses, with fruitful assistance from individual members. In the mandate period, editing trainings have been conducted for the Directorate for Climate and Pollution (Oslo), the aid and development oriented youth organisations (Oslo), the Municipality of Moss (Moss), The Institute of Local History (Stavanger, etc), the Directorate for Public Management and Information Technology (Oslo), the University of Stavanger, The National Health Library, the Hospital Inland (Brummunddal), the environmental organisation Zero (Oslo), and continuous training over two days during the Wikipedia Academy 2011 (Oslo). Presentations of the Wikipedia project and functionality have been given to the companies Melings (Stavanger), Computas (Oslo), and Telenor (Oslo). Further, Wikimedia Norway presented itself to IT officers from higher education at the 2010 Uninett conference in Stavanger, in December, 2010. Wikipedia was also demonstrated to new users at Oslo Book Fair 2010, where Wikimedia Norway had its own stand.
External communication
The Chairman of the Board has been more visible in the media throughout 2010. In the mandate period, Wikimedia Norway has had some 25 media exposures. They basically fall into two cathegories - the Chairman's media profile during the year (Stavanger Aftenblad, A-Magasinet, etc), and news stories relating to the 10th anniversary in January 2011. Media relations were ardently nurtured to promote the anniversary, with many, local press stories via NTB just after Christmas. The so-called "Allkunne case" of January 4, also contributed to a number of press clippings in niche media.
First of all, the anniversary marked a break-through with many, and solely positively inclined, news stories in national media (Aftenposten, NRK, etc). This turning point was also clearly felt globally, the Wikipedia project obtained a positive break-through in international media at the trun from 2010 to 2011. The Chapter got further, positively inclined press coverage in conjunction with the Wikipedia Academy 2011 - in Aftenposten on March 24, and in the technical weekly Teknisk Ukeblad.
For the first time, Wikimedia Norway has had its own stand at the Oslo Book Fair, informing on the project, distributing brochures and a newspaper, and demonstrated the Wikipedia functionality to by-passers. The stand had a substantial attraction of visitors, and was evaluated as a success. For the stand, a roll-up was provided by a sponsor, which delivers profiling materials for events.
Further, the Board has established good relations with Norsk Nettleksikon, through meetings, presentations to "Fritt Ord", the Norwegian Association of Non-Fiction Authors, and at the Norsk Nettleksikon board strategy workshop on February 10, 2011. One Board member represented the University of Tromsö in the project group for Norsk Nettleksikon, and one Board member has been in dialogue with the project group after the launch of Norsk Nettleksikon in Oslo. The dialogue is established from the fundamental assumption that Norsk Nettleksikon is a much needed supplement to Wikipedia, which should succeed, because competition between alternative encyclopedias makes them both better.
Political lobbying
The Board has conducted some political lobbying in the form of meetings, with a focus on the need for opening up public data and photographic materials. Meetings range from representatives of both the coalition parties, and the opposition. In conjunction with Wikipedia Academy 2011, WMNO got a two hours meeting with the Ministry of Administration, Information Society and Reform (FAD), including a meeting with the Minister, Mrs Rigmor Aasrud. This meeting focused on the importance of the Government sharing freely licensed information, data, and photographic materials. In conjunction with the meeting, the Government announced that they release their own photographis database (prev. ODIN) in a CC-BY lisence.
Membership, sponsors, and corporations
In the mandate period, Wikimedia Norway has been a member of ICT Norway and the study organisation Populus. In March 2010m agreement for membership has been reached with Movation / Innovation Forum, which will yield access to important arenas and event facilities. Wikimedia Norway has also had good co-operation with RORG on editing training of NGOs. In the Wikipedia community, Wikimedia Norway has organized an Article competition which ended on January 2, 2011. The competition has fine prizes and attracted considerable participation. The prizes have sponsoring from Norwegian Air Shuttle. Sponsor agreements have also been reached with Melings (member give-aways), and Opera Software (Wikipedia Academy).
Throughout its history, Wikimedia Norway has had only one corporate member. The Board has not attached priority to recruit corporate members, other than inquiring with sponsors from 2009 with a request to prolong support. Regarding sponsors, the volume and number of partners is approximately at the same level as in 2009-2010.
Higher education and schools
In the mandate period, the Board has tried to identify the possibilities of a co-operation for "FRIDA" publishing points for scientific publication through Wikipedia. These efforts have focused on the University of Tromsö, the institution that is most involved in this field in 2010-2011. There has been a change of the publishing points team at the University of Tromsö, which produced a delay in these efforts from the Board.
The Board has started inquieries over how Wikipedia articles can be developed to support educational goals for primary education. This has been aiming at identifying and linking to Wikipedia articles that can act as complementary learning materials or background material in primary education. The efforts are thus far in the project phase, and have been discussed informally with the National Digital Education Arena (NDLA), and the Center for ICT in Education.
Expert communities
In the mandate period, there has been a positive development relating to Wikipedia's reputation within the GLAM sector. In December, 2010, the Norwegian Architecture Portal (NAP) was formally abandoned and continued as a portal at the Wikipedia bokmaal version (.no), as a result of considerable effort from the board. This provided Wikipedia with a substantial resource of professionals in the field of architecture. In Febuary-March, 2011, the Board had two meetings with the Culture Council ("Kulturrådet"), which signals clear interest in a closer co-operation with Norwegian Wikipedia versions.
During winter, 2010-2011, a "Wikipedian in Residence" was also installed at the National Museum of Cultural History ("Norsk Folkemuseum"), with assistance from the Board. The Board enjoys good relations with this professional community, and the relations of the Norwegian cultural community to Wikipedia were presented at Wikipedia Academy 2011. Throughout 2010, a relation also developed between Wikimedia Norway and the Norwegian Health Library, which has contributed with medical-related articles during the whole year. The Health Library presented its work at the bokmaal version of Wikipedia at Wikipedia Academy 2011.
Wikipedia's 10th Anniversary
Wikipedia's 10th Anniversary on January 15, 2011, was celebrated with a large event at the Literature House ("Litteraturhuset") in Oslo. A total of 60 people listened to small keynotes by Ulf Larsen, Espen Andersen (BI), Francis Sejersted (Fritt Ord) and Haakon Wium Lie (Opera Software). There was also a debate between Wikimedia Norway and Allkunne, and the anniversary received good media coverage.
Wikipedia Academy
Due to the difficult financial situation after summer 2010, the Board decided not to arrange any Wikipedia Academy in 2010. Instead, the event was postponed till March 2011, and organized in co-operation with the conferences "Go Open" and "FSCONS". Sponsorships for the event were applied for from Opera Software, ICT Norway, and NUUG Foundation. There were some 40 participants attending the academy. Keynote speaker was Erik Möller from Wikimedia Foundation, and he was also keynote at the Go Open opening day. The theme of the academy was two-fold: Wikipedia's strategy for the next ten years, and recruitment of contributors from expert environments outside academic institutions. Focus was dedicated to practical use of Wikipedia in presentations and trainings during Wikipedia Academy.
Saami project
On July 3, 2009, Wikimedia Norway got a grant from the Saami Thing ("Sametinget") on up to NOK 300.000, to enhance the use of Wikipedia in the Saami language. The grant was awarded with NOK 175.000 connected to progress by July 2010, with an option of a further 175.000 thereafter. In 2009-2010, the development of a software application or script to measure article contributions was initiated, aimed at rewarding user contributions. Per April 2010, no grants had been used. After it's mandate started, the present Board of Directors got the progress deadline for Phase 1 postponed by 1 year, and during summer 2010 the Board entered advertisements in Saami newspapers. Response came from a few potential contributors. However, recruitment has been slow and contributive editing protracted. In March, 2011, the Board was contacted by the Saami College who wanted to receive editing training, and this request was followed up with th agreement of a course to be held at the Saami College on April 10, 2011. The board thus was an opening for recruiting potential Saami-langauge contributors, but is still prepared to return un-utulised funds and terminate the project if efforts do not progress in 2011.
Board meetings
In the mandate period, the Board has had eleven meetings. There has been no real distinction between "Board meetings" and "Work meetings". Some half were physycal meetings, while the other half were conducted via Skype.
The Board of Directors of Wikimedia Norway has met on the following occations during the mandate period 2010-2011:
- 2010 - April 19, May 18, June 16, July 8, August 8, September 1, November 2, December 16
- 2011 - January 27, March 18, April 9
Financial Report
- Org No.: NO-993 101 583
Profit and loss statement (NOK)
| Post | 2010 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|
| Project grants | 0,00 | -46 178,01 |
| Presentatons, etc | 0,00 | -2 000,00 |
| Sales | -125,00 | 0,00 |
| Grants from WMF | 0,00 | -25 952,57 |
| Membership fees private [1] | -17 225,00 | -4 500,00 |
| Membership fees corporate | 0,00 | -10 000,00 |
| Gifts private [1] | -51 616,00 | -3 450,00 |
| Gifts corporate | -16 000,00 | 0,00 |
| Revenues | -84 966,00 | -92 080,58 |
| Depreciations and amortizations | 2 287,00 | 0,00 |
| Localities rentals (WA 2009 and OBM 2010) | 16 504,00 | 18 075,00 |
| Other event rentals | 0,00 | 1 039,00 |
| Computing costs | 1 000,00 | 1 912,50 |
| Accounting services [2] | 32 520,00 | 0,00 |
| Auditing | 3 750,00 | 0,00 |
| Meetings, training, etc (WA 2009) | 10 293,00 | 19 788,00 |
| Mail, telephony, media costs, etc | 1 419,00 | 0,00 |
| Membership fees | 750,00 | 0,00 |
| Bank fees | 718,00 | 14,00 |
| Other csts, deductable | 698,00 | 1 226,01 |
| Costs | 69 938,00 | 42 054,51 |
| Operational result | -15 028,00 | -50 026,07 |
| Interest recieved | -318,00 | -143,1 |
| Interest paid | 0,00 | 12,7 |
| Financial result | -318,0 | -130,4 |
| Annual result | -15 346,00 | -50 156,47 |
| Transferred to Profit and loss account | 15 346,00 | 50 156,47 |
| Disposed annual result | 15 346,00 | 50 156,47 |
- Note 1
- There were 89 membership fees from private members in the calender year 2010. Further, there were gfits from private individuals amounting to 48 transfers from 10 persons. Three individuals have had a fixed, monthly transfer in 2010. Two indivals have donated NOK 10.000 or more, and a total of six have donated NOK 1.000 or more.
- Note 2
- The Board (of the mandate period 2009-2010) in July, 2009 entered into agreements over accounting services with the accounting services provider 24SevenOffice, and in November, 2009 with the accounting provider AccountonIT, concerning accounting services for the chapter. The agreements had a three and four months expiration period, respectively, and were terminated by the present Board in June, 2010, when the Board was informed of the agreements. The costs in the 2010 Profit and loss statement are all related to these agreements.
Balance Sheets (NOK)
| Post | 31.12.2010 | 31.12.2009 |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed assets (rollup) | 2 500,00 | 0,00 |
| Current assets - deptors | 35 767,14 | 25 000,00 |
| Fixed and current assets | 38 267,14 | 25 000,00 |
| Cash at Bank 1503.08.00866 | 225 594,63 | 220 457,38 |
| Total assets | 263 861,77 | 245 457,38 |
| Merchandise, rollup, etc | -12 375,00 | 0,00 |
| Previous profits and losses | -20 300,91 | 0,00 |
| Last years' profits | -50 156,47 | -20 300,91 |
| This year's profits | -15 346,38 | -50 156,47 |
| Other capital (Profits and losses) | -98 178,77 | -70 457,38 |
| Retained grants, Sametinget | -165 683,00 | -175 000,00 |
| Assets and capital | -263 861,77 | -245 457,38 |
Project Statement, Sametinget (NOK)
| Post | 2010 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|
| Revenues | 0,00 | 0,00 |
| Advertisement, Sagat | 6 425,00 | 0,00 |
| Advertisement, Avvir Saami | 2 892,00 | 0,00 |
| Other costs | 0,00 | 0,00 |
| Result | 9 317,00 | 0,00 |
- Board of directors' statement
Oslo, 1.april.2011,
Signatures:
Jarle Vines, Chairman
Lars Åge Kamfjord, Vice Chairman
Erlend Bjørtvedt, Secretary
Anne-Sophie Ofrim, Chancellor
Lars Roede, Board member
Trond Trosterud, Board member
Jørund Leknes, Board member
Morten Haugen, Board member