Frequently Asked Questions

re•shape – A Wikimedia Program to support knowledge equity is a program initiated and funded by Wikimedia Deutschland, being run with neue deutsche organisationen – das postmigrantische netzwerk e.V. as program partner and LAMSA e.V., Migration Lab, Migrationsrat Berlin e.V., Multikulturelles Forum e.V., RomaniPhen e.V. and SUPERRR Lab as network partner.

For Wikimedia Deutschland, Free Knowledge means knowledge that is available, changeable and reusable free of charge to everyone at any time. The most well-known source of Free Knowledge is the free online encyclopedia Wikipedia.

Knowledge Equity is a term from the Wikimedia Movement which stands for fair, worldwide access to the processes of shaping and disseminating knowledge. When we speak of knowledge equity, we mean recognizing inequalities and dismantling systemic barriers to ensure that all people, regardless of their social or economic status, have access to knowledge and can participate in its production and dissemination.

Free licenses are licenses that allow you to use, distribute and modify copyrighted works. Where “all rights reserved” is the norm in copyright law, with free licenses this condition changes to “some rights reserved”. Depending on the license used, everyone is entitled to use the work in many different ways, such as editing or distribution without the need to first enter into more detailed, individual agreements with the copyright holders – as long as they comply with the conditions of the relevant license. Creative Commons licenses are the most commonly used free licenses, but there are many more out there. Each of these licenses permits different types of use and modification. Working with free licenses therefore also involves weighing up the pros and cons that broad-scale accessibility entails. You can find more information and an overview of the various different free licenses here.

re•shape – A Wikimedia program to support knowledge equity? is a program in which communities that are affected by racism can engage with the opportunities and possibilities afforded by Free Knowledge to share and spread marginalized knowledge. The aim of the program is to improve the reach of knowledge of marginalized communities through the use of free licenses. This will be achieved through independent projects, each of which will receive up to €5,000 funding, plus non-material support in the form of workshops and consultation. The program also offers space for exchange as well as networking opportunities.

neue deutsche organisationen – das postmigrantische netzwerk e.V. are program partners and will take on an advisory and co-designing role in the program.

LAMSA e.V., Migration Lab, Migrationsrat Berlin e.V., Multikulturelles Forum e.V., RomaniPhen e.V. and SUPERRR Lab are network partners and will support in distributing and disseminating the program as well as – to different degrees – engage in supporting and consulting the projects.

re·shape refers to the dynamic processes of reshaping and forming new. The program will support funding recipients in reshaping, reforming and defining anew what we as a society know, what we consider to be worth knowing and what we think about when making social and political decisions. We are referring to the dynamic process by which a pluralistic society and interactions within that society are shaped by access to knowledge and information. Questions of power play a significant role here in determining what becomes knowledge and what is included in official narratives. This, in turn, shapes how we as a society interact with one another, which perspectives and interests we center and which are written off as less important or irrelevant. The aim of this revision and rethinking process is to help make marginalized knowledge of communities that experience racism accessible and more visible through free licenses, in order to contribute to a caring society and to the formation of informed opinions.

The projects will be communicated via the social media channels and newsletters of neue deutsche organisationen – das postmigrantische netzwerk e.V. and Wikimedia Deutschland. Whether you, as program participants, wish to be named is up to you.

The kick-off and closing events will take place at our office in Berlin. The interim event will be held in Brandenburg, the exact location will be announced later.

The main language of the program is German, but translations to and from English are possible. When applying, you will be asked which of these two languages you would like to generally use for communication within the program and how good your knowledge of the other language is.

The funding phase begins with a kick-off on November 22 and 23, 2024, and ends with the closing event from June 27 to 29, 2025.

The supporting program consists of workshops, networking and consultation as a way of giving participants a space to engage with Free Knowledge and with how Free Knowledge projects and free licenses can be used to increase the visibility of marginalized knowledge. The content of these workshops and the consultation provided will be adapted to the needs of participants and their projects. This means that if you are selected to receive support and funding, you will be involved in deciding what you learn.

A total of ten projects will be funded, each of which can be carried out by 1-3 people. Thus, between 10 and 30 people will participate in the program.

We have limited the group size to three people to ensure that participation in the in-person events and exchange with other program participants is equally possible for all participants. Larger groups can apply, but only three people can directly participate in the program.

Conversational-level language skills in German or English are required to participate in the program. Participation in the kick-off, interim, and closing events is an important component for non-material support, exchange, and networking – if participation is not possible, we should be informed as soon as possible to find individual solutions. We expect an interest in Free Knowledge and the publication of project content under a free license. Prior experience and knowledge in the field of Free Knowledge are not expected. Additionally, a postal address in Germany and a bank account are required. Charitable organizations must also enclose proof of charity status, their charter and proof of registration as a charitable organization with their application, as well as a one-page case and finance report at the end of the program for tax reasons.

Each project will receive up to €5,000 in financial support. The program will further provide a space for learning how to work with free licenses in practice. In addition, each project will have the opportunity to get support and consultation on Free Knowledge and any questions regarding the project implementation.

If program events cannot take place in-person they will be held online via Zoom. A stable internet connection will be required in such a case. We will notify you well ahead of time if other digital tools will be used. The individual technical requirements for your specific project must also be satisfied; in some cases, hardware can be loaned out.

The rights to the project and its content will remain with you, as the copyright holder, under the conditions of the license you have chosen. The funding recipients and their projects will be presented or referenced on our online presence.

Content published under a free license will be available for use by the general public under the terms and conditions applicable to your chosen license.

No, participation is free. In addition, the projects will receive up to €5,000 in funding. We will also cover your travel and accommodation costs for attending events and can provide childcare.

Participation in the events and (online) workshops is central for networking and the implementation of the non-material support. If you already know that attending one or more events will be difficult or impossible, please contact us in advance, and we will find an individual solution.

We aim to make re•shape as accessible as our resources allow. We try to reduce and transparently communicate barriers.

• Communication Language: Much of the communication in the program will be digital via email or spoken language at events. Within the program, we communicate in German and English, with translations between the two languages during the events if needed. We are aware that events and exchanges mostly center on spoken language. If we are informed of needs as soon as you get the funding approval, we can plan for interpreters for spoken language to the extent that our resources allow. While the communication languages are German and English, the project language can be chosen freely. We are working to prepare information in an accessible manner.
• Attendance: Participation in the events is central for networking and the implementation of the non-material support. If you cannot attend an event, please contact us as early as possible, and we will find an individual solution.
• Work pace: There are no performance-based queries of project status in the program. We are interested in the questions and the answers the projects find for themselves.
• Event Locations: The kick-off and closing events will take place at the office of Wikimedia Deutschland e.V. The Wikimedia Deutschland office is on the first floor and is accessible by stairs and an elevator. The office has wide corridors and double doors that can be fully opened. Access to toilets is between 60 and 80 cm wide. There are no accessible toilets in the office. Disability toilets will be organized for events if needed. The office has low-stimulation rooms available for retreat. The interim event will take place in Brandenburg, the exact location and information on accessibility will be announced later.
• Technology: For digital appointments like the information session on 3 September (5:00 PM), we will use Zoom.

If you participate in the program as an individual or as part of an informal group, you will be funded through a personal scholarship. The funding amount of up to €5,000 will be paid per project – if you participate as an informal group, the sum will be divided among you according to your wishes. Charitable organizations will receive the funding through funding agreements – whereby the amount depends on the financial plan handed in with the application.

Payouts will be arranged in two installments (bank transfer), one in the beginning and one towards the end of the program period.

We assume a funding amount of €5,000 per project. Sometimes, a lower amount might better meet the funding needs, such as when an organization can only provide evidence for an amount under €5,000 or an individual can only receive a limited additional income. We only reduce the amount upon explicit request.

Our only condition is that the money is used for or in support of the project implementation. This can happen in various ways, such as purchasing consumables or booking services. It can also cover your living expenses or childcare costs.

The requirements vary depending on whether you are participating as an individual, as part of an informal group, or as a charitable organization:

• Individuals and informal groups: Submitting individual receipts is not necessary. All we need is a brief report on the learnings and reflections during the project implementation and on how the money was spent.
• Charitable organizations: Towards the end of the funding period, you will need to submit a one-page case and finance report along with receipts for your expenses.

The regulations differ depending on whether you are participating as an individual, as part of an informal group, or as a charitable organization:

• Individuals and informal groups: Scholarships are tax-free under certain conditions according to § 3 No. 44 Income Tax Act. Scholarship holders are responsible for the proper taxation of the scholarship, for maintaining any insurance, and for obtaining any necessary third-party consents for receiving the scholarship. Wikimedia Deutschland does not guarantee the tax exemption of the scholarship. If the scholarship is taxable, the stated amounts are gross amounts.
• Charitable organizations: Charitable organizations are generally tax-exempt, so no taxes need to be paid on the funding.

As a charitable association, Wikimedia Deutschland is tax-exempt – just like the charitable organizations we want to support with re·shape – A Wikimedia program to support knowledge equity. We require the requested documents as evidence that donations have been used according to our charter.

Funding for projects run by individuals is provided to individuals personally. You can apply as an informal group. The €5,000 of funding will be distributed among up to three members of your group according to your requests. Additionally, up to three people of the group can take part in the non-material support and program events.

Applications can be submitted from Thursday, August 15, 2024, to Sunday, September 15, 2024 (11.59 PM). More information about the application process can be found here.

The program is aimed at individuals and communities who experience racism and have an interest in engaging with free knowledge. Applications are open to individuals aged 18 and over, as well as groups, charitable initiatives, and organizations (e.g., associations, archives, networks) from Germany. Prior experience with Free Licenses and platforms of free knowledge is not required.

Projects from communities experiencing racism that aim to create more space and improve visibility for marginalized knowledge are eligible for funding if they aim to publish their results under a free license. A community connection is required, allowing knowledge to be shared autonomously. The format and focus of the project can be freely chosen. The selection of applications is based on the funding criteria.

We have tried to make the application form as short as possible. The time it takes to fill out the form depends on individual factors, but it generally takes about 45-90 minutes. The form does not need to be completed in one go – you can save your application as you go. Additionally, we do not require perfect grammar or spelling for a successful application.

Wikimedia Deutschland offers a wide range of funding opportunities that encompass various aspects of community engagement around Wikipedia. Support options include literature scholarships, equipment loans, organizational support for event planning, and travel reimbursements for community meetings. Detailed information about funding opportunities can be found here.

Feel free to bring your questions to our office hours (during the application phase, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM at 030-577116220) or the information session (Tuesday, 3 September at 5:00 PM). You can also email your questions to reshape@wikimedia.de.