[Imc-finance] Answers about funding proposals:

[Sascha Meinrath]

Hi Marc,

Any IMC can make a proposal for a funding disbursement from the Global 
Indymedia Account.  Depending on the amount requested the discussion 
period varies:

EMERGENCY FUNDING: 2 Days
REGULAR FUNDING below 500$: 1 week -- with 1 day extensions by request.
REGULAR FUNDING above 500$: 2 weeks -- with 1-week extensions by request.

Aside from Ememgency funding (which is expected to be less than $500 --
though this is not a hard and fast rule), authors of proposals are
expected to make a good-faith effort to translate their proposals into _at
least_ one other language (some examples from previous postings include
English, Spanish, French, Portuguese).  Discussion on proposals usually
continues until outstanding concerns have been addressed and a proposal is
considered passed once the posted decision-deadline passes and there are
no blocks from other IMCs.

Other criteria you should be aware of:

1. There has been a tacit agreement that the emphasis for Global
Indymedia funds is to allocate them within the Global South.

2. Most funding requests have been for less than $500.

3. IMCs are expected to search out other funding sources (i.e., not to
just rely on Global Disbursements) -- this is especially true of IMCs
located in the Global North.

4. Innovative funding strategies and ideas are encouraged (e.g., matching 
funding, loans, etc.).

The Global Finance Group has yet to make in-kind donations; however there
are multiple groups throughout the Indymedia (and allied-organizations)
Network that are willing to work to get supplies distributed, write 
grants, etc.

In terms of the process utilized -- sending a formal proposal to the
IMC-Finance list usually gets things started...  occasionally, it's
helpful to send a quick reminder to the list admins (rememeber, we're
volunteers and often swamped ;) that you've posted a proposal.  If you'd
like to see how this process has worked previously, take a look at the
archives from June & July of this year for examples:

http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/public/imc-finance/2003-June/date.html
http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/public/imc-finance/2003-July/date.html

Let me know if you have any further questions.

In solidarity,

--Sascha Meinrath
Urbana-Champaign IMC