[OSM-talk] [Osmf-talk] Should OSMF run another microgrants round?

[Pete Masters]

Hi JJ, how are you?

As a Lead mapper in my country my concern is to see grants given by Hot or
> OSMF to people that do not even are mappers or regular mappers, that make
> nice "willines" presentations, get the money and them their project never
> happen or become just a mere fraction of what was "sold". And looks like
> nobody at the "granters" control, cherck or verify that the money spent has
> gone really to osm efforts and not to the pouches of some "clever" guys.
>
> The granting process should also consult the local communities to verify
> that the applicants are really mappers and that the project has a real mean
> and not is just a lot of smoke and mirrors to get "easy" money.
>
> Not easy to swallow that people get good money to do NOTHING to the map,
> when you spent hundreds if not thousand of hours mapping for good.
>

I don't think there is any doubt that some applications for the HOT
microgrants (I wasn't involved in the OSMF programme applications) are
'chancing it' - i.e. applying with projects or work that isn't really
appropriate or relevant to the purpose of the funds. I don't think there's
a funding programme in the world that doesn't attract people who give that
a try and hope that no-one notices. Having been involved with grassroots
funding programmes beyond the OSM ecosystem, I also think it's quite normal
for people to over-promise in applications, especially if they lack
experience.

That said, I would argue that it isn't true that HOT (specifically) doesn't
make any effort to see that microgrant projects are of high quality and
achieve the ambitions of the community that successfully pitched for them.
We work extensively with microgrant community partners and try to provide
training and support throughout the programme. We also conduct due
diligence as part of the application process and have developed systems to
try and ensure that the funds are well spent. It's also worth pointing out
that, in response to constructive critiques on the granting process, all
recent HOT microgrant applications (including the names of the applicants)
have been published on the OSM wiki for community review and feedback
before any decision has been made by a committee.

I don't disagree that sometimes the things you describe can happen (and I
can understand how frustrating it must be if it does), but I think they
happen fairly rarely.

I also wanted to respond because I think many communities and contributors
involved in the microgrant programmes (HOT and OSMF) have done really good
things with the opportunity that microgrants provide... Personally, I think
it's a good thing and would like to see the OSMF develop and improve the
programme.

Cheers,

Pete

On Sat, Oct 23, 2021 at 10:16 AM Juan Jose Iglesias G <jjiglesiasg at gmail.com>
wrote:

> As a Lead mapper in my country my concern is to see grants given by Hot or
> OSMF to people that do not even are mappers or regular mappers, that make
> nice "willines" presentations, get the money and them their project never
> happen or become just a mere fraction of what was "sold". And looks like
> nobody at the "granters" control, cherck or verify that the money spent has
> gone really to osm efforts and not to the pouches of some "clever" guys.
>
> The granting process should also consult the local communities to verify
> that the applicants are really mappers and that the project has a real mean
> and not is just a lot of smoke and mirrors to get "easy" money.
>
> Not easy to swallow that people get good money to do NOTHING to the map,
> when you spent hundreds if not thousand of hours mapping for good.
>
> Those are my concerns about these grants.
>
> BsRgds
>
> JJ.Iglesias
> BOLIVIA
>
> El vie., 22 oct. 2021 17:15, Amanda McCann <
> amanda.mccann at osmfoundation.org> escribió:
>
>> Hello OSMers,
>>
>> In 2020 (& onwards) the OSMF ran a microgrants programme (
>> https://wiki.osmfoundation.org/wiki/Microgrants ) , and distributed
>> about €50,000 to 12 projects. You can read the report from the Microgrants
>> Committee here:
>> https://wiki.osmfoundation.org/wiki/File:OSMF_Microgrants_report_2020-21.odt
>>
>> The OSMF Board is often asked if we're going to do another round. No
>> decision has been taken, but I and others are pleased with the results, and
>> I am tempted to run a similar microgrants round again.
>>
>> But first I want to ask you, the OSM & OSMF membership. Do you think we
>> should do it again?
>>
>> --
>> A. McCann
>> Secretary
>> OpenStreetMap Foundation
>>
>> Name & Registered Office:
>> OpenStreetMap Foundation
>> St John’s Innovation Centre
>> Cowley Road
>> Cambridge
>> CB4 0WS
>> United Kingdom
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>> Registration No. 05912761
>>
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