Community microgrants are a project of Wikimedia Czech Republic. They support active community members in organizing events that help develop projects like Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, or Wikidata, strengthen the community, and promote openness to newcomers and regional diversity.
Even a modest initiative can have a big impact on free content for Wikipedia, as demonstrated by a community microgrant awarded to Jan Polák, a dedicated community member who embarked on a documentation trip across the Vysočina region.
Jan attended a gathering of Multicar vehicle owners near Komárovice and over one weekend photographed not only historic vehicles, but also dozens of locations and objects missing from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons. Along the way, he visited the Tesla Museum in Třešť, documented the memorial to the traffic accident of Alexander Dubček, the Třešť railway station, monuments in Luka nad Jihlavou, and for example, the Řehoř Pond.
“During the trip, I ended up taking a total of 468 photos for Wikipedia.” — Jan Polák
He also photographed notable graves in the cemeteries of Humpolec and Luka nad Jihlavou. Jan further documented lesser-known landmarks such as roadside crosses and an old telephone booth. You can find the results of his work on Wikimedia Commons.
What are Community Microgrants?
- What do we support? Editathons, contests, workshops, presentations, courses, expeditions, the creation of a new WikiProject… your creativity is the limit.
- What do we offer? Funding, promotional support, guides, and access to technical equipment.
- Who can apply? Members of Wikimedia Czech Republic or active Wikimedians endorsed by at least 3 members of the association.
- What to focus on? Contribution to Wikimedia projects, inclusion of newcomers, regional diversity, and cooperation with other institutions.
Planning your own event with a laptop or a photo expedition? Apply for a community microgrant!
Photo: Jan Polák, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.