This article was published in January 2011.
RationalWiki is owned and operated by The RationalMedia Foundation; the goal of this article is to highlight and clarify the role of the Foundation, particularly in its relationship with managing the website.
General goals
- Promote, encourage and support projects that fit with our mission statement
- Support the development of software that promotes collaborative content creation and community interaction
- Engage with other organizations and communities with similar values
- Interact with the media, government officials, private companies, and individuals to promote science, critical thinking, and rational discourse
Role in the RationalWiki site
- Ensure the availability of both hardware and software infrastructure
- Keep the content produced safe
- Provide financial support
- Create and fill needed technical and management positions
- Encourage the development of software and tools to support the community
- Promote the site to the community at large
- Serve as the primary administrative contact
- Intercede in legal issues arising over content published on RationalWiki
What the Foundation is not
- The Foundation does not exercise editorial control over any of the content on RationalWiki
- The Foundation does not make community policy, oversee governance, or act as the final arbitrator of disputes
- Content on RationalWiki is not sanctioned by, or an official statement of the Foundation
- Board members and officers posting on RationalWiki are not doing so in an official capacity unless specifically stated
Long term goals
3 year plan
- Develop financial, technical, and management independence from the founder
- Start engaging the media on issues of promoting science and critical thinking
5 year plan
- Become a major player within communities and between other organizations with similar values
- Promote policy and rational discourse on a wider level
10 year plan (Let’s dream big!)
- Become the single largest provider of free content from a scientific and rational perspective
- Develop global contacts and support to become a major player in policy initiatives related to our mission
- Be able to help direct the discourse on topics of science and critical thinking around the world
