The Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees has scheduled another fundraising drive for December and is advertising for a professional conference organizer to assist with next year's Wikimania conference.

The Board released minutes from a meeting held earlier this month, indicating that a fundraiser has been scheduled to start 1 December. It will run for three weeks, similar to the most recent drive during August and September. Unlike previous fundraisers, no fixed amount has been stated as a goal, and the fundraiser will simply last for the period of time set.

This schedule is moved up compared to earlier discussions, which had tentatively focused on holding the next fundraiser after the new year. Additional funds remain critical to supplying the hardware necessary to keep the site operating. As part of the meeting, the Board authorized an additional $50,000 expenditure for hardware, but noted that this "could stretch thin available cash resources." Since then, the fund drive start date was moved back a week. It will now be held from Friday 9 December to Saturday 31 December.

Meanwhile, the Wikimedia Foundation is also looking for an experienced professional to help with Wikimania 2006, to be held in Boston in late July or early August. The conference organizer will be hired on a contract basis and work part-time as needed during the year, and full-time prior to and during the conference. Fluency in English and at least one other language is desired. Interested parties are instructed to contact the Board directly about the position.

In additional activity, the Board decided not to give its approval yet to the launch of a proposed Wikiversity project (see archived story), but indicated that with some changes and further discussion the possibility remains open for the future.