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The '''Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.''', abbreviated '''WMF''', is an American [[501(c)(3)]] [[nonprofit organization]] headquartered in [[San Francisco]], [[California]], and registered there as [[foundation (United States law)|a charitable foundation]].<ref name="Hanson2016">{{cite book|first=Jarice|last=Hanson|title=The Social Media Revolution: An Economic Encyclopedia of Friending, Following, Texting, and Connecting|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ePEZDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA375|year=2016|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-61069-768-2|page=375}}</ref> It is the host of [[Wikipedia]], the seventh [[List of most-visited websites|most visited website]] in the world. In addition, the foundation hosts 14 other related content projects. It supports the development of [[MediaWiki]], the [[wiki]] software that underpins them all.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jacobs |first1=Julia |title=Wikipedia Isn't Officially a Social Network. But the Harassment Can Get Ugly. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/08/us/wikipedia-harassment-wikimedia-foundation.html |work=The New York Times |date=April 8, 2019 |access-date=August 29, 2021 |archive-date=September 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210914160713/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/08/us/wikipedia-harassment-wikimedia-foundation.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Cohen |first1=Noam |title=Wikipedia Is Finally Asking Big Tech to Pay Up |url=https://www.wired.com/story/wikipedia-finally-asking-big-tech-to-pay-up/ |magazine=Wired |date=March 16, 2021 |access-date=March 17, 2021 |archive-date=March 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210317004641/https://www.wired.com/story/wikipedia-finally-asking-big-tech-to-pay-up/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Culliford |first1=Elizabeth |title=Exclusive: Wikipedia launches new global rules to combat site abuses |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-wikipedia-rules-exclusive-idUSKBN2A21PW |work=Reuters |date=February 2, 2021 |language=en |access-date=August 29, 2021 |archive-date=August 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803193444/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-wikipedia-rules-exclusive-idUSKBN2A21PW |url-status=live }}</ref> The Foundation was established in 2003 in [[St. Petersburg, Florida]] by [[Jimmy Wales]], as a nonprofit way to fund [[Wikipedia]], [[Wiktionary]], and other [[crowdsourced]] wiki projects.<ref name="Announcing Wikimedia Foundation" /> Until then, they had been hosted by [[Bomis]], Wales's for-profit company.<ref name="Announcing Wikimedia Foundation"/>
 
The Wikimedia Foundation was established in 2003 in [[St. Petersburg, Florida]] by [[Jimmy Wales]], as a nonprofit way to fund [[Wikipedia]], [[Wiktionary]], and other [[crowdsourced]] wiki projects.<ref name="Announcing Wikimedia Foundation" /> (Until then, they had been hosted by [[Bomis]], Wales's for-profit company.)<ref name="Announcing Wikimedia Foundation"/> The Foundation finances itself mainly through millions of small donations from Wikipedia readers, collected through email campaigns and annual fundraising banners placed on Wikipedia and its sister projects.<ref name="FRReport2021">{{cite web | url=https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fundraising/2020-21_Report | title=Fundraising report 2020–2021 | publisher=Wikimedia Foundation}}</ref> These are complemented by grants from philanthropic organizations and tech companies, and starting in 2022, by services income from [[Wikimedia Enterprise]]. As of December 31, 2023, it has employed over 700 staff and contractors, with annual revenues of $180.2 million, annual expenses of $169 million, net assets of $255 million and a growing endowment, which surpassed $100 million in June 2021.<!-- for sources see infobox -->
 
The Foundation has grown rapidly throughout its existence. As of December 31, 2023, it has employed over 700 staff and contractors, with annual revenues of $180.2 million, annual expenses of $169 million, net assets of $255 million and a growing endowment, which surpassed $100 million in June 2021.<!-- for sources see infobox -->
 
== Mission ==
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'''Wikimedia Enterprise''' is a commercial product by the Wikimedia Foundation to provide, in a more easily consumable way, the data of the Wikimedia projects, including [[Wikipedia]].<ref name="NYT - Wikipedia’s Moment of Truth">{{Cite Q|Q121766597|access-date=2023-08-22}}</ref> It allows customers to retrieve data at large scale and high availability through different formats like [[Web API]]s, data snapshots or [[Stream processing|streams]].
 
It was announced in March 2021,<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/story/wikipedia-finally-asking-big-tech-to-pay-up/ |title=Wikipedia Is Finally Asking Big Tech to Pay Up |last=Cohen |first=Noam |author-link=Noam Cohen |date=March 16, 2021 |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |access-date=7 July 2022 |archive-date=17 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210317004641/https://www.wired.com/story/wikipedia-finally-asking-big-tech-to-pay-up/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="wm">{{cite web |url=https://diff.wikimedia.org/2021/03/16/introducing-the-wikimedia-enterprise-api/ |title=Introducing the Wikimedia Enterprise API |last=Wyatt |first=Liam |date=March 16, 2021 |website=Diff |publisher=Wikimedia Foundation |access-date=7 July 2022 |archive-date=15 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220515100125/https://diff.wikimedia.org/2021/03/16/introducing-the-wikimedia-enterprise-api/ |url-status=live}}</ref> and launched on October 26, 2021.<ref name="Verge-2022-06-22">{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/22/23178245/google-paying-wikimedia-foundation-information |title=Google is paying the Wikimedia Foundation for better access to information |last=Roth |first=Emma |date=June 22, 2022 |website=[[The Verge]] |access-date=22 June 2022 |archive-date=23 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220623043046/https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/22/23178245/google-paying-wikimedia-foundation-information |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=October 27, 2021 |title=Wikimedia Enterprise: A New Part of Free Knowledge Infrastructure |url=https://openfuture.eu/blog/wikimedia-enterprise/ |access-date=2022-07-07 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220204111651/https://openfuture.eu/blog/wikimedia-enterprise/ |archive-date=2022-02-04 |website=Open Future |language=en |type=Blogpost}}</ref> [[Google]] and the [[Internet Archive]] were its first customers, although Internet Archive is not paying for the product.<ref name="Verge-2022-06-22"/> A ''New York Times Magazine'' article was reporting that Wikimedia Enterprise made $3.1 million in total revenue in 2022.<ref name="NYT - Wikipedia’s Moment of Truth" />
 
[[Google]] and the [[Internet Archive]] were its first customers, although Internet Archive is not paying for the product.<ref name="Verge-2022-06-22"/> A ''New York Times Magazine'' article was reporting that Wikimedia Enterprise made $3.1 million in total revenue in 2022.<ref name="NYT - Wikipedia’s Moment of Truth" />
 
=== {{anchor|Projects}} Wikimedia projects ===
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== Technology ==
 
The Wikimedia Foundation maintains the hardware that runs its projects in its own servers. It also maintains the MediaWiki platform and many other software libraries that run its projects.<ref name="What_is_MediaWiki">{{cite web|date=January 9, 2021|title=What is MediaWiki?|url=https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:What_is_MediaWiki%3F|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180722205421/https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:What_is_MediaWiki%3F|archive-date=July 22, 2018|website=MediaWiki|access-date=March 27, 2021}}</ref>
 
=== Hardware ===
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In October 2013, Wikimedia Foundation started looking for a second facility that would be used side by side with the main facility in Ashburn, citing reasons of redundancy (e.g. [[failover|emergency fallback]]) and to prepare for simultaneous multi-datacenter service.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2013/10/23/wikipedia-on-the-hunt-for-more-data-center-space|title=Wikipedia On The Hunt For More Data Center Space|date=October 23, 2013|work=Data Center Knowledge|access-date=July 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715011212/https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2013/10/23/wikipedia-on-the-hunt-for-more-data-center-space|archive-date=July 15, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/RFP/2013_Datacenter|title=RFP/2013 Datacenter – Wikimedia Foundation|date=October 18, 2013|website=Wikimedia Foundation|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715011312/https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/RFP/2013_Datacenter|archive-date=July 15, 2018|url-status=live|access-date=July 14, 2018}}</ref> This followed a year in which a [[fiber-optic communication|fiber]] cut caused the Wikimedia projects to be unavailable for one hour in August 2012.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2012/08/07/fiber-cut-wikipedia/|title=Fiber Cut Knocks Wikipedia Offline|date=August 7, 2012|work=Data Center Knowledge|access-date=July 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715011446/https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2012/08/07/fiber-cut-wikipedia/|archive-date=July 15, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://diff.wikimedia.org/2012/08/06/wikimedia-site-outage-6-august-2012/|title=Wikimedia site outage|date=August 6, 2012|website=Wikimedia Diff|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715011447/https://blog.wikimedia.org/2012/08/06/wikimedia-site-outage-6-august-2012/|archive-date=July 15, 2018|url-status=live|access-date=July 14, 2018}}</ref>
 
Apart from the second facility for redundancy coming online in 2014,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2014/05/05/wikimedias-data-center-search-ends-cyrusone|title=Wikimedia's Data Center Search Ends With CyrusOne|date=May 5, 2014|work=Data Center Knowledge|access-date=July 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715011637/https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2014/05/05/wikimedias-data-center-search-ends-cyrusone|archive-date=July 15, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://diff.wikimedia.org/2014/05/05/wikimedia-foundation-selects-cyrusone-in-dallas-as-new-data-center/|title=Wikimedia Foundation selects CyrusOne in Dallas as new data center – Wikimedia Diff|website=Wikimedia Diff|date=May 5, 2014|language=en|access-date=July 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715011353/https://blog.wikimedia.org/2014/05/05/wikimedia-foundation-selects-cyrusone-in-dallas-as-new-data-center/|archive-date=July 15, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> the number of servers needed to run the infrastructure in a single facility has been mostly stable since 2009. As of November 2015, the main facility in Ashburn hosts 520 servers in total which includes servers for newer services besides Wikimedia project [[wiki]]s, such as [[cloud services]] (Toolforge)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Portal:Toolforge|title=Portal:Toolforge – Wikitech|website=wikitech.wikimedia.org|access-date=September 30, 2021|archive-date=September 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210930124417/https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Portal:Toolforge|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://pageviews.toolforge.org/|title=Pageviews Analysis|website=pageviews.toolforge.org|access-date=October 20, 2021|archive-date=October 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007085502/https://pageviews.toolforge.org/|url-status=live}}</ref> and various services for metrics, monitoring, and other system administration.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Upstream_projects|title=Upstream projects|publisher=[[MediaWiki]]|access-date=January 10, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208171215/https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Upstream_projects|archive-date=December 8, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2017, Wikimedia Foundation deployed a caching cluster in an Equinix facility in [[Singapore]], the first of its kind in Asia.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T156028|title=⚓ T156028 Name Asia Cache DC site|website=Wikimedia Phabricator|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190512040933/https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T156028|archive-date=May 12, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=May 12, 2019}}</ref>
 
In 2017, Wikimedia Foundation deployed a caching cluster in an Equinix facility in [[Singapore]], the first of its kind in Asia.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T156028|title=⚓ T156028 Name Asia Cache DC site|website=Wikimedia Phabricator|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190512040933/https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T156028|archive-date=May 12, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=May 12, 2019}}</ref>
 
=== Software ===
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Originally, Wikipedia ran on [[UseModWiki]] written in [[Perl]] by [[Clifford Adams]] (Phase I), which initially required [[CamelCase]] for article hyperlinks; the double bracket style was incorporated later. Starting in January 2002 (Phase II), Wikipedia began running on a [[PhpWiki|PHP wiki]] engine with a MySQL database; this software was custom-made for Wikipedia by [[Magnus Manske]]. The Phase II software was repeatedly modified to accommodate the [[exponential growth|exponentially increasing]] demand. In July 2002 (Phase III), Wikipedia shifted to the third-generation software, MediaWiki, originally written by [[Lee Daniel Crocker]].
 
Some MediaWiki extensions are [[Special:Version#Installed extensions|installed]] to extend the functionality of MediaWiki software. In April 2005, an [[Apache Lucene]] extension<ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikipedia_Signpost/2005-04-18/Lucene_search|title=Lucene search: Internal search function returns to service|work=[[The Signpost]]|publisher=[[Wikipedia]]|first=Michael|last=Snow|access-date=February 26, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120731211712/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikipedia_Signpost/2005-04-18/Lucene_search|archive-date=July 31, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikitech-l/2005-April/016297.html|title=[Wikitech-l] Lucene search|first=Brion|last=Vibber|access-date=February 26, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130330033506/https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikitech-l/2005-April/016297.html|archive-date=March 30, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> was added to MediaWiki's built-in search and Wikipedia switched from MySQL to [[Lucene]] and later switched to CirrusSearch which is based on [[Elasticsearch]] for searching.<ref>{{cite web|title=Extension:CirrusSearch – MediaWiki|url=https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:CirrusSearch|access-date=April 18, 2021|website=MediaWiki.org|language=en|archive-date=April 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413230335/https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:CirrusSearch|url-status=live}}</ref> The Wikimedia Foundation also uses [[CiviCRM]]<ref>[https://diff.wikimedia.org/2009/06/10/wikimedia-fourkitchens-support-civicrm-development/ Wikimedia & FourKitchens support CiviCRM development] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120922160241/https://blog.wikimedia.org/2009/06/10/wikimedia-fourkitchens-support-civicrm-development/ |date=September 22, 2012 }} Wikimedia Diff, June 10, 2009</ref> and [[WordPress]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://diff.wikimedia.org |title=Wikimedia Diff |publisher=Wikimedia Diff |access-date=July 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110816154737/https://blog.wikimedia.org/ |archive-date=August 16, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Foundation published official Wikipedia [[mobile app]]s for [[Android (operating system)|Android]] and [[iOS]] devices and in March 2015, the apps were updated to include mobile user-friendly features.<ref>[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.wikipedia Wikipedia – Android Apps on Google Play] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150321063321/https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.wikipedia |date=March 21, 2015 }}. Retrieved April 15, 2015.</ref>
 
The Foundation published official Wikipedia [[mobile app]]s for [[Android (operating system)|Android]] and [[iOS]] devices and in March 2015, the apps were updated to include mobile user-friendly features.<ref>[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.wikipedia Wikipedia – Android Apps on Google Play] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150321063321/https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.wikipedia |date=March 21, 2015 }}. Retrieved April 15, 2015.</ref>
 
== Finances ==
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|}
 
=== Expenses (2004–2020) ===
{{Update|date=April 2024}}
A plurality of Wikimedia Foundation expenses are salaries and wages, followed by community and affiliate grants, contributions to the endowment, and other professional operating expenses and services.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Statistical_analysis_of_Wikimedia_Foundation_financial_reports|title=Statistical analysis of Wikimedia Foundation financial reports – Wikiversity|website=en.wikiversity.org|language=en|access-date=June 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180626192206/https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Statistical_analysis_of_Wikimedia_Foundation_financial_reports|archive-date=June 26, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="2018-2019">{{cite web|url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/3/31/Wikimedia_Foundation_Audit_Report_-_FY18-19.pdf|title=Wikimedia Foundation, Inc, Financial Statements, June 30, 2018 and 2019|pages=4, 14|date=September 27, 2019|access-date=January 26, 2020|archive-date=January 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200126203026/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/3/31/Wikimedia_Foundation_Audit_Report_-_FY18-19.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
 
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In 2008, the Foundation received a $40,000 grant from the [[Open Society Foundations|Open Society Institute]] to create a printable version of Wikipedia.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wikis Go Printable|url=https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Press_releases/Wikis_Go_Printable|work=Wikimedia Foundation|date=December 13, 2007|access-date=July 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708221047/https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Press_releases/Wikis_Go_Printable|archive-date=July 8, 2018|url-status=unfit}}</ref> It also received a $262,000 grant from the [[Stanton Foundation]] to purchase [[Computer hardware|hardware]],<ref name="benefactors2008">{{cite web|title=Fundraising 2008/benefactors|url=https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fundraising_2008/benefactors|date=August 8, 2015|work=[[Wikipedia:Meta]]|access-date=July 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180709010412/https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fundraising_2008/benefactors|archive-date=July 9, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> a $500,000 unrestricted grant from [[Vinod Khosla|Vinod]] and [[Neeru Khosla]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Khosla Gift: Wikimedia Foundation Receives $500K Donation|url=https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Press_releases/Khosla_Gift|work=Wikimedia Foundation|date=March 24, 2008|access-date=July 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708221209/https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Press_releases/Khosla_Gift|archive-date=July 8, 2018|url-status=unfit}}</ref> who later that year joined the Foundation advisory board,<ref>{{cite web|title=Neeru Khosla to Become Wikimedia Advisor Dec 2008|url=https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Press_releases/Neeru_Khosla_to_Become_Wikimedia_Advisor_Dec_2008|work=Wikimedia Foundation|date=December 15, 2008|access-date=July 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708221124/https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Press_releases/Neeru_Khosla_to_Become_Wikimedia_Advisor_Dec_2008|archive-date=July 8, 2018|url-status=unfit}}</ref> and $177,376 from the historians [[Lisbet Rausing]] and [[Peter Baldwin (professor)|Peter Baldwin]] ([[Arcadia Fund]]), among others.<ref name="benefactors2008" /> In March 2008, the Foundation announced what was then its largest donation yet: a three-year, $3 million grant from the [[Alfred P. Sloan Foundation|Sloan Foundation]].<ref name="3mill">{{cite news|url=https://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i8x-wlh7nMm12x_kVQ6MZxrYWK9QD8VKMV1G0|agency=Associated Press|title=Sloan Foundation to Give Wikipedia $3M|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080329221240/https://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i8x-wlh7nMm12x_kVQ6MZxrYWK9QD8VKMV1G0|archive-date=March 29, 2008}}</ref>
 
In 2009, the Foundation received four grants. The first was a $890,000 Stanton Foundation grant to help study and simplify the user interface for first-time authors of Wikipedia.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/StantonGrantQA |title=Stanton Grant Q&A |publisher=Wikimedia Foundation |date=December 3, 2008 |access-date=September 18, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171018071429/https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/StantonGrantQA |archive-date=October 18, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> The second was a $300,000 [[Ford Foundation]] grant in July 2009 for [[Wikimedia Commons]], to improve the interface for uploading multimedia files.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://diff.wikimedia.org/2009/07/02/ford-foundation-awards-300k-grant-for-wikimedia-commons/ |title=Blog.wikimedia.org |date=July 2, 2009 |publisher=Blog.wikimedia.org |access-date=December 5, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150319102012/https://blog.wikimedia.org/2009/07/02/ford-foundation-awards-300k-grant-for-wikimedia-commons/ |archive-date=March 19, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> In August 2009, the Foundation received a $500,000 grant from The William and Flora [[Hewlett Foundation]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Press_releases/Hewlett_Foundation_grant_August_2009 |title=Wikimedia Foundation receives $500,000 in operational support from Hewlett Foundation (August 2009) |publisher=Wikimediafoundation.org |access-date=December 5, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120103175824/https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Press_releases/Hewlett_Foundation_grant_August_2009 |archive-date=January 3, 2012 |url-status=unfit }}</ref> Also in August 2009, the [[Omidyar Network]] committed up to $2 million over two years to Wikimedia.<ref>{{cite web|title=Omidyar Network Commits $2 Million Grant to Wikimedia Foundation|url=https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Press_releases/Omidyar_Network_Grant_August_2009|work=Wikimedia Foundation|date=August 25, 2009|access-date=November 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100414002610/https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Press_releases/Omidyar_Network_Grant_August_2009|archive-date=April 14, 2010}}</ref> In 2010, [[Google]] donated $2 million<ref>{{cite web |first=Ben |last=Parr |url=https://mashable.com/2010/02/16/google-wikipedia-donation/ |title=Google Gives $2 Million to Wikipedia's Foundation |publisher=Mashable |date=February 16, 2010 |access-date=December 5, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111203220800/https://mashable.com/2010/02/16/google-wikipedia-donation/ |archive-date=December 3, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> and the Stanton Foundation granted $1.2&nbsp;million to fund the Public Policy Initiative, a pilot program for what later became the Wikipedia Education Program (and the spin-off [[Wiki Education Foundation]]).<ref>{{cite news | title=UC Berkeley students help improve Wikipedia's credibility | first=Andrea | last=Hicklin | work=Berkeley News | date=November 5, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=Wikimedia Foundation Receives $1.2 Million for Wikipedia Public Policy Initiative | date=May 14, 2010 | work=Philanthropy News Digest | url=https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/wikimedia-foundation-receives-1.2-million-for-wikipedia-public-policy-initiative | access-date=February 3, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171016174527/https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/wikimedia-foundation-receives-1.2-million-for-wikipedia-public-policy-initiative | archive-date=October 16, 2017 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | first=Paul | last=McNamara | title=Wikipedia lands $1.2M grant to improve 'public policy' articles: Stanton Foundation ponies up for "accuracy" project that will be anything but easy | url=https://www.networkworld.com/article/755560/data-center-wikipedia-lands-1-2m-grant-to-improve-public-policy-articles.html | work=Network World | access-date=February 3, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240426190053/https://www.networkworld.com/article/755560/data-center-wikipedia-lands-1-2m-grant-to-improve-public-policy-articles.html | archive-date=April 26, 2024 | url-status=live }}</ref>
 
In 2010, [[Google]] donated $2 million<ref>{{cite web |first=Ben |last=Parr |url=https://mashable.com/2010/02/16/google-wikipedia-donation/ |title=Google Gives $2 Million to Wikipedia's Foundation |publisher=Mashable |date=February 16, 2010 |access-date=December 5, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111203220800/https://mashable.com/2010/02/16/google-wikipedia-donation/ |archive-date=December 3, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> and the Stanton Foundation granted $1.2&nbsp;million to fund the Public Policy Initiative, a pilot program for what later became the Wikipedia Education Program (and the spin-off [[Wiki Education Foundation]]).<ref>{{cite news | title=UC Berkeley students help improve Wikipedia's credibility | first=Andrea | last=Hicklin | work=Berkeley News | date=November 5, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=Wikimedia Foundation Receives $1.2 Million for Wikipedia Public Policy Initiative | date=May 14, 2010 | work=Philanthropy News Digest | url=https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/wikimedia-foundation-receives-1.2-million-for-wikipedia-public-policy-initiative | access-date=February 3, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171016174527/https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/wikimedia-foundation-receives-1.2-million-for-wikipedia-public-policy-initiative | archive-date=October 16, 2017 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | first=Paul | last=McNamara | title=Wikipedia lands $1.2M grant to improve 'public policy' articles: Stanton Foundation ponies up for "accuracy" project that will be anything but easy | url=https://www.networkworld.com/article/755560/data-center-wikipedia-lands-1-2m-grant-to-improve-public-policy-articles.html | work=Network World | access-date=February 3, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240426190053/https://www.networkworld.com/article/755560/data-center-wikipedia-lands-1-2m-grant-to-improve-public-policy-articles.html | archive-date=April 26, 2024 | url-status=live }}</ref>
 
In March 2011, the Sloan Foundation authorized another $3 million grant, to be funded over three years, with the first $1 million to come in July 2011 and the remaining $2 million to be funded in August 2012 and 2013. As a donor, [[Doron Weber]] from the Sloan Foundation gained Board Visitor status at the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees.<ref name="Wikimedia Foundation">{{cite web|title=Wikimedia Foundation receives $3 million grant from Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to make freely licensed images accessible and reusable across the web|url=https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Press_releases/Wikimedia_Foundation_receives_$3_million_grant_from_Alfred_P._Sloan_Foundation_to_make_freely_licensed_images_accessible_and_reusable_across_the_web|work=Wikimedia Foundation|date=January 9, 2017|access-date=July 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708221210/https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Press_releases/Wikimedia_Foundation_receives_$3_million_grant_from_Alfred_P._Sloan_Foundation_to_make_freely_licensed_images_accessible_and_reusable_across_the_web|archive-date=July 8, 2018|url-status=unfit}}</ref> In August 2011, the Stanton Foundation pledged to fund a $3.6 million grant of which $1.8 million was funded and the remainder was to come in September 2012. As of 2011, this was the largest grant the Wikimedia Foundation had ever received.<ref>{{cite web |first=Jay |last=Walsh |url=https://diff.wikimedia.org/2011/10/05/wikimedia-receives-3-5million-usd-grant-from-stanton-foundation/ |title=Wikimedia receives US$3.5 million grant from Stanton Foundation |work=Wikimedia Community blog |publisher=Wikimedia Foundation |date=October 5, 2011 |access-date=October 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111010084600/https://blog.wikimedia.org/2011/10/05/wikimedia-receives-3-5million-usd-grant-from-stanton-foundation/ |archive-date=October 10, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> In November 2011, the Foundation received a $500,000 donation from the [[Brin Wojcicki Foundation]].<ref name="foundationgrants">{{cite web|url=https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fundraising_2011/Foundation_Grants|title=Foundation Grants|publisher=Meta.wikimedia.org|access-date=November 26, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121219165049/https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fundraising_2011/Foundation_Grants|archive-date=December 19, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Shaw|first=Lucas|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUS309090140520120118|title=More Anti-Piracy Bill Co-Sponsors Bail (Updated)|work=Reuters|access-date=October 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924161716/https://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/18/idUS309090140520120118|archive-date=September 24, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>
Line 373 ⟶ 362:
In 2012, the Foundation was awarded a grant of $1.25 million from [[Lisbet Rausing]]<ref name="foundationgrants" /> and [[Peter Baldwin (professor)|Peter Baldwin]] through the [[Charities Aid Foundation]], scheduled to be funded in five equal installments from 2012 through 2015. In 2014, the Foundation received the largest single gift in its history, a $5&nbsp;million unrestricted donation from an anonymous donor supporting $1&nbsp;million worth of expenses annually for the next five years.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/2014-2015_Fundraising_Report|title=2014–2015 Fundraising Report|publisher=Wikimedia Foundation|date=October 1, 2015|access-date=January 10, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160124163350/https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/2014-2015_Fundraising_Report|archive-date=January 24, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> In March 2012, The [[Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation]], established by the [[Intel]] co-founder and his wife, awarded the Wikimedia Foundation a $449,636 grant to develop [[Wikidata]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Developing the Wikidata software platform|url=https://www.moore.org/grant-detail?grantId=GBMF3357|work=[[Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation]]|access-date=July 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708221006/https://www.moore.org/grant-detail?grantId=GBMF3357|archive-date=July 8, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> This was part of a larger grant, much of which went to Wikimedia Germany, which took on ownership of the development effort.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Perez |first=Sarah |date=2012-03-30 |title=Wikipedia's Next Big Thing: Wikidata, A Machine-Readable, User-Editable Database Funded By Google, Paul Allen And Others |url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/03/30/wikipedias-next-big-thing-wikidata-a-machine-readable-user-editable-database-funded-by-google-paul-allen-and-others/ |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref>
 
Between 2014 and 2015, the Foundation received $500,000 from the Monarch Fund, $100,000 from the Arcadia Fund and an undisclosed amount from the [[Stavros Niarchos Foundation]] to support the [[Wikipedia Zero]] initiative.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://990s.foundationcenter.org/990pf_pdf_archive/266/266049750/266049750_201512_990PF.pdf|title=Monarch Fund 990-PF 2015 Form|access-date=July 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708224737/https://990s.foundationcenter.org/990pf_pdf_archive/266/266049750/266049750_201512_990PF.pdf|archive-date=July 8, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Grant Awards 2014|url=https://www.arcadiafund.org.uk/media/9662/arcadia_grant-awards_pamphlet.pdf|work=Arcadia|access-date=July 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200523122942/https://www.arcadiafund.org.uk/media/9662/arcadia_grant-awards_pamphlet.pdf|archive-date=May 23, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Wikimedia Foundation: program support|url=https://www.snf.org/en/grants/grantees/w/wikimedia-foundation/program-support/|work=[[Stavros Niarchos Foundation]]|access-date=July 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190617160117/https://www.snf.org/en/grants/grantees/w/wikimedia-foundation/program-support/|archive-date=June 17, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2015, a grant agreement was reached with the [[John S. and James L. Knight Foundation]] to build a search engine called the "[[Knowledge Engine (search engine)|Knowledge Engine]]", a project that [[#Knowledge Engine project|proved controversial]].<ref>[[wmf:File:Knowledge engine grant agreement.pdf]], September 18, 2015. Published February 11, 2016, retrieved February 16, 2016.</ref><ref name=ArsKE>{{cite news | title=Wikimedia Foundation director resigns after uproar over "Knowledge Engine": It's damage-control time at the world's biggest encyclopedia | first=Joe | last=Mullin | date=February 29, 2016 | work=Ars Technica | url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/02/head-of-wikimedia-foundation-resigns-as-tensions-with-editors-mount/ | access-date=February 3, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160301082152/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/02/head-of-wikimedia-foundation-resigns-as-tensions-with-editors-mount/ | archive-date=March 1, 2016 | url-status=live }}</ref> In 2017, the Sloan Foundation awarded another $3 million grant for a three-year period,<ref name="Wikimedia Foundation"/> and Google donated another $1.1 million to the Foundation in 2019.<ref>{{cite web| author=Megan Rose Dickey| url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/22/google-org-donates-2-million-to-wikipedias-parent-org/ | title=Google.org donates $2 million to Wikipedia's parent org | publisher=TechCrunch | date=January 22, 2019}}</ref>
 
In 2015, a grant agreement was reached with the [[John S. and James L. Knight Foundation]] to build a search engine called the "[[Knowledge Engine (search engine)|Knowledge Engine]]", a project that [[#Knowledge Engine project|proved controversial]].<ref>[[wmf:File:Knowledge engine grant agreement.pdf]], September 18, 2015. Published February 11, 2016, retrieved February 16, 2016.</ref><ref name=ArsKE>{{cite news | title=Wikimedia Foundation director resigns after uproar over "Knowledge Engine": It's damage-control time at the world's biggest encyclopedia | first=Joe | last=Mullin | date=February 29, 2016 | work=Ars Technica | url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/02/head-of-wikimedia-foundation-resigns-as-tensions-with-editors-mount/ | access-date=February 3, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160301082152/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/02/head-of-wikimedia-foundation-resigns-as-tensions-with-editors-mount/ | archive-date=March 1, 2016 | url-status=live }}</ref> In 2017, the Sloan Foundation awarded another $3 million grant for a three-year period,<ref name="Wikimedia Foundation"/> and Google donated another $1.1 million to the Foundation in 2019.<ref>{{cite web| author=Megan Rose Dickey| url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/22/google-org-donates-2-million-to-wikipedias-parent-org/ | title=Google.org donates $2 million to Wikipedia's parent org | publisher=TechCrunch | date=January 22, 2019}}</ref>
 
The following have donated $500,000 or more each (2008–2019, not including gifts to the Wikimedia Endowment; list may be incomplete):
{| class="wikitable"
! Total<br />($000s)
Line 487 ⟶ 474:
In October 2013, a German court ruled that the Wikimedia Foundation can be held liable for content added to Wikipedia when there has been a specific complaint; otherwise, the Wikimedia Foundation does not check the content Wikipedia publishes and has no duty to do so.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/2067460/wikimedia-is-liable-for-contents-of-wikipedia-articles-german-court-rules.html#tk.rss_all |title=Wikimedia is liable for contents of Wikipedia articles, German court rules |magazine=PCWorld |date=November 27, 2013 |access-date=December 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131205234328/https://www.pcworld.com/article/2067460/wikimedia-is-liable-for-contents-of-wikipedia-articles-german-court-rules.html#tk.rss_all |archive-date=December 5, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
In June 2014, Bildkonst Upphovsrätt i Sverige filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against [[Wikimedia Sweden]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wikimediasverige.wordpress.com/2014/06/13/angaende-stamningsansokan-fran-bus-mot-offentligkonst-se/|title=Angående stämningsansökan från BUS mot offentligkonst.se|work=Wikimedia Sverige|access-date=October 25, 2015|date=June 13, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140822083507/https://wikimediasverige.wordpress.com/2014/06/13/angaende-stamningsansokan-fran-bus-mot-offentligkonst-se/|archive-date=August 22, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> On June 20, 2014, a defamation lawsuit (Law Division civil case No. L-1400-14) involving Wikipedia editors was filed with the Mercer County Superior Court in New Jersey seeking, inter alia, compensatory and punitive damages.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://njcourts.judiciary.state.nj.us/web15z/ACMSPA/|title=ACMS Public Access|author=Bob.Reaman|work=state.nj.us|access-date=October 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924061203/https://njcourts.judiciary.state.nj.us/web15z/ACMSPA/|archive-date=September 24, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.williamslopatto.com/uploads/2/5/8/4/25843913/blacklight_power_inc._complaint.pdf |title=Civil Case Information Statement: Blacklight Power Inc. Complaint |access-date=August 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141031060310/https://www.williamslopatto.com/uploads/2/5/8/4/25843913/blacklight_power_inc._complaint.pdf |archive-date=October 31, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 
On June 20, 2014, a defamation lawsuit (Law Division civil case No. L-1400-14) involving Wikipedia editors was filed with the Mercer County Superior Court in New Jersey seeking, inter alia, compensatory and punitive damages.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://njcourts.judiciary.state.nj.us/web15z/ACMSPA/|title=ACMS Public Access|author=Bob.Reaman|work=state.nj.us|access-date=October 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924061203/https://njcourts.judiciary.state.nj.us/web15z/ACMSPA/|archive-date=September 24, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.williamslopatto.com/uploads/2/5/8/4/25843913/blacklight_power_inc._complaint.pdf |title=Civil Case Information Statement: Blacklight Power Inc. Complaint |access-date=August 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141031060310/https://www.williamslopatto.com/uploads/2/5/8/4/25843913/blacklight_power_inc._complaint.pdf |archive-date=October 31, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 
In a March 10, 2015, op-ed for ''[[The New York Times]]'', Wales and Tretikov announced the Foundation was filing [[Wikimedia Foundation v. NSA|a lawsuit]] against the [[National Security Agency]] and five other government agencies and officials, including [[United States Department of Justice|DOJ]], calling into question its practice of [[mass surveillance]], which they argued infringed the constitutional rights of the Foundation's readers, editors and staff. They were joined in the suit by eight additional plaintiffs, including [[Amnesty International]] and [[Human Rights Watch]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wales|first1=Jimmy|last2=Tretikov|first2=Lila|author-link1=Jimmy Wales|author-link2=Lila Tretikov|title=Stop Spying on Wikipedia Users|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/10/opinion/stop-spying-on-wikipedia-users.html|website=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=March 10, 2015|location=San Francisco|date=March 10, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150311033930/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/10/opinion/stop-spying-on-wikipedia-users.html|archive-date=March 11, 2015|url-access=subscription}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Paulson|first1=Michelle|last2=Brigham|first2=Geoff|title=Wikimedia v. NSA: Wikimedia Foundation files suit against NSA to challenge upstream mass surveillance|url=https://diff.wikimedia.org/2015/03/10/wikimedia-v-nsa/|website=Wikimedia Diff|access-date=March 10, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150310140413/https://blog.wikimedia.org/2015/03/10/wikimedia-v-nsa/|archive-date=March 10, 2015|url-status=live|date=March 10, 2015}}</ref><ref name="rayman">{{cite news |last=Rayman |first=Noah |title=Saving Wikipedia: Meet Lila Tretikov |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=April 14, 2015 |url=https://time.com/wikipedia/ |access-date=April 19, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418212234/https://time.com/wikipedia/ |archive-date=April 18, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> On October 23, 2015, the [[United States District Court for the District of Maryland]] dismissed the suit ''[[Wikimedia Foundation v. NSA]]'' on grounds of [[Standing (law)|standing]]. U.S. District Judge [[T. S. Ellis III]] ruled that the plaintiffs could not plausibly prove they were subject to [[upstream surveillance]], and that their argument is "riddled with assumptions", "speculations" and "mathematical gymnastics".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Farivar|first1=Cyrus|date=October 23, 2015|title=Judge tosses Wikimedia's anti-NSA lawsuit because Wikipedia isn't big enough. Not enough facts to "plausibly establish that the NSA is using upstream surveillance."|url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/10/judge-tosses-wikimedias-anti-nsa-lawsuit-because-wikipedia-isnt-big-enough/|website=[[Ars Technica]]|access-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304120744/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/10/judge-tosses-wikimedias-anti-nsa-lawsuit-because-wikipedia-isnt-big-enough/|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Wikimedia v. NSA – D. MD. Opinion|url=https://www.aclu.org/legal-document/wikimedia-v-nsa-d-md-opinion|publisher=[[American Civil Liberties Union|ACLU]]|date=October 23, 2015|access-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052405/https://www.aclu.org/legal-document/wikimedia-v-nsa-d-md-opinion|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> The plaintiffs filed an appeal with the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit]] on February 17, 2016.<ref>{{cite web|title=Appeal No. 15-2560. Brief for plaintiffs–appellants|url=https://www.aclu.org/sites/default/files/field_document/23._aclu_appeal_brief_2.17.2016.pdf|publisher=[[American Civil Liberties Union|ACLU]]|date=February 17, 2016|access-date=March 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312225445/https://www.aclu.org/sites/default/files/field_document/23._aclu_appeal_brief_2.17.2016.pdf|archive-date=March 12, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>
Line 513 ⟶ 498:
In 2022, the WMF announced new recipients for its "knowledge equity grants". As of last June, the WMF reported $239 million in net assets. It is expected to raise $174 million in revenue in the 2023.<ref name=":3" /> Despite expenses on the foundation staff's salaries, there's a significant surplus left. To manage these funds, the WMF has created an endowment composed of investments and cash. This is managed not by the WMF but by the ''Tides Foundation'', a charitable organization that channels funds to [[social justice]] causes and campaigns.<ref name=":3" />
 
The endowment aims to grow this capital to $130.4 million in the next fiscal year. Some of these funds are allocated to the knowledge equity fund, which provides grants.<ref name=":3" /> However, there has been some controversy over the administration of the funds. While the Tides Foundation has promised to become a more transparent ''501(c)(3)'' organization to reveal how it manages funds, details on expenses and salaries are still lacking seven years later.<ref name=":3" /> Additionally, the WMF's salary costs have risen from $7 million in 2010/11 to $88 million in 2021/22.<ref name=":3" />
 
However, there has been some controversy over the administration of the funds. While the Tides Foundation has promised to become a more transparent ''501(c)(3)'' organization to reveal how it manages funds, details on expenses and salaries are still lacking seven years later.<ref name=":3" />
 
Additionally, the WMF's salary costs have risen from $7 million in 2010/11 to $88 million in 2021/22.<ref name=":3" />
 
== References ==
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation"