Financials

Our stories say a lot about the foundation for a better internet— so do our numbers

9¢ Our cost to raise $1 96.15 Charity Navigator rating ★★★★ We received four stars from Charity Navigator—their highest rating

source: Charity Navigator

Transparency is a core principle of the Wikimedia Foundation, and we apply this to our financial reporting. We are proud to be recognized as one of the most transparent nonprofit organizations in the world. Our annual plan and operating budget are developed through open processes, subject to community feedback and board approval, and always available to the public for review.

"The Wikimedia Foundation is incredibly cost-effective. Our annual budget is minuscule compared to a lot of very worthy causes, and our impact is absolutely enormous."

Jimmy Wales - Founder

Expenses (July 1, 2018—June 30, 2019)

43% Direct support to websites 32% Direct support to communities

13% Administration and governance 12% Fundraising

43% Direct support to websites

Keeping the Wikimedia websites online is about more than just servers. It also includes ongoing engineering improvements, product development, design and research, and legal support. Wikipedia is one of the top 10 websites in the world, and it runs on a fraction of what other top websites spend.

32% Direct support to communities

The Wikimedia projects exist thanks to volunteer communities around the world that create and maintain them. We strengthen these communities through grants, programs, events, trainings, partnerships, tools to augment contributor capacity, and support for the legal defense of editors.

12% Fundraising

Wikimedia is supported entirely by donations. Millions of remarkable individuals and institutions contribute financially to ensure that we have the necessary resources to continue our global mission.

13% Administration and governance

We manage funds and resources responsibly to recruit and support skilled, passionate staff who advance our communities and values. Other top websites have thousands of employees. We have about 400 staff and contractors to support a wide variety of projects, making each donation a great investment in a highly-efficient not-for-profit organization.

Balance Sheet - Audited (June 30, 2019)

source: 2018 - 2019 financial statements

Assets

Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	101,932,698
Restricted cash	860,287
Current portion of contributions receivable	300,000
Short-term investments	52,989,896
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	2,650,788
Total current assets	158,733,669
Property, plant, and equipment, net	5,688,104
Long-term investment	11,597,936
Total assets	176,019,709

Liabilities and net assets

Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	2,987,508
Accrued expenses	5,222,878
Other liabilities	2,167,898
Total current liabilities	10,378,284
Total liabilities	10,378,284

Net assets:
Unrestricted	161,502,538
Temporarily restricted	4,138,887
Total net assets	165,641,425
Total liabilities and net assets	176,019,709

Statement of Activities - Audited (July 1, 2018—June 30, 2019)

Unrestricted net assets

Support and revenue:
Donations and contributions	110,972,163
In-kind service revenue	1,361,958
Foreign currency gains	30,311
Other income, net	233,232
Investment income, net	4,640,534
Release of restrictions on temporarily restricted net assets	2,829,068
Total support and revenue	120,067,266

Expenses:
Salaries and wages	46,146,897
Awards and grants	12,653,284
Internet hosting	2,335,918
In-kind service expenses	1,361,958
Donation processing expenses	4,977,583
Professional service expenses	8,998,261
Other operating expenses	9,005,744
Travel and conferences	2,867,774
Depreciation and amortization	2,856,901
Special event expense, net	209,690
Total expenses	91,414,010
Increase in unrestricted net assets	28,653,256

Temporarily restricted net assets

Contributions	4,867,667
Release of restrictions on temporarily restricted net assets	(2,829,068)
Decrease in temporarily restricted net assets	(2,038,599)
Increase in net assets	30,691,855
Net assets at beginning of year	134,949,570
Net assets at end of year	165,641,425