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Wikimedia Foundation Org

EIN 20-0049703 · San Francisco, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF THE WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION IS TO EMPOWER AND ENGAGE PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD TO COLLECT AND DEVELOP EDUCATIONAL CONTENT UNDER A FREE LICENSE OR IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, AND TO DISSEMINATE IT EFFECTIVELY AND GLOBALLY. (SEE SCHEDULE O)IN COORDINATION WITH A NETWORK OF INDIVIDUAL VOLUNTEERS AND OUR INDEPENDENT MOVEMENT ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING RECOGNIZED CHAPTERS, THEMATIC ORGANIZATIONS, USER GROUPS, AND PARTNERS, THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES THE ESSENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND AN ORGANIZATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT OF MULTILINGUAL WIKI PROJECTS AND OTHER ENDEAVORS WHICH SERVE THIS MISSION. THE FOUNDATION WILL MAKE AND KEEP USEFUL INFORMATION FROM ITS PROJECTS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET FREE OF CHARGE.

Income
$205.4 million
Spending
$189.7 million
Spent on programs
77%
Reserves
17.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 91%
Employees
394
Volunteers
265,188
Highest pay
$553,360, chief executive officer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 93% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 17.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 5% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 11% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    77% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 12 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (2)
  1. $85.8 million spent. TECHNOLOGY: OUR CORE FUNCTIONS INCLUDE SUPPORT FOR THE TECHNOLOGY THAT MAKES WIKIPEDIA AND OTHER WIKIMEDIA PROJECTS POSSIBLE, WHICH TOGETHER IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST POPULAR WEB PLATFORMS, AND THE WORLD'S LARGEST COLLABORATIVE FREE KNOWLEDGE PROJECT. THE WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION PROVIDES THE SERVERS AND ELECTRICITY NEEDED TO KEEP THE WEBSITES RUNNING, ALONG WITH DEDICATED TECHNICAL RESOURCES TO BUILD, IMPROVE, AND MAINTAIN THE TECHNICAL INFRASTRUCTURE OF WIKIMEDIA PROJECTS. THESE ONGOING ENGINEERING EFFORTS AND PRODUCT IMPROVEMENTS REQUIRE RESEARCH AND DESIGN WORK, AS WELL AS LEGAL SUPPORT. ALL OF THIS ALLOWS FOR THE BEST EXPERIENCE FOR OUR READERS AND VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY, ENSURING USERS CONTINUE TO ACCESS, CONTRIBUTE TO AND GROW THE WORLD'S LARGEST ONLINE FREE KNOWLEDGE RESOURCE. (SEE SCHEDULE O)IN ADDITION TO OUR TWO MAIN DATA CENTERS AND FIVE CACHING DATA CENTERS, WE MAINTAIN THE SOFTWARE AND INFRASTRUCTURE ON WHICH WE OPERATE SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST MULTILINGUAL SITES WITH OVER 1,000 SEPARATE WIKI INSTANCES AND OVER 3,800 COMMUNITY-CONTRIBUTED TOOLS, MANY OF WHICH ARE ESSENTIAL TO MAINTAINING THE CONTENT AND QUALITY OF WIKIPEDIA, AS WELL AS SEVEN MOBILE APPLICATIONS. WIKIPEDIA AND THE OTHER PROJECTS OPERATED BY THE WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION RECEIVE MORE THAN 18 BILLION PAGEVIEWS PER MONTH. WIKIPEDIA IS AVAILABLE IN MORE THAN 342 LANGUAGES AND CONTAINS MORE THAN 65 MILLION ARTICLES CONTRIBUTED BY A GLOBAL VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY.
  2. $60.4 million spent. SUPPORT FOR VOLUNTEERS: THE WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION SUPPORT FOR VOLUNTEERS FOCUSES ON SUSTAINING AND GROWING THE WIKIMEDIA PROJECTS AND CONTRIBUTOR COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD. GRANTMAKING PROVIDES FUNDING TO WIKIMEDIA AFFILIATE ORGANIZATIONS, AS WELL AS OTHER MISSION-ALIGNED ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS FOR PROGRAMMATIC WORK THAT ADVANCES WIKIMEDIA'S FREE KNOWLEDGE MISSION. OTHER ACTIVITIES INCLUDE PARTNERSHIPS TO POSITION WIKIMEDIA AS A KEY PLAYER IN THE FREE KNOWLEDGE ECOSYSTEM, TRUST AND SAFETY TO PROTECT ONLINE CONTRIBUTOR COMMUNITIES, LEGAL AND ADVOCACY TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT AND DEFEND THE WIKIMEDIA MODEL WORLDWIDE, AND COMMUNICATIONS TO BUILD TRUST AND AFFINITY WITH WIKIMEDIA'S GLOBAL AUDIENCES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since March 2005.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.