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Statistical analysis of Wikimedia Foundation financial reports

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From Wikiversity
 This is a research project at Wikiversity.

By Lionel Scheepmans

This page is a research providing English charts about Wikimedia foundation finance evolution from 2004 to 2017.

All data used for this analysis came from the Wikimedia foundation Web site page named "Financial reports[1] pointing to all financial statements by fiscal year. Since 19 September 2018‎, informations moved to the new Wikimedia foundation Web site, same title of page[2].

Details sources for 2004 and 2005

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2004 : Income[3] - Outcome[4]

2005 : Income[5] - Outcome[6]

Financial statement by fiscal year (June 30) from 2004 to 2016 (Audited by KPMG)

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2004-2005-2006[7], 2007[8], 2008[9], 2009[10], 2010[11], 2011[12], 2012[13], 2013[14], 2014[15], 2015[16], 2016[17], 2017[18], 2018[19], 2019[20], 2020[21].

Spreadsheets and graphs

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Wikimedia Foundation's liabilities, assets, support, revenue and expenses evolution in US dollars

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Wikimedia Foundation's liabilities, assets, support, revenue and expenses evolution in US dollars
Rubric 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Total liabilities and net assets 56,666 283,487 1,066,785 1,696,569 5,664,606 8,602,135 15,425,177 26,165,567 37,206,891 48,146,893 60,560,774 82,753,985 97,642,735 120,524,697 145,850,778 176,019,709 191,414,010
Total support and revenue 80,129 379,088 1,508,039 2,734,909 5,032,981 8,658,006 17,979,312 24,785,092 38,479,665 48,635,408 52,804,246 75,797,223 81,862,724 91,242,418 104,505,783 120,067,266 129,234,327
Total expenses 23,463 177,670 791,907 2,077,843 3,540,724 5,617,236 10,266,793 17,889,794 29,260,652 35,704,796 45,900,745 52,596,782 65,947,465 69,136,758 81,442,265 91,414,010 112,489,397
Wikimedia Foundation's liabilities/assets, support/revenue and expenses evolution chart

Wikimedia Foundation's allocation of expenses evolution in US dollars

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Wikimedia Foundation's allocation of expenses evolution in US dollars
Rubric 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Programs / Projects 19,892 151,857 569,357 1,599,36 2,239,524 3,614,349 7,850,000 12,121,410 19,838,516 23,739,215 31,472,924 34,604,995 47,863,596 51,386,750 61,019,029 68,245,092 84,396,547
General and administrative 495 13,835 168,638 343,308 1,076,371 846,859 1,064,842 3,626,167 6,271,656 8,158,421 10,410,400 12,469,905 10,464,238 9,651,030 10,674,978 12,251,990 16,173,112
Fundraising 3,076 11,978 53,912 135,170 224,829 1,156,028 1,351,951 2,142,217 3,150,480 3,807,160 4,017,421 5,521,882 7,619,631 8,098,978 9,748,258 10,916,928 11,919,738
Total 23,463 177,670 791,907 2,077,84 3,540,724 5,617,236 10,266,793 17,889,794 29,260,652 35,704,796 45,900,745 52,596,782 65,947,465 69,136,758 81,442,265 91,414,010 112,489,397
Wikimedia Foundation's functional allocation of expenses graph

Wikimedia Foundation's expenses evolution by rubrics in US dollars

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Wikimedia Foundation's expenses evolution by rubrics in US dollars
Rubric 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Salaries and wages - 16,930 107,122 415,006 1,147,679 2,257,621 3,508,336 7,312,120 11,749,500 15,983,542 19,979,908 26,049,224 31,713,961 33,731,089 38,597,407 46,146,897 55,634,912
Awards and grants - - - - - - 208,662 471,060 2,106,752 2,791,378 5,704,791 4,522,689 11,354,612

11,214,959

13,555,339 12,653,284 22,893,806
Other operating expenses 495 18,067 47,777 310,334 952,019 1,259,161 3,846,420 5,761,273 9,198,892 10,017,121 3,861,708 4,449,764 4,777,203 6,307,987 7,033,513 9,005,744 10,047,127
Professional service expenses - - - - - - - - - - 7,117,519 7,645,105 6,033,172 6,972,048 7,059,832 8,998,261 11,670,125
Donations processing expenses - - - - - - - - - - 1,505,654 2,484,765 3,604,682 3,809,286 4,512,139 4,977,583 4,857,199
Depreciation and amortization 10641 41018 143,394 349,390 233,314 419,947 524,341 1,000,400 1,888,856 2,706,841 2,722,007 2,656,103 2,720,835 2,762,175 2,903,910 2,856,901 1,951,405
Travel and conferences 293 27798 76,545 264,361 307,679 223,193 476,663 1,159,200 1,533,150 1,395,013 1,965,854 2,289,489 2,296,592 1,954,772 2,389,279 2,867,774 2,309,068
Internet hosting - 40,273 189,631 389,417 537,204 822,405 1,056,703 1,799,943 2,486,903 2,549,992 2,529,483 1,997,521 2,069,572 2,169,861 2,342,130 2,335,918 2,400,286
In-kind service expenses 8958 22,493 114,589 316,723 333,125 578,279 502,558 349,516 296,599 260,909 370,602 235,570 1,065,523 214,581 2,781,234 1,361,958 407,711
Special event expense, net (Wikimania) - - - - - - 70,407 36,282 - - 143,219 266,552 311,313 - 267,482 209,690 317,758

Evolution of the Wikimedia Foundation's expenses by category and as a percentage of its total expenses
Years Salaries and wages Awards and grants Other operating expenses Professional service expenses Donations processing expenses Depreciation and amortization Travel and conferences Internet hosting In-kind service expenses Special event expense
2004 2 % 52 % 1 % 0 % 44 %
2005 1 % 12 % 27 % 18 % 27 % 15 %
2006 16 % 7 % 21 % 11 % 28 % 17 %
2007 24 % 18 % 2 % 15 % 22 % 18 %
2008 33 % 27 % 7 % 9 % 15 % 9 %
2009 41 % 23 % 8 % 4 % 15 % 10 %
2010 34 % 2 % 38 % 5 % 5 % 10 % 5 % 1 %
2011 42 % 0 % 33 % 6 % 7 % 10 % 2 % 0 %
2012 40 % 7 % 31 % 6 % 5 % 8 % 1 %
2013 45 % 8 % 28 % 8 % 4 % 7 % 1 %
2014 44 % 12 % 8 % 16 % 3 % 6 % 4 % 6 % 1 % 0 %
2015 50 % 9 % 8 % 15 % 5 % 5 % 4 % 4 % 0 % 1 %
2016 48 % 17 % 7 % 9 % 5 % 4 % 3 % 3 % 2 % 0 %
2017 49 % 16 % 9 % 10 % 6 % 4 % 3 % 3 % 0 %
2018 47 % 17 % 9 % 9 % 6 % 4 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 0 %
2019 51 % 14 % 10 % 10 % 5 % 3 % 3 % 3 % 1 % 0 %
2020 49 % 20 % 9 % 10 % 4 % 2 % 2 % 2 % 0 % 0 %
Evolution of the Wikimedia Foundation's expenses by category and as a percentage of its total expenses
Evolution of the Wikimedia Foundation's expenses by category and as a percentage of its total expenses

Évolutions des dépenses de la Fondation Wikimédia par rubriques

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Tab. 5.1 Évolutions des dépenses de la Fondation Wikimédia par rubriques
Années Salaires et traitement Prix et subventions Frais de fonctionnement Frais de service professionnels Traitement des dons Amortissement et dépréciations Voyages et conférences Hébergement Internet Frais de service en nature Évènements spéciaux
2004[22] - 495 - - 10.641 293 8.958 -
2005[22] 1.693 - 18.067 - - 41.018 27.798 40.273 22.493 -
2006[22] 107.122 - 47.777 - - 143.394 76.545 189.631 114.589 -
2007[23] 415.006 - 310.334 - - 34.939 264.361 389.417 316.723 -
2008[24] 1.147.679 - 952.019 - - 233.314 307.679 537.204 333.125 -
2009[25] 2.257.621 - 1.259.161 - - 419.947 223.193 822.405 578.279 -
2010[26] 3.508.336 208.662 3.846.420 - - 524.341 476.663 1.056.703 502.558 70.407
2011[27] 7.312.120 47.106 5.761.273 - - 1.000.400 1.159.200 1.799.943 349.516 36.282
2012[28] 11.749.500 2.106.752 9.198.892 - - 1.888.856 1.533.150 2.486.903 296.599 -
2013[29] 15.983.542 2.791.378 10.017.121 - - 2.706.841 1.395.013 2.549.992 260.909 -
2014[30] 19.979.908 5.704.791 3.861.708 7.117.519 1.505.654 2.722.007 1.965.854 2.529.483 370.602 143.219
2015[31] 26.049.224 4.522.689 4.449.764 7.645.105 2.484.765 2.656.103 2.289.489 1.997.521 23.557 266.552
2016[32] 31.713.961 11.354.612 4.777.203 6.033.172 3.604.682 2.720.835 2.296.592 2.069.572 1.065.523 311.313
2017[33] 33.731.089 11.214.959 6.307.987 6.972.048 3.809.286 2.762.175 1.954.772 2.169.861 214.581 -
2018[34] 38.597.407 13.555.339 7.033.513 7.059.832 4.512.139 2.903.910 2.389.279 2.342.130 2.781.234 267.482
2019[35] 46.146.897 12.653.284 9.005.744 8.998.261 4.977.583 2.856.901 2.867.774 2.335.918 1.361.958 20.969
2020[36] 55.634.912 22.893.806 10.047.127 11.670.125 4.857.199 1.951.405 2.309.068 2.400.286 407.711 317.758

alt=Graphique illustrant l'évolution des dépenses de la fondation par rubrique et en dollars américains|vignette|700x700px|Fig. 5.4. Graphique illustrant l'évolution des dépenses de la Fondation par rubrique et en dollars américains (source L.S. : https://w.wiki/3Y4u)[37]|centré

Rubric explanation

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Awards and grants

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The Foundation has a program of awarding grants to support chapters, affiliates, user groups, and individuals in projects that further the mission of the Foundation. Chapters are independent organizations that share the goals of the Foundation and support them within a specified geographical region. In addition to this work, which is reflected above in the awards and grants line, an overwhelming majority of the Foundation’s project activities are carried out by an international network of volunteers, whose activity is not reflected in the table above.

For example (unaudited):

Wikipedia and the other projects operated by the Foundation receive more than 15 billion page views per month, making them one of the most popular Web properties worldwide. Available in more than 290 languages, Wikipedia contains more than 51 million articles contributed by a global volunteer community. For the year ended June 30, 2017, the educational content of the Foundation’s largest project, Wikipedia, grew by approximately 4.8 million articles to approximately 45.4 million articles.

For the year ended June 30, 2017, volunteers added approximately 7.5 million images, movies, and sound files to the Foundation’s multimedia repository, making the total 40.6 million files.

Volunteers also contribute in several ways to the Foundation’s wiki software: volunteer software developers add new functionality to the code base, and volunteer language specialists add to the code base by translating the wiki interface into different languages. During the year ended June 30, 2017, there were 41,742 commits merged, through the efforts of approximately 403 authors/contributors

During the year ended June 30, 2016, the Foundation entered into an agreement with the Tides Foundation to establish the Wikimedia Endowment as a Collective Action Fund to act as a permanent safekeeping fund to generate income to ensure abase level of support for the Wikimedia projects in perpetuity. The Endowment is independent from the Foundation. The Foundation provided irrevocable grants in the amounts of $5 million on June 29, 2016 and $5 million on June 27, 2017 to the Tides Foundation for the purpose of the Wikimedia Endowment.

Other Operating Expenses

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Other operating expenses primarily include facility expenses, funding of the Wikidata project, staff related expenses, insurance and personal property tax expenses, and other general administrative expenses.

In-kind service expences

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In-kind service revenue and expenses recorded on the statements of activities consist of contributed legal services, engineering services, and internet hosting.

Special Event Expense

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Special event expense, net includes costs for the annual Wikimania Conference, such as venue rental and catering services, net of sponsorship income and registration fees.

Salaries and wages, Internet hosting, Professional service expenses, Depreciation and amortization, Travel and conferences, Donation processing expenses

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These rubrics are not explained on financial statements.

Other graphs about Wikimedia Foundation's finance available on Wikimedia Commons with some translations in French

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Notes and sources

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  1. ↑ "Financial reports - Wikimedia Foundation". wikimediafoundation.org. Retrieved 2018-06-19.
  2. ↑ "Financial Reports". Wikimedia Foundation. 2018-06-13. Retrieved 2019-10-30.
  3. ↑ "Fund drives/2004/Q4 - Wikimedia Foundation". wikimediafoundation.org. Retrieved 2017-11-28.
  4. ↑ "Wikimedia budget/Q4 - Meta". meta.wikimedia.org. Retrieved 2017-11-28.
  5. ↑ "Fund drives/2005 - Wikimedia Foundation". wikimediafoundation.org. Retrieved 2017-11-28.
  6. ↑ "Wikimedia budget/2005/Q4 - Meta". meta.wikimedia.org. Retrieved 2017-11-28.
  7. ↑ https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/2/28/Wikimedia_2006_fs.pdf
  8. ↑ https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/4/49/Wikimedia_2007_fs.pdf
  9. ↑ https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/4/4c/Wikimedia_20072008_fs.pdf
  10. ↑ https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/4/4f/FINAL_08_09From_KPMG.pdf
  11. ↑ https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/c/cc/FINAL_09_10From_KPMG.pdf
  12. ↑ https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/a/ac/FINAL_10_11From_KPMG.pdf
  13. ↑ https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/0/09/FINAL_11_12From_KPMG.pdf
  14. ↑ https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/6/6e/FINAL_12_13From_KPMG.pdf
  15. ↑ https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/b/bf/Audit_Report_-_FY_13-14_-_Final_v2.pdf
  16. ↑ https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/0/0b/Audit_Report_-_FY_14-15_-_Final.PDF
  17. ↑ https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/4/43/Wikimedia_Foundation_Audit_Report_-_FY15-16.pdf
  18. ↑ https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/d/da/Wikimedia_Foundation_Audit_Report_-_FY16-17.pdf
  19. ↑ https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/6/60/FY17-18_-_Independent_Auditors%27_Report.pdf
  20. ↑ https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/3/31/Wikimedia_Foundation_Audit_Report_-_FY18-19.pdf
  21. ↑ https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/f/f7/Wikimedia_Foundation_FY2019-2020_Audit_Report.pdf
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Template:Lien web
  23. ↑ Template:Lien web
  24. ↑ Template:Lien web
  25. ↑ Template:Lien web
  26. ↑ Template:Lien web
  27. ↑ Template:Lien web
  28. ↑ Template:Lien web
  29. ↑ Template:Lien web
  30. ↑ Template:Lien web
  31. ↑ Template:Lien web
  32. ↑ Template:Lien web
  33. ↑ Template:Lien web
  34. ↑ Template:Lien web
  35. ↑ Template:Lien web
  36. ↑ Template:Lien web
  37. ↑ La chute brutale des frais de fonctionnement est due à l'apparition d'une nouvelle rubrique dédiée au frais de services professionnels scindant en deux ce qui était au préalable uniquement repris dans la rubrique précédente.
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