Wikimedia Foundation INC FY2021 filing

Tax-deductible

San Francisco, CA501(c)(3)Since 2003EducationEIN 20-0049703

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.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
73¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$3.7M paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2021 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
5 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $20.1M a year · 12% of revenue · last 5 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 5 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
73%
of spending
Fine: 73% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$3.7M
to officers and key staff · 3% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 3% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
9 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 9.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
42
named funders · $117K
Looks good: 42 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$9.1M
4% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 4% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 9 of 9 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$159.0M
+28% vs prior year
Spent
$111.7M
To programs
73%
Net assets
$231.2M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$159.0M
FY2021▲ +28%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$124.6M
FY2021$159.0M
FY2022$167.9M
FY2023$180.2M
FY2024$185.4M
FY2024$205.4M
Expenses
$111.7M
FY2021-0.4%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$112.2M
FY2021$111.7M
FY2022$145.8M
FY2023$168.3M
FY2024$178.6M
FY2024$189.7M
Net assets
$231.2M
FY2021▲ +28%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$180.3M
FY2021$231.2M
FY2022$239.4M
FY2023$255.0M
FY2024$271.6M
FY2024$296.6M

From the FY2021 Form 990 (year ending June 2021) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim
You’re viewing the FY2021 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Mar 2005.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

73 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 73% · $81.2M Management & general 14% · $15.7M Fundraising 13% · $14.8M

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Who runs it and what they're paid

23 people listed on the 990; $3.7M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2020); the FY2021 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director (thru 4/30/21)
$406,339Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Technology Officer
$319,337Pt VII · Sec A
General Counsel & Secretary
$315,364Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Operating Officer
$314,718Pt VII · Sec A
CFO & Treasurer
$308,943Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Product Officer
$290,056Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Advancement Officer
$281,713Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Talent/Culture Officer
$278,335Pt VII · Sec A

Maryana Iskander’s $531K as Chief Executive Officer is at the 43rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 674 $100M+ education nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Katherine Maher———$789,495$406,339—
Maryana Iskander$530,923$472,629$512,179———
Janeen Uzzell———$503,844$314,718—
Selena Deckelmann$475,965$437,941$173,623———
Jaime Villagomez$416,641$391,202$374,813$386,433$308,943—
Lisa Seitz$410,807$387,568$364,257$368,301$281,713—
Courtney Bass Sherizen$401,190—————
Amanda Keton—$383,048$376,362$396,514$315,364—

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Wikimedia Foundation INC executive salaries →

Are you one of these people? Claim this org to confirm your role

Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Supports Wikipedia and its sister projects by providing grants, resources, and volunteer support to help the world share free knowledge.

Provided by the organization

This section is blank until Wikimedia Foundation INC claims this page.

Know this organization? Claim it to add your story

2 program services account for $81.2M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2020.
01

Our core functions include support for WIKIPEDIA.ORG and the other wikimedia websites, which together are one of the world's most popular web properties, and the world's largest collaborative free knowledge project.

$56.5Mprogram expense
02

The wikimedia foundation grantmaking and program activities focuses on growing wikimedia in various regions around the world and expanding diversity within the contributor base. These programs and efforts directly support contributors through grants for projects, programs, and campaigns by individuals and organizations.

$24.6Mprogram expense

Run this program? Claim this org to tell your story

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
See all 42 funders →
Grants paid · 110 grants · $37.6M · 2019–2024
Wikimedia EndowmentCA · FY2024$1,490,207
Wiki Education FoundationCA · FY2024$500,000
Artfeminism INCMD · FY2024$404,689
Wikimedia New York CityNY · FY2024$305,340
Black Lunch Table FnpIL · FY2024$289,000
Whose Knowledge Question MarkCA · FY2024$216,300
Wikitongues INCNY · FY2024$170,913
Writing Downtown INCNV · FY2024$163,100
Internews NetworkCA · FY2024$150,000
Fractured Atlas INCNY · FY2024$150,000
Hacks HackersDC · FY2024$55,250
Cornell UniversityNY · FY2024$52,500
WikijournalMN · FY2024$14,867
See all 110 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$159.0M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$155.3M
Investment incomeLn 3$2.7M
Other incomeLn 4–11$986K
Money outPt IX
$111.7M
Ln 25
Programscol B$81.2M
Managementcol C$15.7M
Fundraisingcol D$14.8M
Owns and owesPt X
$231.2M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$87.7M
Total assetsLn 16$240.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$9.1M
PeoplePt VI, VII
23
listed · VII A
PaidVII A13
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$155.3M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$905K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$463K
Investment incomeLn 3$2.7M
Other incomeLn 4–11$986K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$15K
Total revenueLn 12$159.0M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$20.4M
SavingsLn 2$67.2M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$87.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$137.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$8.2M
Other assetsLn 15$1.7M
Total assetsLn 16$240.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$9.1M
Net assetsLn 32$231.2M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5394
VolunteersI 6265,188
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$72.1M$87.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$107.6M$137.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$7.5M$8.2M
Total assetsLn 16$191.3M$240.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$10.9M$9.1M
Net assetsLn 32$180.3M$231.2M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$6.6M$6.6M
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$45K$45K
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$3.5M$3.5M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$3.2M$2.2M$812K$205K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$52.3M$40.6M$7.1M$4.7M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$1.4M$1.1M$243K$125K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$8.0M$6.1M$1.1M$851K
Payroll taxesLn 10$2.9M$2.1M$485K$268K
Legal feesLn 11b$1.9M$1.6M$246K$36K
Accounting feesLn 11c$136K$136K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$39K$39K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$389K$389K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$9.6M$6.6M$1.8M$1.2M
Advertising and promotionLn 12$40K$40K
Office expensesLn 13$765K$191K$475K$99K
Information technologyLn 14$4.1M$3.1M$918K$98K
OccupancyLn 16$1.3M$901K$327K$110K
TravelLn 17$18K$11K$4K$2K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$12K$10K$2K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$2.4M$1.7M$708K
InsuranceLn 23$540K$540K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$11.7M$4.5M$631K$6.6M
All other expensesLn 24e$628K$338K$98K$193K
Total functional expensesLn 25$111.7M$81.2M$15.7M$14.8M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 $185.4M$178.6M$6.8M$271.6M 990 PDF
FY2023 $180.2M$168.3M$11.9M$255.0M 990 PDF
FY2022 $167.9M$145.8M$22.1M$239.4M 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $159.0M$111.7M$47.3M$231.2M 990 PDF
FY2020 $124.6M$112.2M$12.5M$180.3M 990 PDF

Want to add your own materials alongside these filings? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2021 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $158,987,065 across 9 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $115,023 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$463,006
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$154,849,035
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$904,637
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$155,312,041
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $2,703,740$2,703,740
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$15,070−$15,070
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$500−$500
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $871,831$871,831
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $115,023 · Excluded from tax $3,560,001$158,987,065
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $111,669,959 across 23 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $6,595,547$6,595,547
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $44,585$44,585
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $3,475,062$3,475,062
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $2,183,273 · Management $812,466 · Fundraising $204,630$3,200,369
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $40,552,065 · Management $7,095,027 · Fundraising $4,655,240$52,302,332
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $1,077,262 · Management $242,852 · Fundraising $125,398$1,445,512
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $6,074,193 · Management $1,097,599 · Fundraising $851,159$8,022,951
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $2,133,288 · Management $484,876 · Fundraising $268,347$2,886,511
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $1,637,982 · Management $245,912 · Fundraising $36,075$1,919,969
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $135,772$135,772
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $38,604$38,604
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $389,022$389,022
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $6,574,840 · Management $1,837,762 · Fundraising $1,193,667$9,606,269
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $40,416$40,416
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $190,507 · Management $474,754 · Fundraising $99,438$764,699
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $3,081,796 · Management $917,755 · Fundraising $98,237$4,097,788
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $900,823 · Management $326,643 · Fundraising $109,649$1,337,115
IX-17 TravelPrograms $11,043 · Management $4,445 · Fundraising $2,397$17,885
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $9,995 · Management $1,870$11,865
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $1,722,727 · Management $707,584$2,430,311
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $540,364$540,364
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $4,497,705 · Management $631,233 · Fundraising $6,609,714$11,738,652
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $337,555 · Management $97,741 · Fundraising $193,063$628,359
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $81,179,268 · Management $15,654,655 · Fundraising $14,836,036$111,669,959
Part X · Balance sheet $240,235,101 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $24,221,504$20,435,443
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $47,873,033$67,248,371
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $300,000$1,390,399
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $110,209$29,874
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $1,930,165$2,123,520
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $7,451,015$8,202,533
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $107,595,820$137,484,143
X-14 Intangible assets$1,595,469
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,781,216$1,725,349
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $191,262,962$240,235,101
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $9,260,302$7,633,332
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $1,686,935$1,424,232
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $10,947,237$9,057,564
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $178,247,468$229,294,335
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $2,068,257$1,883,201
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $180,315,725$231,177,536
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $191,262,962$240,235,101
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $231,177,537 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$158,987,065
XI-2 Total expenses$111,669,959
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$47,317,106
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$180,315,725
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$3,240,356
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$304,349
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$231,177,537

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

If you ARE the filing organization, claim this org and add context

Made it to the end? Claim this organization

Keep this kind of thing free
Keep public charity data easy to read.

Free to the public, because obviously. Like this? Pay it forward. Don't like this? Help us get better.

Card, Apple Pay or Google Pay through Stripe. One time.
Keep this kind of thing free
Keep public charity data easy to read.

Free to the public, because obviously. Like this? Pay it forward. Don't like this? Help us get better.

Card, Apple Pay or Google Pay through Stripe. One time.

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.