How the Endowment Works
The Wikimedia Endowment is a permanent fund that safeguards Wikipedia’s future. Gifts are invested, and the earnings offer steady support year after year, ensuring the world’s largest human-curated knowledge resource endures and adapts as technology evolves. It provides lasting financial stability while investing in bold, forward-looking projects that expand and transform how the world shares human knowledge. By combining financial sustainability with investments that drive innovation, the Endowment fulfills its promise for the future: ensuring Wikipedia remains strong, resilient, and continues to thrive for generations to come.
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An Independent Endowment
The Wikimedia Foundation’s annual fund powers Wikipedia’s day-to-day operations, such as building and maintaining web servers, staff, and volunteer support. The Wikimedia Endowment is a separate and independent U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization. Gifts to the Endowment secure tomorrow, creating a fund that grows and protects Wikipedia for the long term. Together, they fuel the present and guarantee the future of the world’s most trusted source of knowledge.
