Technology Wikipedia fundraiser ends with $20M in the bank

[The Helper]

Those intriguing fundraiser banners have finally disappeared from the pages of Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia.

The site’s fundraising efforts for the year have ended, and the Wikimedia Foundation (the non-profit behind Wikipedia) was able to gather a record $20 million during the drive.

“We’ve hit our target. Thanks to you,” writes Wikimedia Foundation executive director Sue Gardner in a post this morning.

“Over the past few months, more than one million people have come together from all over the world to keep Wikipedia and its sister sites alive and flourishing for another year.”

Wikipedia fundraiser ends with $20M in the bank

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[xPass]

Wow $20M! That's a lot!

 

[The Helper]

That will definitely pay for the servers.

 

[Dan]

was that their goal? wow.

 

[Wiseman_2]

This is good, if only because I won't have to put up with that damn banner appearing at the top of every page. Also, because it keeps Wiki up of course.

 

[FireCat]

to keep Wikipedia and its sister sites alive and flourishing for another year.

Hmm Only one year. eh?

 

[rover2341]

Not even enough for a year. 28 million is what they expect to spend.

"The foundation’s total budgeted spending for the 2011-2012 year is $28.3 million. While most of that sum was raised through the on-site Wikipedia fundraising banners, the rest will come in the form of grants from institutions and smaller donations from individuals throughout the year." From the link above.

Source
http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/2011-2012_Annual_Plan_Questions_and_Answers

 

[Dan]

Not even enough for a year. 28 million is what they expect to spend.

"The foundation’s total budgeted spending for the 2011-2012 year is $28.3 million. While most of that sum was raised through the on-site Wikipedia fundraising banners, the rest will come in the form of grants from institutions and smaller donations from individuals throughout the year." From the link above.

Source
http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/2011-2012_Annual_Plan_Questions_and_Answers

That is not to say that they require 28 million each year to sustain themselves... Wikipedia stayed up for years and years without as much money. It was a very small thing at first and got a very popular very fast without needing a 28 million dollar budget. I realize that they need money to upkeep the huge servers that they require now, but it's still definately not 28 million dollars a year worth of upkeep. They are spending a good amount now on personel too, but this cannot also account for needing 28 million dollars. Simply put, wikipedia is now shoving money in new places now that they own the world's attention. They have new projects that they are trying to expand power over.

I love wikipedia and I think this is great, but it's not exactly correct to say that wikipedia needs 28million a year to survive... -_-

 

[xPass]

That is not to say that they require 28 million each year to sustain themselves... Wikipedia stayed up for years and years without as much money. It was a very small thing at first and got a very popular very fast without needing a 28 million dollar budget. I realize that they need money to upkeep the huge servers that they require now, but it's still definately not 28 million dollars a year worth of upkeep. They are spending a good amount now on personel too, but this cannot also account for needing 28 million dollars. Simply put, wikipedia is now shoving money in new places now that they own the world's attention. They have new projects that they are trying to expand power over.

I love wikipedia and I think this is great, but it's not exactly correct to say that wikipedia needs 28million a year to survive... -_-

I wouldn't mind though, Wikipedia is awesome

 

[ElderKingpin]

whenever they ask for money it sounds like they havnt even gotten close to the deadline, and you dont even know what the status of the donations are until the very end when they have to reach their goal :/

 

[FireCat]

it's not exactly correct to say that wikipedia needs 28million a year to survive... -_-

Yeah, I agree with you!
$28 million dollars is a lot of money. How much does a "huge" server cost? Well, not $1 million Right? hehe