Here are some facts and figures, with sources for your reference, in proper Wikipedia style.
The Wikimedia Foundation, which operates the Wikipedia platform (but does not write or curate the content, a bit like YouTube provides the platform, but users provide the content), is constantly looking for revenue growth and very successful in that endeavor.
They took $154 million in 2020/21, exceeding their own original revenue year goal of $108 million by $46 million:
The wording on the fundraising banners has always been controversial with the unpaid volunteers who write the articles, with the Wikimedia Foundation accused of manipulative tactics or outright lying to the public:
They have never been struggling financially, but have always wanted to grow their organisation. They have beaten their own revenue record every year of their existence and added over 500 paid staff since they first became a top-ten website.
The Wikimedia Foundation, which operates the Wikipedia platform (but does not write or curate the content, a bit like YouTube provides the platform, but users provide the content), is constantly looking for revenue growth and very successful in that endeavor.
They took $154 million in 2020/21, exceeding their own original revenue year goal of $108 million by $46 million:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Wikimed...
They built a $100 million endowment in five years, half the time anticipated:
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fundraising/2020-21_Report#W...
In 2021/22, they are aiming to take $150 million; that is almost a 40% increase over the previous year's goal of $108 million:
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Medium-...
The Wikimedia Foundation's VP of Engineering and Development said in 2013 that Wikimedia's mission would be sustainable on $10+ million p.a.:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimedia-l/2013-March...
Today a Wikimedia fundraising manager thinks a billion a year would not be too much:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@list...
The top fundraising manager's salary increased by 50% in four years, to $252k plus $33k "other" compensation in 2019 (the latest figure available):
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_salarie...
https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/200...
The wording on the fundraising banners has always been controversial with the unpaid volunteers who write the articles, with the Wikimedia Foundation accused of manipulative tactics or outright lying to the public:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikipedia_Signpost/2...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2015/12...
They have never been struggling financially, but have always wanted to grow their organisation. They have beaten their own revenue record every year of their existence and added over 500 paid staff since they first became a top-ten website.
For further details see the following article:
https://www.dailydot.com/debug/wikipedia-endownemnt-fundrais...