Wikimedia Foundation Raises $25 Million over 9 days Fundraiser Campaign

Today Wikimedia Foundation announced that it has raised $25 million of donations over a 9 day period campaign in 2012. 1.2 million valued Wikipedia readers have contributed any possible amount with the request of founders Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger during mid-November campaign. The Wikimedia fundraising campaign lasted for 9 days on the English Wikipedia site which ran on English-language Wikipedia in five countries (the U.S., Canada, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand). Here is how the advertisement read:

“Wikipedia is non-profit, but it’s the #5 website in the world. With 450 million monthly users, we have costs like any top site: servers, power, rent, programs, staff and legal help. To protect our independence, we’ll never run ads. We take no government funds. We run on donations: 100 rupees is the most common, the world average is about 1500 rupees. If everyone reading this gave 100 rupees, our fundraiser would be done within an hour. Please help us forget fundraising and get back to Wikipedia." 

Wikipedia has been an ad-free information site which gets around 475 million visitors, which is possible due to the 80,000 volunteer editors, photographers and free-knowledge advocates that contribute to Wikimedia projects. As of now Wikipedia has more than 23 million voluteer-authored articles over 285 language. In 2011, Wikimedia Foundation fundraiser campaign lasted for 46 days, raising around $20 million and this year's campaign is surely successful one with more people donating to the foundation.

Wikipedia has been publishing unbiased and information content over the years and been running ad-free. We congratulate the people behind Wikipedia for this great success.