Ensuring free knowledge for future generations

Access to knowledge is a fundamental human right. The Wikimedia Endowment is our enduring commitment to a world of freely shared knowledge, now and in perpetuity.

We believe that knowledge is a foundation. It is a foundation for human potential, a foundation for freedom, a foundation for opportunity. Wikipedia is the world’s largest free knowledge ecosystem — a public trust for the common good — built by people, for people.

Giving

Giving Today

The Wikimedia Endowment is a safety net that helps protect Wikipedia now and into the future. Making a gift today is the simplest way to ensure that Wikipedia remains strong and stable, always there when you need it.

Give online today

Other ways to give >

Giving Tomorrow

Wikipedia has always been driven by the generosity and selflessness of people who understand the power of free knowledge to change the world. A gift in your will is an opportunity to continue making an impact for generations to come.

Learn more about legacy giving

To request more information about your estate planning options, and receive a copy of our Planned Giving Guide, provide your contact information and we will reach out to you.

Join the Wikipedia Legacy Society

Have you included Wikipedia in your estate planning? Let us know by completing our online form to become a member of our Wikipedia Legacy Society.

Join the society

Get assistance in developing a will

Would you like assistance in developing a will? Our partner, FreeWill, can help you write one free of charge. The process takes about 20 minutes.

Create a will

Why an Endowment?

When it was founded in 2001, Wikipedia seemed like an impossible dream. Today, Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects are a core part of the 21st century cultural infrastructure. They are a testament to human ingenuity, one that the Wikimedia Endowment is committed to protecting so that this knowledge can be passed down to future generations.

The purpose of the Wikimedia Endowment is to support Wikimedia projects in perpetuity. It represents a collective belief in what the Wikimedia projects have accomplished and what they have yet to achieve. As a fund that is invested for growth, it creates a solid financial foundation for the future and ensures long-term security.

A robust Endowment also provides Wikimedia’s community of volunteers and donors with the confidence that the mission and vision in which they’ve invested will be supported for future generations. New gifts are added to those of past donors, allowing the Endowment to keep pace with the growing needs of Wikimedia projects.

“Wikipedia stands alone in the online world, providing information and knowledge to anyone, anywhere, without cost.”

— Annette Campbell-White, Wikimedia Endowment Advisory Board Member

Our projects

Wikipedia was launched in 2001 with an ambitious vision: “Imagine a world in which every single human being can freely share in the sum of all knowledge.” Now, in its 20th birthday year, Wikipedia is the largest collection of open knowledge in history. With over 55 million articles in 300 languages, it is accessed by 1.5 billion unique devices every month, making it the only non-profit site in the top ten most visited on the web. 

Wikimedia also supports a range of additional projects that further enrich the landscape of free knowledge. Every month, more than 300,000 volunteer editors contribute to these projects, helping millions of people around the world discover information and share it with others. 

When you make a gift to the Wikimedia Endowment, you become part of this global movement. Your contribution helps ensure that Wikimedia’s free knowledge resources remain accessible and valuable for generations to come. 

Select projects supported by the endowment:

Free and open storage for the structured data of Wikimedia projects including Wikipedia, Wikivoyage, Wikisource, and others
The world’s largest multilingual free-to-use library of illustrations, photos, drawings, videos, music, and other media
The open source package that powers Wikipedia and many other wikis on the web
The world’s largest freely available and openly editable online encyclopedia
A free multilingual dictionary currently available in over 170 languages

“The Wikimedia Endowment is a springboard for growth and innovation in how we curate and deliver knowledge to the world for generations to come.”

— Jimmy Wales, Wikipedia Founder and Wikimedia Endowment Advisory Board Member

Advisory Board

The Wikimedia Endowment Advisory Board – comprised of leaders from finance, education, technology, business, nonprofit management, and the Wikimedia volunteer community – is guiding the endowment as it grows and supports the Wikimedia projects in perpetuity.

Jimmy Wales
Founder, Wikipedia
Project

Phoebe Ayers
Librarian, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Peter Baldwin
Co-Founder,
Arcadia Fund

Annette
Campbell-White
Founder, Kia Ora Foundation

Niels Christian Nielsen
Managing Director, World
Refugee School

Michael Kim
Founder, Cendana Capital

Patricio Lorente
General Secretary of Administration, National University of La Plata

Doron Weber
Vice President of Programs, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

Our benefactors

Thank you to our benefactors for their generous donations to the Wikimedia Endowment and for providing free access to knowledge to the world. Gifts that support the Wikimedia Foundation’s annual operations are recognized here. 

* denotes deceased donor

$5 million+

  • Arcadia, a charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin
  • Wikipedia readers and supporters

$2 million+

  • Amazon
  • Google.org
  • Musk Foundation
  • George Soros

$1 million+

  • Craig Newmark Philanthropies
  • Facebook
  • Jim Pacha*

$100,000+

  • Alan Bauer
  • Vivek Basrur
  • Annette Campbell-White
  • Dalio Philanthropies
  • Pitch and Cathie Johnson
  • Richard Jay Seidel and Caren Kaplan*
  • Estate of Karl Pfenninger*
  • Estate of John Robert Phillips*
  • Sigrid Rausing Trust

$50,000+

  • Estate of Evan C. Bacon*
  • Antoine Bello
  • The Rothschild Foundation
  • Christopher Seiwald

$5,000+

  • Estate of Orville Michael Baggett
  • William Benter
  • Barry Boehm
  • The Bommadevara family (Vedant, Maaya, Vamseeja & Nagendra)
  • Chris and Jennifer Brahm
  • Michael Brown
  • In honor of Annette Campbell-White
  • Elmira Choopani and Khanh Vu
  • Geisel Family Foundation
  • Spencer Glendon and Lisa Tung
  • Frans P. Guepin*
  • In memory of Nan Harris from her family*
  • Janet and Richard Hart
  • Helen Ingham Foundation
  • Mark Jacobson and Ilona Frieden
  • Brian Jaffe
  • Kevin Kelly and Germaine Fuh-Kelly
  • Khandros-Bloch Family
  • The Kipping Family
  • In memory of H. Kwan
  • Victor Linck
  • Michael Merwin
  • The Stephen Craig Moore Living Trust*
  • Gregory and Kathy Nelson
  • In memory of Don & Joyce Neufeld
  • The O’Brien Family, New Jersey
  • Manish Pandya
  • Lynda & Stewart Resnick
  • Tim and Mary Riordan
  • Barbara Ryan
  • In memory of Salomon (Monis) Samuelides
  • The Sigler Family
  • Mark Smithe
  • Doug Standing
  • Bonnie J. Tisch and Daniel R. Tisch
  • Paul von Kuster
  • Steven Dee Yeutter*

$1,000+

  • Ebrahim Ahmadi, M.D.
  • Feras Alhou
  • Lawanda Allee
  • Anyone Can Whistle Foundation of Los Angeles
  • Edward and Sallie Arens
  • Alden, Alison and Ansel Ashby
  • Michael Ashby and Nancy Till
  • Ellen Balaguer and Mark Chase
  • R & A Bandela
  • Steven Barnes
  • Daniel Baulig
  • Charles and Jennifer Beeler
  • Heather Bendler
  • In memory of Peter Bial*
  • Audrey and Gary Billerbeck
  • Paul Black
  • Will Bloch
  • Brent Blumenstein and Anne Ryan
  • Adam Bly
  • Edward Boehme
  • Artem Bolgar
  • Eleanor, Lauren and Tyler Brandt
  • Joseph Brandt
  • In memory of Roger Edward Broughton*
  • Kathy and Charley Brown
  • Patrick Brown
  • Craig Campbell
  • Gary Campbell
  • Raul Carmenate
  • Ken and Kyra Carson
  • The Carter Family
  • Romelle Castle
  • Vint Cerf
  • Christian Channell
  • Sarah Charlton
  • Saul and Nan Chase
  • Crystal Chen
  • Joseph Chen
  • Liang Chen
  • Paulina and Eric Cheung Hall, Esq.
  • Irene Clardy
  • Frank O. Clark, Ph.D.
  • In memory of Principal Joe Clark, who appreciated the value of knowledge and education*
  • Mary Cody
  • Louis Cohen
  • Jeremy Coller
  • Luke Comer
  • Linda D Cooley
  • Lenore C Cooney
  • Stone Coxhead
  • In memory of Edward Coyle*
  • Meg Coyle
  • Michael Danahy, Ph. D.
  • Austin Daily
  • Helen Darling
  • H. Andrew Decker
  • Michaela Depatie
  • Douglas Derrer
  • L Peter Deutsch
  • Andrew Dick
  • A Sibbald Doan
  • James Docauer
  • In memory of Dr. Paul Leighton Donoho*
  • John Dove
  • Ronald Doyle
  • Douglas Durst
  • Peter Emch
  • Otho Eskin
  • James Fallon
  • Mark Farley
  • Peter Farrell
  • In memory of Günter Fleig*
  • Margaret Flickinger
  • Will Forrest
  • Andrew Fraser
  • In memory of Johnnie Ruth Friedman*
  • Paul Funk
  • Charles J. Gallant
  • Charles Garrett
  • Marilyn Gatin
  • John and Melanie Geleynse
  • Elizabeth and Robert Geltz
  • Safar Ghazal
  • Giancarlo Pallavicini Onlus Humanitarian and Cultural Foundation
  • Mary E. Glidden and Paul Francoeur in memory of Yves Francoeur
  • Jeff and Kelly Glisch
  • Thomas Goddard
  • Jack Goodman
  • Loretta Montanari Gottshall
  • James and the late Connie Gossett
  • Terence E. Gray
  • In loving memory of Norman G. Greenberg*
  • Lisa Seitz Gruwell
  • Mary Beth Guard
  • Adrienne Kent Gunst
  • Kathryn Hall
  • Mark Halperin
  • Chalmers Hardenbergh
  • In memory of Rosebud Smith Haywood*
  • Thomas Hazlehurst, M.D.
  • Wenshan (Susan) He
  • Ernest Hildner
  • Matthew Hill
  • Christopher Hinton
  • Tran Ho
  • Charles Hogan
  • Hanna W. Hopp*
  • Celia and Daniel Huber
  • Philippe Ifrah
  • Rex Jaeschke
  • Kent Janer
  • Martin Jansche
  • Peter and Linda Jeschofnig
  • Robert Johnson
  • In memory of Dr. James L. Julian
  • In memory of James Ralph Justus, Jr.*
  • In honor of APJ Abdul Kalam, former president of India*
  • Alice Kaplan
  • Catherine Kayser
  • Emily and Zak Keir
  • Peter Kelsey
  • Jack Kessler
  • Prakhar, Prerak, Akta, and Pravin Khandelwal
  • Don King
  • Robert King
  • Sam King
  • Brendan Kirby, P.E.
  • Evgeny Kissin
  • Nora Klein
  • Eric Klusman
  • Paul Kostenuik
  • Krebs on Security
  • Kurt Kufeld
  • Kishor Kulkarni
  • Joshua Kwan and Angeline Protacio
  • Sally Lawrence and David Lai
  • Lai-Yet Lam and Peter Lew
  • Amanda Lao
  • In memory of Robert E. Lasky*
  • Jerry LeClaire
  • Linda Lee
  • Russ Lewis
  • Gregg and Libby Lindahl
  • Girts Linde
  • Christopher Lingle
  • Kevin Lloyd
  • John Longres
  • Riley MacPhee and Julie Pedtke
  • In memory of my sister MADELEINE
  • Victor Mair
  • Gary Marcus
  • Alexis Martinsen
  • John Marx
  • Sydney McDole and Naresh Lakhanpal
  • Rajalaxmi McKenna
  • Karen Meckstroth
  • Gilbert Miller
  • Minassian Media
  • Minassian Media
  • Deb Morrison
  • Jeff Morrow
  • Mary G. Murray
  • Jasmine Nabi
  • Robert Neale*
  • George Nikopoulos
  • Becky Norquist
  • Og & Ogina
  • Leon Older
  • Miriam and Robert Owens
  • Andrew Pace
  • Trey Parker
  • John Parkinson
  • Mary Patterson
  • Barbara Perreault
  • Steve Pittman
  • Jim Polisano
  • Daniel and Gail Powell
  • Susan Pritzker
  • Borden Putnam
  • R&S Cohen Foundation
  • Anne Reece
  • Paul Resch
  • The Rex Flash Ministries
  • Maximilien Reynolds
  • In memory of Charles Rich, Ph.D.*
  • Lorraine and Gary Roberts
  • Diana Rogers
  • Dennis Rossman
  • In memory of Frank Rust
  • Rana Sadik and Samer Younis
  • Scott Satterwhite
  • Scott Satterwhite
  • Anthony John Savory*
  • Paul Scharf
  • Andrew Schorr
  • Stephen K. Schuck, on behalf of those who prefer facts to wishful thinking
  • Ann Schumacher
  • Curtis Scribner
  • Scrum.org
  • H Rodney Sharp III
  • Rasha Shehada
  • Bradford Sherburne
  • Michael Shimoide
  • Clay Shirky
  • Steve Solomon in Josh’s memory — He loved to learn.
  • Bill Spindler
  • Sports Reference LLC
  • John Stares
  • Betty Ann Stedman
  • Timothy Steinert
  • Elizabeth Story
  • StrongAuth Inc.
  • Melissa & Karl Sweitzer
  • The Tarpenning-Schillinger Family Fund
  • Jon Thaler
  • Rabbi Rob & Lauren Thomas
  • In loving memory of Dolly Marguerite Thompson*
  • Jack Thompson
  • Fred Thorlin
  • Christopher Transue
  • Kit Transue
  • Natalie and Bobby Tulsiani
  • James Uttley
  • Erik Vaaler
  • Jos van Schagen and Marjon Floris
  • Amélie & Kunal Verma
  • Nicolas Veron
  • Charlotte von der Hude
  • Milan Votava
  • In memory of Robert Henry Walpole
  • Rich Warner
  • Richard Warner
  • Matthew Weiner
  • Mike Weiss
  • Patti White
  • Albert Whittlesey
  • Peter Wiley
  • Matt Williams
  • Robert Williamson
  • Willowridge Partners/Jerrold Newman
  • The Wolff Family
  • Adam Wolff
  • Tim and Cc Yu

Wikipedia Legacy Society

Thank you to Wikipedia Legacy Society members for pledging a legacy gift to the Wikimedia Endowment — ensuring Wikipedia’s future, in perpetuity.

* denotes deceased donor

Contact us

For more information about the Wikimedia Endowment, please contact us at endowment@wikimedia.org. For information on how you can support the Endowment with a planned gift, please contact legacy@wikimedia.org, or call us at
+1 415-541-3506 ext. 6863