Finances
Looking back, 2024 was a solid financial year for Wikimedia Deutschland.
Over half a million people made important contributions to the promotion of free knowledge in Germany and across the world, with donations and contributions totaling €23.1 million.
Revenues
In 2024, revenues rose to EUR 24.6 million (EUR 20.6 million in the previous year). This increase was larger than expected thanks to a greater willingness to donate, which we see in the context of a transformed political situation across the board and, as a result, increased importance of taking positive action for Free Knowledge and open access to information. Thus in nominal terms we took in EUR 11.7 million in the form of donations (previous year: EUR 9.9 million). Income from membership fees rose to EUR 6.2 million (previous year: EUR 5.5); as of March 31, 2025, the number of members had risen to 113,340 (previous year: 111,254). The amount of other revenues increased to EUR 6.7 million (previous year: EUR 5.2 million).
*Stand 31.03. des darauffolgenden Jahres
Use of Funds
Expenses rose to EUR 22.8 million in 2024 (previous year: EUR 20.6 million). Of this, EUR 11.7 million is attributable to personnel expenses (previous year: EUR 10.2 million) and EUR 11.1 million to operating expenses (previous year: EUR 10.4 million). In support of our partners EUR 4.3 million was transferred from the organization to the Fördergesellschaft.
The summary “Use of Funds” in this report provides a more detailed breakdown of the actual use of funds.
Annual remuneration of the Executive Board and divisional management
Each of the executive directors received EUR 141,358.60, and each of the five department heads received 101,058.60.
The amounts for each of these positions are prorated based on a calendar year and for the department heads, in cases of part-time employment, on a 40-hour work week. These amounts represent salary (“AN-Brutto”, gross employee wages) as well as all further benefits of monetary value such as retirement plan, BVG ticket, home-office stipend and one-time home-office compensation.
All workers in Germany are eligible for a retirement plan in the form of deferred compensation. Should employees opt into a retirement plan, Wikimedia Deutschland will contribute up to 20% thereof. The executive directors receive no contributions toward a retirement plan.
Unused Donations/Reserves
Wikimedia Deutschland employs the HFA 21 accounting standard. A unique feature of this standard is that revenue from donations is only posted at the time of the donation’s disbursement. For this reason, the item “Unused Donations” posted under liabilities on the balance sheet is an important benchmark for assessing Wikimedia Deutschland’s financial situation. This amount increased to EUR 11.6 million (previous year: EUR 8.6 million). The total is shown in full as a tax reserve in accordance with §62 AO of the German Fiscal Code.
Gemeinnützige Wikimedia Fördergesellschaft mbH (WMFG)
Although since 2023 the task of raising donation funds has fallen to the organization itself, the Gemeinnützige Wikimedia Fördergesellschaft mbH, a 100% subsidiary of the organization, forwards funds to our partners. Personnel and material expenses fell to EUR 0.2 million (previous year: EUR 0.6 million). EUR 9.7 million (previous year: EUR 8.9 million) was forwarded to the Wikimedia Foundation in the USA, and EUR 0.7 million to our other partners. The Fördergesellschaft’s unused donations fell to EUR 0.2 million (previous year: EUR 3.3 million).
Overview: Revenue and Use of Funds
The vast majority of Wikimedia Deutschland’s funding comes from donations and contributions from 585,654 individual supporters. These EUR 17 million in donations received in 2024 and EUR 6.2 million in contributions grant us financial security and independence.
Like many other fundraising organizations, Wikimedia Deutschland strives to maximize funds used for substantive work while minimizing the costs of activities related to public relations, advertising and administration. Nevertheless, the latter activities are necessary and meaningful as they help organize the use of funds as well as providing accountability and transparency. The expenses for public relations, advertising and administration of Wikimedia Deutschland and the Gemeinnützige Wikimedia Fördergesellschaft amounted to EUR 6.4 million in 2024 (previous year: EUR 6.0 million). This constitutes 21.2 percent of the total expenses of both organizations (previous year: 23.5 percent).
Auditing
Wikimedia Deutschland voluntarily allows audits of its financial position, financial performance and cash flow as well as its internal processes. The audit of Wikimedia Deutschland Gesellschaft zur Förderung Freien Wissens e. V. and Gemeinnützige Wikimedia Fördergesellschaft mbH was conducted by Solidaris Revisions-GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft and was completed in March 2025. The auditor’s report concludes with an unqualified opinion. According to the auditor’s report, the financial statements of both organizations, Wikimedia Deutschland and Wikimedia Fördergesellschaft, were presented in a complete and conscientious manner, and the audit concluded fully without objection.