{"id":197,"date":"2025-05-22T10:36:32","date_gmt":"2025-05-22T08:36:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wikimedia.de\/2025\/?page_id=197"},"modified":"2026-05-13T17:06:32","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T15:06:32","slug":"finances","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.wikimedia.de\/2025\/en\/finances\/","title":{"rendered":"Finances"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \n Looking back, 2025 was a solid financial year for Wikimedia Deutschland. <\/span>\n <\/h2>\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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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 \u20ac25.5 million.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\n \n Revenues <\/span>\n <\/h3>\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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In 2025, revenues rose to EUR 26.6 million (EUR 24.6 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 worldwide 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 12.3 million in the form of donations (previous year: EUR 11.7 million). Income from membership fees rose to EUR 6.9 million (previous year: EUR 6.2); as of March 31, 2026, the number of members had risen\u00a0 to 116,537 (previous year: 113,340). The amount of other revenues increased to EUR 7.5 million (previous year: EUR 6.7 million).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n

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We would like to thank all our members and donors for their fantastic support!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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\n \n Use of Funds <\/span>\n <\/h3>\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Expenses rose to EUR 26.6 million in 2025 (previous year: EUR 22.8 million). Of this, EUR 12.8 million is attributable to personnel expenses (previous year: EUR 11.7 million) and EUR 13.8 million to operating expenses (previous year: EUR 11.1 million). In support of our partners, EUR 7.9 million was transferred from the organization to the F\u00f6rdergesellschaft.<\/p>\n

The summary “Use of Funds” in this report provides a more detailed breakdown of the actual use of funds.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\n \n Annual Remuneration of the Executive Board and Divisional Management <\/span>\n <\/h3>\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Our executive director received EUR 143,499.96, and each of the five department heads received EUR 103,200.00.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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, on a voluntary basis, contribute up to 20% thereof. The executive director receives no contributions toward a retirement plan.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\n \n Unused Donations\/Reserves <\/span>\n <\/h3>\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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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\u2019s disbursement. For this reason, the item \u201cUnused Donations\u201d posted under liabilities on the balance sheet is an important benchmark for assessing Wikimedia Deutschland’s financial situation. This amount increased to EUR 14.1 million (previous year: EUR 11.6 million). The total is shown in full as a tax reserve in accordance with \u00a762 AO of the German Fiscal Code.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\n \n Gemeinn\u00fctzige Wikimedia F\u00f6rdergesellschaft mbH (WMFG) <\/span>\n <\/h3>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
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Although since 2023 the task of raising donation funds has fallen to the organization itself, the Gemeinn\u00fctzige Wikimedia F\u00f6rdergesellschaft mbH, a 100% subsidiary of the organization, forwards funds to our partners. Personnel and material expenses remain at EUR 0.2 million. A total of EUR 10.7 million (previous year: EUR 9.7 million) was forwarded to the Wikimedia Foundation in the USA, and EUR 0.4 million to our other partners. The F\u00f6rdergesellschaft’s unused donations rose to EUR 0.7 million (previous year: EUR 0.2 million).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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\n \n Overview: Revenue and Use of Funds <\/span>\n <\/h3>\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The vast majority of Wikimedia Deutschland’s funding comes from donations and contributions from 575,403 individual supporters. These EUR 18.5 million in donations received in 2025 and EUR 6.9 million in contributions grant us financial security and independence.<\/p>\n

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 Gemeinn\u00fctzige Wikimedia F\u00f6rdergesellschaft amounted to EUR 6.8 million in 2025 (previous year: EUR 6.4 million). This constitutes 22.6 percent of the total expenses of both organizations (previous year: 21.2 percent).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\n \n Auditing <\/span>\n <\/h3>\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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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 F\u00f6rderung Freien Wissens e. V. and Gemeinn\u00fctzige Wikimedia F\u00f6rdergesellschaft mbH was conducted by Curacon GmbH Wirtschaftspr\u00fcfungsgesellschaft in March\/April 2026. The auditor\u2019s report concludes with an unqualified opinion. According to the auditor\u2019s report, the financial statements of both organizations, Wikimedia Deutschland and Wikimedia F\u00f6rdergesellschaft, were presented in a complete and conscientious manner, and the audit concluded fully without objection.<\/p>\n

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