WMF Annual Report (2010-11) Options

[thekohser]

If you can stand reading it.

(link)

[gomi]

There are a couple of remarkable things:

1) They spend well over $7m on salaries, for a total of 80 employees;

2) They made only $37,000 on investment return on investable assets of $5.8m, an investment return of 0.6%;

3) As noted, they have (at year-end) over $12m of cash that is NOT included in "investments". Even on a short-term basis, this is a quasi-endowment that should be invested;

4) $5.9 for "operating expenses" and travel seems very high for 80 employees. Only $1.8m of nearly $18m in expenses is for hosting -- they spend $1.7 on the Board, and 18% of their total expenses, or $3.6m on administration;

5) Hilariously, the alphabetize their donor list by first name, making it virtually impossible to find specific individuals on it.

It is a very unusual profile for a "charitable" organization with only 80 employees.

It is instructive to compare Wikimedia with the Mozilla Foundation and Corporation.

[Cla68]

There are a couple of remarkable things:

1) They spend well over $7m on salaries, for a total of 80 employees;

2) They made only $37,000 on investment return on investable assets of $5.8m, an investment return of 0.6%;

3) As noted, they have (at year-end) over $12m of cash that is NOT included in "investments". Even on a short-term basis, this is a quasi-endowment that should be invested;

4) $5.9 for "operating expenses" and travel seems very high for 80 employees. Only $1.8m of nearly $18m in expenses is for hosting -- they spend $1.7 on the Board, and 18% of their total expenses, or $3.6m on administration;

5) Hilariously, the alphabetize their donor list by first name, making it virtually impossible to find specific individuals on it.

It is a very unusual profile for a "charitable" organization with only 80 employees.

It is instructive to compare Wikimedia with the Mozilla Foundation and Corporation.

The high travel expenses is one of the most glaring items inviting further inquiry.

[melloden]

The high travel expenses is one of the most glaring items inviting further inquiry.

Unsurprising, considering the number of people they paid to fly around to India and other places (Brazil?) to expand their university program.

[Eppur si muove]

The high travel expenses is one of the most glaring items inviting further inquiry.

Unsurprising, considering the number of people they paid to fly around to India and other places (Brazil?) to expand their university program.

Does it include non-staff? I'm thinking of funding relatively poor people to go to Wikimania.