If you have opened a Wikipedia page recently, a big blue banner would have greeted you, urging you to donate to them, anywhere upwards of Rs 150.

The banner seems urgent with a statement that reads, "We need you to make a donation to protect Wikipedia’s independence... 98 percent of our readers don’t give, they simply look the other way... It’s a little awkward for us to ask you this... If everyone reading this donated Rs 150, we could keep Wikipedia thriving for years.”

These banner ads are part of Wikipedia’s annual global fundraising campaigns, but for Indian users, this is a relatively newer display.

Wikipedia is running a fundraising campaign in India for the first time this year, though similar ads had shown up in India several years ago.

“Wikipedia had run fundraising ads in India seven years ago as part of a global campaign, but we did not have a payment method for Indians to donate,” said Megan Hernandez, director of online fundraising at Wikimedia Foundation.

“We have set up local payment methods in India now,” she added. For Wikimedia Foundation, which hosts Wikipedia, an online ‘encyclopedia’ edited and run by volunteers across the world, fundraising is the only revenue channel.

“Wikipedia is run by a non-profit organisation and relies on donations by readers,” Hernandez said.

In a blog that the foundation published on the fundraising, it said, “We operate an international technology infrastructure, which is comparable to the world’s largest commercial websites.”

The foundation says hosting costs include keeping servers running, and engineering work. “Donations help dedicate engineering resources to ensure Wikipedia can be accessed in your preferred language, on your preferred device,” the blog says.

Wikimedia Foundation employs over 250 engineers. But is Wikipedia running out of money? Will it shut down soon if readers do not donate? While the messaging may sound alarming, the foundation's financials for 2018-19 fiscal seemed healthy, though fundraising is the means to build a strong runway for the platform.

As of June 2019, Wikipedia had over $165 million of total assets, with over $100 million in cash. The foundation also said in its financials that it had total financial assets of $151 million to meet its cash needs for one year.

While the foundation raised over $110 million in donations and contributions, it also saw expenses of $91 million In 2018-19, a lot of which went towards salaries and wages, grants, and internet hosting.

Wikipedia is counting on markets like India to contribute a significant part of its fundraising. India is an important market for the foundation, from where the platform gets over 750 million monthly, making the country the fifth-highest number of views from any country.

While Wikimedia’s average donation size globally is $15 (over RS 1,100), it’s an appeal to readers in India is for donations of Rs 150 and above. This year, the foundation’s target for fundraising is $88 million and comes in the middle of a global pandemic and economic crisis.

However, Hernandez said it was too early to talk about the impact of the pandemic on fundraising. “The support from India has been positive so far,” she said.

First Published:Aug 11, 2020 7:41 PM IST