Apparently, the WMF has a problem to foresee how much each year's donation campaign will bring in, and how the coming year's budget can be made to fit this. Perhaps each year will raise less and less money, and that we already have the best years behind us. Is there a way we could reach better long-term stability? Should the WMF set up a long-term fund and move some of this year's money there, as a reserve for future meager years? If the interest rate is 4% then a fund which is 25 times bigger than the budget can support it in whole for ever. But even a smaller fund might be a good help. Should donors be given the option of giving to the current budget or giving to the fund? Has this been discussed?
I believe one of the things the auditors suggested with building up a reserve fund large enough to fund (I think) 6 months of activities. I think the board did intend to try and do that, but I don't think the budget includes putting anything towards it...
Being able to fund activities off capital gains would be very useful, but really it requires large endowments to work. Building up a fund from small fundraisers isn't going to work.