[Foundation-l] Audited financial statements released!

[Jeff V. Merkey]

Brad Patrick wrote:

Big milestone achieved. Congrats Brad.

Jeff

>Dear Wikimedia Foundation community:
>
>It is my pleasure to announce the public release of audited financial 
>statements of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. for fiscal years 2004, 2005 
>and 2006 inclusive.  This represents a significant step forward in the 
>life of the Foundation.  Our audit firm, Gregory Sharer & Stuart 
>(www.gsscpa.com), worked with us for the past several months to help us 
>comply with all of the requirements such an audit demands.  We assumed 
>this responsibility ourselves, to demonstrate to the community and the 
>world that the Foundation has complied with its obligations under law 
>and generally accepted accounting principles.
>
>I want to specially thank the members of the audit team, Michael Davis 
>and Danny Wool, and our auditors Rick Caton, Mili Protic, and Melanie 
>Cloran for their hard work, patience, and good natured approach to this 
>unusual organization.  We appreciate their efforts.
>
>Links to the financial statements and management letter: 
>
>http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/2/28/Wikimedia_2006_fs.pdf 
><http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/2/28/Wikimedia_2006_fs.pdf>
>
>and
>
>http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/6/69/Wikimedia_2006_Mgmt_Letter.pdf 
><http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/6/69/Wikimedia_2006_Mgmt_Letter.pdf>
>
>Wikimedia Foundation continues to grow at an astonishing rate.  In the 
>coming days, you will see more information about the fundraiser we are 
>planning, which will include the opportunity to have donations made to 
>the Foundation matched by generous individuals and companies who support 
>our efforts.  With our audit complete, Wikimedia Foundation is now 
>listed as a charitable organization at Guidestar (www.guidestar.org) and 
>its partner sites, which will extend our visibility in the 
>not-for-profit community.
>
>You will also see "what it takes to run Wikipedia for a year" - a 
>glimpse of the financial challenges we face trying to maintain our role 
>as a top website on the planet, with a skeleton staff and 
>ever-increasing demand for the educational content created by you, our 
>community of editors and contributors.  Anonymous visitors will also be 
>reminded that Wikimedia Foundation is a *charitable organization*, 
>something which distinguishes us from the YouTubes and MySpaces spoken 
>in the same breath as Wikipedia as the "Web 2.0" vanguard.  We aren't 
>for sale.  There won't be a Wikipedia IPO.  We can't be bought by a 
>company, any more so than the Red Cross or Amnesty International.
>
>What sets us apart is our mission, vision and community.  What keeps us 
>going, though, requires an growing infrastructure, staff, and money.
>
>On behalf of the Foundation,  thank you!
>
>Brad Patrick
>Interim Executive Director & General Counsel
>Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.
>
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>