[Foundation-l] Charity Navigator rates WMF

[Thomas Dalton]

2009/10/8 George Herbert <george.herbert at gmail.com>:
> The WMF is not entirely unique in that regard; many other charities
> are largely volunteer (cf Red Cross).

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Cross#Activities:

"Altogether, there are about 97 million people worldwide who serve
with the ICRC, the International Federation, and the National
Societies. And there are about 12,000 total full time staff members."

That is a ratio of about 8,000 volunteers per staff member.

The Wikimedia movement has perhaps 40 staff including the WMF and
chapters. At the same ratio, that would give us 320,000 volunteers. I
don't know how many volunteers we have, but I think it is rather more
than that. Obviously, just counting volunteers doesn't give the whole
picture, but it's the best I can do without lots more research. So,
perhaps we aren't quite unique, but we are more extreme that any other
similar charity movement I know of.