Fundraising 2011/Community FAQ

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This page is for addressing common community questions about the 2011 Fundraising process. For general questions about WMF fundraising, including how to give and what we spend donations on, please see the Frequently_asked_questions on wikimediafoundation.org.

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Common Questions[edit]

Where can I see the results of previous tests?[edit]

Reports on our testing, including raw data, are posted on Fundraising 2011.

Are you looking for user made banners?[edit]

Rather than banners, we're looking for Wikimedia community members from all corners of the world to share their story and motivate readers to donate. If you’re game, please send a message to wikistory(_AT_)wikimedia.org.

Why don't we try a different appeal rather than the personal appeals?[edit]

The personal appeal formula has been very successful so far and gives scope for a lot of variety in the appeals. However you are free to suggest alternatives as we're always looking for new ideas. Suggestions can be made on the Local Testing page.

Are donations secure?[edit]

All payment information is transmitted securely, and the Wikimedia Foundation does not keep the credit card information of any donor. To find out more about how the credit card information is secured by the relevant payment processing client, you should contact them directly. See the Donor Privacy Policy for more information.

Why don't you accept donations in currency XYZ?[edit]

With over 180 circulating currencies in the world, it's extremely difficult to handle every single one. However we've just implemented an entirely new payment processing system which supports far more currencies than our old one, including some of the most requested ones like Indian rupees and Brazilan reals. Try it!

Do you accept Bitcoin donations?[edit]

For those unfamiliar with the concept, Bitcoin is a form of crypto-currency; in their own words, "an experimental new digital currency that enables instant payments to anyone, anywhere in the world."(Bitcoin P2P Digital Currency. Retrieved 2 November 2011.) The Wikimedia Foundation's position on the matter is as follows:

The Wikimedia Foundation, as a donor-driven organization, has a fiduciary duty to be responsible and prudent with its money. This has been interpreted to mean that we do not accept "artificial" currencies - that is, those not backed by the full faith and credit of an issuing government. We do, however, strive to provide as many methods of donating as possible and continue to monitor Bitcoin with interest and may revisit this position should circumstances change.

The Wikimedia Foundation does try to make donating as easy as possible, however. For a list of ways to give, see the "ways to give" page.

How can I contact the fundraising team?[edit]

You can leave a message at Talk:Fundraising_2011 or find us on IRC in #wikimedia-fundraisingconnect

Questions regarding chapters, the fundraising agreement etc.[edit]

Please contact Barry Newstead (bnewstead@wikimedia.org) and Moushira Elamrawy (melamrawy@wikimedia.org) for any issues regarding chapters and the fundraising agreement.