Google co-founder donates $500,000 to Wikipedia

Jimmy Wales, the co-founder and promoter of Wikipedia was recently present in the country to address Wikipedians at the Wiki Conference 2011, held in Mumbai. Wikipedia spans across 280 languages and has around 20 million articles. This non-profit organization leaves no room for advertisements and sustains on grants and donations. And now, the Wikimedia foundation has received a grant of $500,000 from Brin Wojcicki Foundation formed by Google co-founder Sergey Brin and his wife Anne Wojcicki, reports VentureBeat.

Google co-founder donates, helps Wikipedia sustain

“This grant is an important endorsement of the Wikimedia Foundation and its work, and I hope it will send a signal as we kick off our annual fundraising campaign this week,” said Wikimedia Foundation, Executive Director, Sue Gardner in a release today.

Jimmy Wales has requested for donations from its readers. He revealed through the Wiki page, “Advertising is not evil. But it doesn't belong here. Not in Wikipedia. He suggests that if every reader donates $100, the Wiki team has to raise funds for just one day a year. However, it may not be possible for every reader to donate.” He requests its readers to consider donating $250, $500, $1000 or any amount to help protect and sustain Wikipedia.