Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2025-2026/Goals
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 | This content is currently in development as part of the 2025–2026 Annual Plan drafting process. We are seeking feedback on the talk page until May 31st, 2025 to shape our priorities for the next fiscal year. |  |
Goal Summary
Metrics
Identifying proper metrics for the type of work done by the Wikimedia Foundation varies by area and type of work.
There is no shortage of data, analytics, and research used by every single team at the Wikimedia Foundation, ranging from internal performance data to relevant industry or other types of benchmarks. The task of identifying the right metrics to measure the right things is, however, often not a linear exercise. Some areas of the Foundation’s work have externally established metrics like audits, verifications, outside checks (e.g., finance, fundraising, legal, etc.). Other areas of work rely on more qualitative metrics like community feedback and growing both Wikimedia and external partnerships.
Described below is a set of concrete, time-bound experiments to evolve a limited set of core metrics that will motivate collective work with volunteers, and serve as signals to indicate whether overall objectives are trending in the right direction. The intent is that these metrics will also help us to evaluate, iterate and improve as needed. Where we are not seeing the impact we expect, we will assess and adjust the work accordingly.
The core metrics were selected using the following criteria:
- They represent clear measures of success for a strategic area of the Foundation’s support of the mission;
- We can observe changes frequently enough to make course corrections throughout a year;
- The metrics align with work that the Foundation can control and has the capacity to influence;
- They are forward-looking enough to help us understand progress on multi-year initiatives and provide information to shape forward-facing investments.
These metrics are informed by increasing volunteers, content, readers and funding as the key pillars of a multi-generational strategic approach. Grounding metrics in this longer view helps ensure that moving forward, a more consistent set of measures can be refined year-over-year, and can help us all assess progress and impact at timescales of more than a single fiscal year.
Draft metrics selection
Many of these metrics are still in development and being shared in this draft annual plan as they continue to be refined in their implementation during the year ahead.
Where there isn’t a metric available for this fiscal year, the plan is to use ‘achievement of key results’ as stand-ins until a core metric is available for future use and on-going reporting. Throughout the coming fiscal year, the intent is to incorporate more core metrics into measurement and reporting protocols as they become available.
Fuel volunteer growth
Nurture multiple generations of volunteers. For both experienced and new volunteers, to help answer the question: “Why should I volunteer?”
- Measurement: Measure and understand progress through a metric that aligns across work focused on contributors in the Contributor Experience (WE1) objective. This metric will be available for use beginning in FY25 with a specific metric definition available in late Q4 of the current fiscal year.
Deliver trustworthy encyclopedic content
Enable the internet’s fundamental source of knowledge by addressing disinformation, misinformation, and missing information in our ecosystem. Ensure that the Mediawiki software is sustainable into the future.
- Measurement: Measure and understand progress in key results outlined under Consumer Experiences (WE3) and Vital Knowledge (WE2).
Fund the future of free
Sustainably fund our movement through unified Product and Revenue strategies. Align initiatives in our strategic and development processes for long-term resilience.
- Measurement: Measure and understand progress based on key results outlined in Responsible Use of Infrastructure (WE5). This will continue to use standard financial measures to understand the efficiency of operations through the Programmatic Expense Ratio and a new fundraising metric focused on the Cost per Dollar Raised.
Shape a changing internet
"Bring encyclopedic content and volunteering to an internet driven by AI and rich experiences."
- Measurement: Measure and understand progress based on key results outlined in objectives focused on Future Audiences (FA1) and Social video (FA2).
Summary of Metrics
| Multi-generational Pillar | Core Metric | Metric Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel Volunteer Growth | Contributors Core metric | TBD (Coming soon!) |
| Shape a Changing Internet | KR achievement from Future Audiences (FA1) and Social video (FA2) | KR achievement |
| Fund the Future of Free | KR achievement from Responsible Use of Infrastructure (WE5) | KR achievement |
| Fundraising and Revenue Core Metric | [Cost per dollar raised] | |
| Programmatic Efficiency Measure | [Programmatic expense ratio] | |
| Deliver Trustworthy Encyclopedic Content | KR achievement from Consumer Experiences (WE3) | KR achievement |
| KR achievement from Vital Knowledge (WE2) | KR achievement |