[Foundation-l] Donation drive stopped early with insufficient funds collected

Fri Sep 9 13:19:36 UTC 2005

Jimmy Wales wrote:

>Daniel Mayer wrote:
>  
>
>>So I simply suggested that everybody consider setting aside the issues that
>>have been stopping action for nearly a year. I did *not* suggest that any rash
>>decisions be made or that things get decided unilaterally or randomly. But I
>>did suggest that issues relating to legal ownership (a major bottleneck - in my
>>observation - so far) can be worked out in due time. As is, the great majority
>>of the money is just sitting there. 
>>    
>>
>
>Legal ownership isn't really particularly a bottleneck here.
>
>  
>
>>As more and more chapters get tax exempt status, this will be more and more of
>>an issue. This issue needs to be worked out ASAP, before over half the money
>>generated in fund drives goes to chapters instead of directly to the
>>foundation. 
>>    
>>
>
>An alternative to this, which Soufron is looking into for me (but he
>warns that it will take some months at least) is to get the foundation
>itself directly recognized in Europe as having tax exempt status.
>
>--Jimbo
>
Hoi,
I have had contact with the Dutch taxoffice in Heerlen about this issue. 
It is possible for the Wikimedia Foundation to have a tax exempt status 
in the Netherlands. The Tax office takes a much more severe look at 
organisations that are not Dutch. Typically only 1% of the requests are 
honored I was told. It makes no difference if it is a US or a European 
organisation I was told. When we are to ask for a tax exempt status for 
a Dutch chapter, we could prepare papers for the WMF at the same time..

Given the great reputation the WMF has in the Netherlands it should be 
possible to acquire this status. This reputation can be demonstrated in 
quotes of organisations like Kennisnet who have publicly stated that 
Wikipedia is important to the Dutch education.

Thanks,
    Gerard