The COVID-19 pandemic is causing severe economic disruption across the United States and around the world, and is negatively impacting nearly all nonprofits, educational institutions, and cultural organizations.
It’s true for us too. This week, Wiki Education reluctantly says goodbye to seven staff members. This is a significant number of people for such a small organization, and it is painful.
I will personally and professionally miss everyone who is leaving. But the sad truth is that Wiki Education needs to significantly cut costs, in order to ensure it can continue to exist and do its work.
Given the severity of disruption to the nonprofit sector, the philanthropic sector, and to our partner and stakeholder organizations, as well as the uncertainty about what will happen next, we can’t expect to generate the revenue we would need to keep our operations at the levels they have historically been.
And so, we have had to cut costs. In March, we closed our office in the Presidio in San Francisco, and going forward we expect to be a fully remote organization. We will save some money because we will travel less, and have fewer face-to-face events. We have cut hours for some staff, including myself. But in the end, to reduce expenses to a point that would safeguard the organization’s survival, we needed to eliminate seven positions. That’s the reality of this moment.
I am deeply grateful to the people who are leaving Wiki Education, for their dedication and their hard work. Most have been with us for years, and each one has made innumerable contributions to our mission. We are heartbroken they are leaving.
Their work with Wiki Education will continue to benefit millions of people who read Wikipedia on a daily basis. I want to thank them for everything they have accomplished in their time with us, and I wish them all the best.
All the best. Thank you for your work.
Painful! Good luck to everyone affected, and let’s hope for a comeback too.