The Internet Archive is running a matching donation campaign this September to fund the infrastructure that keeps its digital library operational. According to the organization, recurring donations will be matched at a 3:1 ratio through the month, meaning a $25 monthly gift becomes $75, a $50 donation becomes $150, and a $100 contribution becomes $300.
The Internet Archive operates the Wayback Machine and maintains collections accessible to users worldwide at no cost. The nonprofit does not charge for access, sell user data, or display advertisements. Instead, it builds and maintains its own technology systems rather than outsourcing to external companies.
According to Brewster Kahle, Internet Archive Digital Librarian, the organization’s mission centers on “universal access to all human knowledge.” The archive currently preserves 210 petabytes of knowledge across its systems.
Maintaining this infrastructure requires significant resources. The organization states that its needs are “growing rapidly” and that it depends on recurring donations to sustain operations year-round. According to the Internet Archive, recurring gifts “provide the dependable support we need to keep our infrastructure running year after year,” and the organization is powered by donations averaging about $25 monthly.
The organization emphasizes that its independence from corporate partnerships allows it to preserve and provide public access to its collections. However, this independence also means the Internet Archive is solely responsible for funding the servers, storage, power, cooling, and personnel required to maintain its systems.
Monthly donors are described as part of the “Monthly Giving Circle,” and the organization frames recurring support as essential not only for maintaining servers but for ensuring “books are readable and websites are accessible” and for “preserving the best we have to offer for generations to come.”
Key facts
- Internet Archive is running a 3:1 matching donation campaign in September 2026
- The organization preserves 210 petabytes of knowledge
- Internet Archive operates at no cost to users and does not sell data or display ads
- The nonprofit builds and maintains its own infrastructure rather than outsourcing to corporations
- Recurring donations average about $25 monthly according to the organization