"Our annual income for 2023 came in just slightly below our projections, with a small difference of less than 500€. Our expenses came in below target due to a conservative planning approach that generally assumes an expense maximum, but in line with our general expectations.

Both outcomes demonstrate our ability to make accurate forecasts — an important ability given our 2023 operational goal of outspending our annual income for the second year in a row, which we have achieved, in order to reduce our financial reserve (which remains high from large one-time donations in earlier years) in accordance with our non-profit organizational form."

A German e.V. can't keep arbitrarily large reserves indefinitely. It needs to use its money for its stated purpose, or else it may lose its tax status. KDE's plan makes sense.