Open Source Funding Revolution: New Endowment Led by VC and Tech Icons Promises Permanent Maintainer Support

A groundbreaking nonprofit, the Open Source Endowment, has launched to deliver sustainable funding for open-source software maintainers worldwide.

Venture investor Konstantin Vinogradov founded the initiative, which has already garnered over $750,000 in commitments from more than 50 donors including prominent tech figures.

The Open Source Funding Crisis Exposed

Open-source code powers up to 55% of enterprise tech stacks, but 86% of developers contribute unpaid, fostering burnout and risks like the catastrophic 2014 Heartbleed vulnerability.

Current funding via corporate sponsorships and foundations remains inconsistent, often tainted by influence concerns or sudden withdrawals, as seen in various community backlash.

Endowment Model for Perpetual Stability

Emulating university endowments, the organization invests principal patiently, disbursing only a portion of annual returns to foster decades-long independence from volatile donors.

Selection prioritizes projects by user scale, interdependencies, and absence of existing grants, ensuring aid reaches truly underserved critical infrastructure.

Elite Backing Signals Industry Shift

Key supporters feature ex-GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke, HashiCorp founder Mitchell Hashimoto, Supabase CEO Paul Copplestone, and creators of Vue.js alongside cURL.

Vinogradov asserts, “The only way to support open source sustainably is private funds,” underscoring endowments' untapped potential for permanence.

Impacts and Long-Term Vision

Aiming for $100 million in assets within seven years, the endowment could avert maintainer exodus and fortify the internet's foundational layers.

Despite needing time to mature, it fills voids left by bodies like the Linux Foundation, heralding a resilient era for open-source innovation.