Introducing FLOSS/fund: A $1 Million Annual Fund for FOSS Projects
At Zerodha, open-source software has been a core part of our journey from the beginning. Today, we are excited to give back to the FOSS (Free/Libre and Open Source Software) community by launching FLOSS/fund, a dedicated $1 million annual fund to support FOSS projects globally.
Why FLOSS/fund?
Our success as a company has been built on the foundation of high-quality FOSS projects, which we’ve freely used and adapted over the years. From programming languages like Python, to databases like PostgreSQL, web frameworks, and much more, FOSS tools have been essential to building Zerodha’s technology stack. Without these, our journey would not have been the same.
Yet, despite their crucial role in powering companies like ours, FOSS projects often struggle with financial sustainability. As companies grow and thrive by using FOSS, many of the creators and maintainers of these projects are left without the resources they need to keep their projects running. This is a growing concern as we see more and more open-source developers facing burnout or turning to commercial ventures to sustain their work.
FLOSS/fund is our way of addressing this. We want to contribute to the sustainability of the FOSS ecosystem, ensuring that projects continue to thrive for the benefit of all.
The FLOSS/fund Structure
FLOSS/fund is designed to provide structured financial support to FOSS projects. Here’s how it will work:
- Funding Amounts: The fund will provide between $10,000 to $100,000 to individual FOSS projects, with a total commitment of $1 million per year.
- Application Process: We encourage FOSS developers, maintainers, and teams to apply. The process is simple and transparent, with projects able to submit requests through a funding.json file hosted on their repositories or websites.
- Selection Process: Initially, an internal selection committee will choose the projects, with plans to establish a community-driven selection process in the future. We want to make sure that the funding goes where it’s most needed.
Our Journey with FOSS
When we started Zerodha Tech over a decade ago, our very first steps involved using FOSS tools. We began by installing Python to automate small tasks and eventually expanded our tech stack one open-source tool at a time. From PostgreSQL for data management to WordPress for our website, FOSS has been integral to every part of our growth.
In recent years, we’ve also contributed to the open-source ecosystem through initiatives like:
- ERPNext Investment: A sizeable investment in ERPNext, a FOSS ERP that we use extensively.
- FOSS United Foundation: Co-founding the foundation to support the growth of FOSS in India.
- TinkerSpace: A hackerspace for young people to explore FOSS and technology.
- OASIS: Supporting FOSS adoption in non-profits and the social sector.
While we’ve provided ad-hoc support to various projects, we felt it was time to formalize this process with a structured fund, ensuring that support is available to projects on a global scale.
Why FOSS Needs Financial Support
Despite their importance, many FOSS projects struggle to find stable financial backing. Open-source developers often rely on donations, sponsorships, or venture capital to sustain their work, but these models don’t always align with the spirit of FOSS.
FLOSS/fund aims to address this by offering direct financial support to FOSS projects, helping developers and maintainers continue their invaluable work without needing to compromise on their principles.
How You Can Get Involved
If you’re working on a FOSS project and need financial assistance, we invite you to apply for funding. Whether you’re a small team maintaining a critical tool or a large project serving a global community, FLOSS/fund is here to support you.
We hope that FLOSS/fund will not only provide much-needed financial support but also inspire other businesses to take action. The FOSS community has given us all so much—it’s time for us to give back.
Let’s keep the spirit of open-source alive, ensuring that the developers who power our world get the support they deserve.
