# Supporting Sustainable Open Source via the Open Source Endowment

- Link: https://jeffpaul.com/2026/02/supporting-sustainable-open-source-via-the-open-source-endowment/
- Published: 2026-02-26T14:59:20-06:00
- Author: jeffpaul

Earlier this year I wrote about the importance of treating open source as digital
infrastructure in my post _[Agree and Amplify: Funding Open Source as Digital Infrastructure](https://jeffpaul.com/2026/01/agree-and-amplify-funding-open-source-as-digital-infrastructure/)_.
The core idea is simple: the software that powers much of the internet should not
depend solely on goodwill and spare time.  It deserves durable investment.

That is why I am pleased to be a [founding donor](https://endowment.dev/community/)
to the [Open Source Endowment](https://endowment.dev/), a new initiative exploring
a long-term funding model for critical open source infrastructure through community
support.

Working in the WordPress ecosystem makes the sustainability challenge very real.
WordPress powers a significant portion of the web and continues to evolve thanks
to a global community of contributors, companies, and organizations investing time
and resources into the project.  Programs like [Five for the Future](https://wordpress.org/five-for-the-future/)
have helped encourage that investment, but the broader open source ecosystem still
struggles to ensure that essential projects and maintainers have stable, long-term
support.

The [Open Source Endowment](https://endowment.dev/) proposes another approach: building
a community-funded endowment designed to generate ongoing financial support for 
maintainers and critical projects.  Rather than relying only on sponsorships or 
one-off donations, the goal is to create a lasting financial base whose returns 
can sustain open source work over time.

If open source truly is digital infrastructure, then we should be thinking about
funding it like infrastructure as well.  I am excited to support this effort and
encourage others who care about the long-term sustainability of open source to [take a look](https://endowment.dev/about/)
and consider [donating](https://www.every.org/osendowment?method=card%2Cbank%2Cpay%2Cstocks%2Cdaf%2Ccrypto&suggestedAmounts=100%2C500%2C1000%2C2000&designation=Endowment+Fund&utm_campaign=donate-link&require_share_info=true&partner_donation_id=70e39d67-d937-409a-831b-86dae66bfbb4&success_url=https%3A%2F%2Fendowment.dev%2Fthanks%3Fdonation_id%3D70e39d67-d937-409a-831b-86dae66bfbb4&exit_url=https%3A%2F%2Fendowment.dev%2F%3Ffrom%3Devery-exit%26donation_id%3D70e39d67-d937-409a-831b-86dae66bfbb4#/donate).

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