1% for Open Source
Contribute 1% of your revenue back to the open source
projects and people that make it possible.
It's no secret that most open source projects are undervalued.
As revenue generating businesses, we should make a concerted effort to support the people that are saving us time, energy, and money by sharing their work.
It doesn't have to be hard — it just takes doing.
I get it. So what do we do?
1. Pick some projects
Take a look at your dependencies. Think about how your business works.
What open source projects do you rely on? Which of those could use some financial support?
(Hint: Fortune 500 companies probably don't need your money.)
2. Support them directly
Use GitHub Sponsors, Open Collective, or whatever method the project suggests for financial contributions. If they don't list anything, find an email address and reach out! It might be the push they need to set something up.
Use 1% of your revenue as a guideline — pick a number, divide it between the projects how you see fit, and click the button. It doesn't have to be 1% of total revenue (we aren't going to check). It could be more, it could be less. But something is better than nothing.
Don't know where to start? Pick one person on GitHub Sponsors. Don't worry about the amount and just start the habit (you can do more next year).
3. Tell us
Did you do it? Awesome!
Fill out this form with as much information as you want to include. Here's what you'll get from us in return:
- A page on this website (here's an example)
- A badge you can use on your own website/marketing materials
- A tweet from us
4. Tell everyone else
Tweet about your onepercent.dev page! Or tweet about this page! Personal account, company account, do it all. It's ok to toot your own horn — it could convince others to do the same.
Not making contributions today? Tweet about this website anyway — maybe someone else will.
FAQs
What exactly is onepercent.dev?
For now, it's a framework for giving back to open source and a collection of businesses who are doing it. It's not a fund or a nonprofit, and we don't process any transactions. Let's call it a movement?! It's definitely a website.
Why would I want to join?
Awareness! You can obviously contribute to open source (financially or otherwise) on your own terms and with no connection to this project. But sometimes it helps to have a framework to get you over the hurdle, and some incentive to share your behavior. Fill out our form and you'll get a full page on this site (with links back to yours), and a 1% badge you can use and Tweet. Sharing is caring... and helping.
Is this like 1% for the Planet?
The 1% part, yes. Otherwise there's no connection. We just think that the "1%" way of thinking is simple and powerful, and could work here just like it does for them and others who use it.
Who's behind this?
Onepercent.dev was started by me, Dave Gaeddert (and my business Dropseed). I have no authority to do such a thing, and I'm not sure it matters. If you want to partner on this project, let me know!
What about taxes?
No tax guidance here. Do your own research and see if there are ways you can make tax-deductible contributions, if you're into that kind of thing.
Here's a short list of 501(c)3 organizations:
- Apache Software Foundation
- Mozilla Foundation
- Open Source Initiative (OSI)
- Python Software Foundation
- Django Software Foundation
- Ruby Central
Will this solve everything?
Of course not. But if we can get more money flowing, more solutions will come.