Mozilla Open Source Support (MOSS) Program – Foundational Technology Track

Mozilla Open Source Support (MOSS) Program – Foundational Technology Track is sponsored by Mozilla Foundation. Provides funding to open source projects that are foundational to Mozilla's mission, including those focused on responsible AI.

Foundational Technology — Mozilla Open Source Support Mozilla currently relies on a number of open source and free software In some cases the software produced by these projects is incorporated into In other cases we run it as part of our infrastructure, or Mozillians use it The Foundational Technology track is open to such projects who are in need What your application should include Applications should be jointly submitted by the leader of a project and an established Mozillian who will champion the award.

Your application needs to meet the following criteria: Award requests should be for the amount of financial support needed to accomplish a clear and current project goal.

Projects that don’t have a need for funds at this time can be considered A $10,000 award request is just as valid as a $50,000 or $100,000 The money must be used to benefit the project, but it does not have to be used on things which themselves would directly benefit Mozilla. The project’s home can be anywhere in the world where we can make payment without undue burden.

We have a reasonably strong preference for funding legal organizations rather than individuals representing projects, although exceptional circumstances could lead to some flexibility. The Mozillian champion may be (but does not need to be) a project contributor to the project they are championing.

The Mozillian champion must vouch for the usefulness of the software, commit to monitoring the project, and report on the effectiveness of the award after the money is spent.

They will also make themselves available to the application evaluation committee to help them assess the appropriateness of the award to the We expect the vast majority of MOSS awards to be singular rather than regular — that is, support for doing a particular defined thing, rather than ongoing support for a project in general.

However a previous award proposal, successful or unsuccessful, does not disqualify a project from applying again. The minimum award for the Foundational Technology track is $10,000, and the How we’ll make our decision All criteria are indicative rather than determinative — that is to say, they will make us more or less likely to make an award, but none will guarantee a How reliant is Mozilla on the project’s technology?

Do others also rely on it outside of Mozilla products? Is the technology unique? Are they doing something different?

What role does the project play in the open source ecosystem? What sort of reputation does the project have in general, if any? This includes reputation in technical, inclusion and other areas Is the project known for something besides the code we are relying on?

Will this award make a significant impact on the project? Is the level of funding appropriate for the task to be accomplished? Does the person (or group) who will receive the money have a track record What does the champion have to say?

What a Mozilla champion does Applications need to be jointly submitted by the project and a Mozilla A Champion is an established member of the Mozilla community who knows the Being a champion means you believe in the project and its impact. You believe that funds from a MOSS Award would make a meaningful difference in the success and effectiveness of the project.

You believe the range of funds requested in the Award proposal is And you believe that the project and the task fit the award criteria for the track you are applying for.

A champion does a few different things: sponsors the project’s award proposal (it is akin to vouching for serves as the liaison between that project and Mozilla with regard to reviews the effectiveness of the award funds after an agreed upon period, to help Mozilla improve the effectiveness and impact of the MOSS program.

This review process might involve answering a set of standard assessment questions at the mid-point and at the end of the award period, and giving your written opinion of the overall success of the award. The time commitment should not be massive, but it will require thoughtfulness and honesty. To get started with your application, simply follow the link below.

MOSS applications are considered by the committee on a rolling basis each month; typically, you can expect to hear back from us within two months of submitting your application. If you have any questions regarding your application, please What if my project doesn’t have a legal organizational home? I see this is disfavored, and exceptional circumstances are required.

What might count as “exceptional”? If a project doesn’t have a legal organizational home, we will be handing a large sum of money to an individual with only limited accountability. This means a higher level of complexity and risk.

So you need to describe why it’s reasonable and important for us to accept We will listen because Mozilla is a pretty flexible organization, but we can’t promise the result will be as you hope.

Recipients are responsible to determine the tax implications of receiving an award, based on their respective countries’ tax laws and compliance Amounts applied for should be sized such that any tax or other liability that will be incurred is accounted for. Mozilla reserves the right to use different payment mechanisms or tax characterizations for different awards in the MOSS program based on a number of factors specific to the award.

Meet the Mozillians and Open Source experts who will be making the decision on your application. Take a look at some of the previously funded projects and the people behind them.