Each year, we share a summary of the FreeBSD Foundation’s budget to give the community a clearer look at how we plan to use our resources to support the FreeBSD Project.

The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded entirely by donations. Since 2000, we’ve supported FreeBSD through software development, advocacy, infrastructure support, education, and by serving as the Project’s legal home.

For 2026, software development continues to be the largest area of planned spending. This includes work on laptop support, general operating system improvements, virtualization, and CRA/security-readiness efforts.

A few notes about this year’s budget:

  • Software Development: Nearly 62% of the planned budget is focused on development work that helps improve FreeBSD and address important Project needs.
  • Laptop Support: This remains a major focus area, with continued work on wireless, graphics, audio, suspend and resume, installer improvements, and other areas that affect day-to-day usability.
  • CRA and Security Readiness: We are continuing to invest in work that helps FreeBSD prepare for changing software security and compliance expectations.
  • Advocacy and Education: This includes promoting FreeBSD, supporting users and contributors, creating educational resources, and participating in industry and policy discussions.
  • Infrastructure Support: This supports the systems and services that help keep the Project running.


New this year, the Foundation received a $250,000 grant to support a Security Engineer in Residence role. This work is separate from the core budget, but closely aligned with our broader security and readiness efforts. The role will help FreeBSD prepare for AI-generated vulnerability reports, AI-assisted vulnerability discovery, and emerging AI-enabled security risks.

The 2026 budget also includes another planned draw from reserves. This is a deliberate decision by the Board, allowing us to invest in important work now rather than delaying support for the Project. At the same time, reserves are not a long-term replacement for sustainable funding. Continued support from individuals and organizations is what allows us to keep making these investments in FreeBSD’s future.

As always, the budget should be viewed as a guideline rather than a fixed spending plan. We will continue to evaluate fundraising results, community needs, and Project priorities throughout the year and make adjustments as needed.

Thank you to everyone who supports the Foundation. Your contributions make it possible for us to continue funding the work that helps keep FreeBSD strong, sustainable, and ready for the future.