One of the functions of The FreeBSD Foundation is to provide funds, in the form of grants, to individuals or organizations. The grants may be used fo

  • Development of software for FreeBSD to benefit the user and developer community, including contract development of critical system infrastructure, porting of closed source applications such as Java(TM).
  • Obtaining computers and other equipment for developers to use toward improving FreeBSD, such as the network performance cluster, FreeBSD.org cluster, and personal development systems for
    developers.
  • Providing additional Internet infrastructure to aid in the development and distribution of FreeBSD.
  • Support developer communication and coordination, including financial support for developer summits and developer travel.
  • Encouraging the formation of FreeBSD user groups.
  • Cultivating press coverage and advertising the utility and availability of FreeBSD.

Directions for Applying for a Grant

Please read the policy below in its entirety and then fill out the FreeBSD Grant Request Form.

Note: If you are requesting a Travel Grant, refer to the Travel Grant Request Policy. If you are submitting a software development project proposal, follow Proposal Submission Process.

The FreeBSD Foundation will only consider grant requests related to FreeBSD. Please tell us who you are and some information about your organization. Give us a description of your project, or why you are requesting a grant. If the request is for purchasing equipment, list the equipment needed with links, the purpose of the equipment, and whether or not you need us to purchase it for you. It is the discretion of the FreeBSD Foundation to determine who owns the hardware at the end of the project.

Tell us how this project will benefit the FreeBSD community.

Determine your budget and how you would like the Foundation to help. Determine how much funding you need within reason. Please estimate the amount in US dollars.

Expect the approval process to take up to 4 weeks before receiving the funds. Provide as much information as you can regarding the purpose of the project, who this will help, and anticipated costs. Be sure to include how the Foundation’s funds will be used.

After the project has ended, a grant report must be completed. This is an opportunity for you, the grant recipient, to report on your use of the funds, effect of your program, and help us see the impact of our investment to the FreeBSD community.