These extraordinary donations, both made to the FSF in the cryptocurrency Monero, are among some of the largest private gifts ever made to the organization. The donors wish to remain anonymous.
"These incredible acts of generosity are a true gift in a challenging time for many, including many organizations like ours," said Zoë Kooyman, executive director of the FSF. "It proves that software freedom is recognized more and more as a principal issue today, at the core of several other social movements people care about like privacy, ownership, and the right to repair."
The organization is in its annual winter fundraising drive, currently at three-quarters of its $400,000 USD winter goal, and will now switch its focus to a member drive thanks in part to these donations. Contributions to the FSF have always been driven by individual giving and a strong supporter base of associate members.
"We are proudly supported by a large variety of contributors who care about digital rights. All donations matter, whether $5 or $500,000," Kooyman added. "Naturally, a large donation of this size boosts our work tremendously, but year after year we rely on a considerable number of donations, which maintains our independence. It makes it all the more special that these donors did not ask to be recognized."
The donation will support the organization's technical team and infrastructure capacity, as well as strengthen its campaigns, education, licensing, and advocacy initiatives, and future opportunities.
The FSF is seeking donations until year-end after which they aim to gain 100 associate members through its year-end fundraising ending January 16. Ways to contribute to the FSF are published on its site.
About the Free Software Foundation
The Free Software Foundation, founded in 1985, is dedicated to promoting computer users' right to use, study, copy, modify, and redistribute computer programs. The FSF promotes the development and use of free (as in freedom) software — particularly the GNU operating system and its GNU/Linux variants — and free documentation for free software. The FSF also helps to spread awareness of the ethical and political issues of freedom in the use of software, and its websites, located at https://fsf.org and https://gnu.org, are an important source of information about GNU/Linux. Donations to support the FSF's work can be made at https://donate.fsf.org, or become an associate member at https://fsf.org/join. The FSF is a remote organization, incorporated in Massachusetts, US.
More information about the FSF, as well as important information for journalists and publishers, is at https://www.fsf.org/press.
Media Contact
Greg Farough
Campaigns Manager
Free Software Foundation
+1 (617) 542 5942
[email protected]