Frequently asked questions

People in India build great projects, but few of them find funding or other logistical support. When lots of us give a little each month, together we can back many of them. Contributions start small, so anyone can join in.

Indian individuals and projects that work in the open, as free and open source: anyone can use, study, change and share their work, for any purpose.

It can be software, hardware, or digital and physical designs: from high-tech chips to the cloud, from devices to tech art. Community efforts built on the same principles count too.

Each project must use a well-known free and open source licence. The fund can pay a person, a group or an organisation. They must also be able to receive money over UPI.

You and other contributors nominate and choose the projects.

Each season, contributors nominate projects or people and vote on them. You may make one nomination a season, your own or someone else’s, or simply vote.

You split your vote across the three kinds of projects: new, growing and well-established. We will publish the full voting rules before the first vote.

New projects need help to get started. Growing projects already have a small community or user base, and need help to grow. Well-established projects work well, and need support to keep going. When you vote, you decide how much of your vote goes to each kind.

With money, first of all, but not only money. Contributors and the people they back can share ideas, advice and other support, and grow together. Backing from many contributors also shows that people value a project, and that can bring it attention, more funding, collaborators or a path to a business.

Volunteers from the FOSS United community, with experience in many fields, run it. You can meet them on the People page. When contributions open, the money will go into a FOSS United Foundation account. The Foundation also runs its own grants programme, which has given more than ₹3.3 crore to 135 grantees: projects, events and fellowships.

Those are large grant programmes, and each one is separate. FOSS United grants have given more than ₹3.3 crore to 135 grantees in India. FLOSS/fund, from Zerodha, gives up to US$1 million a year to free and open source projects around the world. The Rupee Fund works differently: volunteers run it, and many of us each give a little.

We have not set a date yet. There is nothing to pay now, and signing up costs nothing. Sign up, and we will email you as soon as contributions open.

The fund follows the four Indian weather seasons: winter (December to February), summer (March to May), monsoon (June to September) and post-monsoon (October and November). Contributors decide where each season’s pool goes.

The pool is the money we collect, minus administrative costs. We publish every cost, so you can see where your money goes.

No. The fund backs only Indian individuals and projects, including people who work on international projects.

No. We need to comply with all statutory requirements, so anonymous contributions are not supported.

However, we collect only what the form asks for. Nothing more.

We will send you one email when the fund opens, and monthly updates if you tick that box. We also use your answers to plan the fund.

Your answers about money are not a commitment. We do not need any payment details today: you are only showing your support for the mission of this fund.

Read our privacy policy for more.

Email us. We will update your preference, and will not send you any more email.