MOSS/Foundational Technology

Mozilla relies on a number of open source and free software projects. In some cases the software produced by these projects is incorporated into Mozilla products. In other cases we rely on as part of our infrastructure or to get our jobs done. The Foundational Technology track is open to projects which Mozilla uses or relies on, and who are in need of funds.

Project Criteria

Awards should be jointly submitted by the leader of a project and an established Mozillian who will champion the award. The project/people need to meet the following criteria:

• Award requests should be for the amount of financial support that helps accomplish a clear and current project goal. Projects that don’t have a need for funds at this time can be considered when such a need arises. A $10,000 award request is just as valid as a $50,000 or $100,000 request.

• 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 (perhaps using a standardized form). They will also make themselves available to the application evaluation committee to help them assess the appropriateness of the award to the needs of the project.

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.

Selection Criteria

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 particular outcome.

• 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 of delivering?
• What does the champion have to say? Is the case compelling?

The minimum award for the Foundational Technology track is $10,000, and the maximum is $250,000.

Selection Committee

We have formed a selection committee of 7 participants, as follows:

• Current Committed Mozillians - they bring a good working knowledge of Mozilla's day-to-day activities and how various open source projects are used.
  • Benjamin Kerensa
  • Laura Thomson
  • Doug Turner

• Senior Mozilla Alumni - they are no longer actively involved with Mozilla on a day-to-day basis but have a deep understanding of our project and a different/outside perspective.
  • Stormy Peters
  • Mike Shaver

• Other Open Source Experts - they bring knowledge of the role of different projects within the open source ecosystem.
  • Rich Bowen
  • Tony Wasserman

How To Apply

The application form is here. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.