In an encouraging move, Mozilla announced the launch of “Global Mission Partners: India”, an award program for open source enthusiasts from India to participate and win funding up to Rs 1.0 crore. Applicants can apply for funding to support any open source/free software projects which extends Mozilla’s Mission.

Mozilla Mission is basically 10 principles which the organization is dedicated to. These principles support Internet as an integral part of modern life and must remain open and accessible for all. Internet must enrich the lives of the individual and their security and privacy should be the fundamental right. Individuals must have the ability to shape the internet and their experiences.

Mozilla believes free and open source promotes the development of the internet as a public resource and transparency is a key component promoting participation, accountability, and trust. Mozilla also acknowledges commercial involvement brings many benefits to the web and lists magnifying public aspects of the internet as important goal.

To support and further extends its Principles, Mozilla has come up with the “Global Mission Partners: India” promoting the active participation of Indian students and professionals in the area of open source and free software.

With Linux and Open Source gaining popularity lately in India, if you are already onto something which can benefit the open source world, you can get a funding of Rs. 1.25 lac – 50 lac ($2000-$80,000)!

Project Criteria

For your project to qualify, you must be an individual resident of India, a company registered in India or a non-profit organization which is FCRA-registered. An umbrella organization who intend to use the money to contract an individual resident of India can also participate.

The project should meet the below criteria:

The project should be to write or enhance some software or software documentation which already falls in Open Source / Free Software license.

The project should benefit Mozilla’s Mission listed above.

Project activity must be endorsed by someone well-known and respected in a wider community of which the project is a part of.

Selection Criteria

Mozilla explicitly mentions these selection criteria are indicative and does not really guarantee a particular outcome, however these will help them more or less likely to make an award.

How significantly your project advances Mozilla mission.

Will the award make a significant impact on the project?

Is level of funding appropriate for the completion of the task?

What reputation the project have in technical, inclusion or other areas.

Your track record of delivering.

A committee of 5 participants has been formed to assess awards.

How to apply

You can apply by filling the form below:

Apply for Mozilla Funding

The last date to apply is September 30, 2017, midnight IST.

We at It’s FOSS sincerely thank Mozilla’s initiative to promote and fund open source projects in India.