# $100 million for open source: Community-powered milestone GitHub Sponsors sets record in funding open source developers globally. - **Source:** [The GitHub Blog](https://brifing.si/source/9783c41a-41dd-45e0-8c71-c0930937342d) - **Published:** 2026-07-20 - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/8eb315fa-7571-4208-8926-0a222ca4e24d ## Investing in open source Launched in 2019, GitHub Sponsors has now channeled over $100 million to support 70,000+ developers and projects. This milestone demonstrates the growing sustainability of the open source ecosystem through community backing. ## Global impact Operating across 103 regions, the program engages 280,000+ sponsors from individual developers to Fortune 500 companies. Organizations like Shopify are funding their dependencies at scale, securing open source's future. ## Accelerating growth While the first $10 million took two years, the latest $10 million was raised in just five months. This acceleration reflects increasing financial commitment to open source sustainability. ## Developer stories Sponsorships have enabled developers like Kelvin Tegelaar to work full-time on open source. Many now build sustainable business models around their projects with long-term perspectives. ## Corporate participation In 2022, 40% of funding came from organizational sponsors. Companies like Mercedes-Benz support open source both practically and philosophically, strengthening the software supply chain. ## Next steps While $100 million marks significant progress, many critical projects remain underfunded. GitHub calls for more individuals and organizations to sponsor the open source tools they depend on daily. ## Sources covering this story - https://github.blog/open-source/maintainers/100-million-for-open-source-a-milestone-built-by-the-community/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._