What is Five for the Future?
Five for the Future is a stewardship program inviting companies to dedicate resources to advancing WordPress. The program empowers organizations to invest in their future success by making sustained contributions to WordPress.
Open source is an essential digital public good that is used by millions around the world to create exponential value and opportunity. WordPress today has a wide range of users, from the largest companies and institutions to small businesses, to hobbyists. This is because WordPress has an incredible reputation and strong community. It is powerful software that can be endlessly extendable to suit different needs; it’s reliable and secure. Whatever the need, WordPress creates opportunities and helps people further their goals – in fact, WordPress in 2022 was estimated to generate a combined annual revenue of billions of US Dollars.
By actively participating and investing in Five for the Future, you can help ensure WordPress thrives as a powerful tool that continues to drive opportunity and business growth. This program leverages the power of open source, enabling you to play a key role in shaping the future of WordPress.
The 5% in Five for the Future is an aspirational target, not a strict requirement. It represents a goal to contribute 5% of your time or resources to the WordPress project, recognizing that any contribution, no matter the amount, is valuable.
How did Five for the Future come into being?
The program was introduced by Matt Mullenweg, co-founder of WordPress, in 2014. Recognizing the importance of collective effort in maintaining and advancing WordPress, Matt called on companies benefiting from WordPress to contribute back to the community. Five for the Future was born from this vision, emphasizing the role of shared responsibility in the open-source world.
What are the intentions and goals of Five for the Future?
The primary goal of Five for the Future is to foster a thriving, sustainable WordPress ecosystem. By encouraging contributions, the initiative aims to:
- Strengthen the WordPress project through continuous development and innovation.
- Ensure long-term stability and security.
- Cultivate a vibrant and collaborative community.
- Support the diverse needs of WordPress users worldwide.
Five for the Future celebrates and promotes a culture of generosity. It emphasizes the importance of collaborative efforts and generous contributions to ensure the long-term health and stability of the WordPress project.
By participating in Five for the Future, organizations not only invest in the platform’s future but also demonstrate their commitment to the principles of open-source software.
What is a Five for the Future Contribution?
Direct contributions that support a Make/WordPress Team are Five for the Future contributions.
Consistent contributions that count towards Five for the Future are those that directly support the various Make WordPress teams. These teams are dedicated to different aspects of the WordPress project, including:
- WordPress core development
- Design for core and various Make/Team needs
- Documentation
- Official community events
- Theme and plugin review
- Training and support
- Testing
- And more…
Of these contributions, contributing to the WordPress Project’s Big Picture Goals have the highest impact.