For more than two decades, OpenNTF has been built around a simple idea: the Notes/Domino community can make the ecosystem better by sharing what we build and by helping each other.

Developers contribute code and projects. Administrators share tools and solutions to problems others are likely to encounter. Volunteers spend their time maintaining OpenNTF, organising activities, helping contributors, and keeping things running behind the scenes.

Much of that work is voluntary, but running OpenNTF itself is not free.

There are costs for hosting, infrastructure, software and services, events, and other activities. There is also work involved in maintaining and modernising the infrastructure, managing projects, dealing with licensing and legal matters, and supporting contributors.

Over the years, OpenNTF has been fortunate to receive support from IBM and, more recently, HCL. That support has made many of our activities possible, and continues to be important to us.

Earlier this year, we added another way for the wider community to support OpenNTF directly: Patreon.

Patreon allows individuals and organisations to make regular contributions at a level that works for them. Even relatively small recurring contributions can help us plan ahead, rather than depending entirely on occasional sponsorship or funding for individual activities.

The money can help us:

- cover infrastructure and operational costs;
- maintain and modernise OpenNTF services;
- support events and other community activities;
- experiment with new projects and initiatives; and
- keep OpenNTF sustainable as an independent, community-run organisation.

Having a Patreon presence does not mean putting OpenNTF behind a paywall. Our purpose remains the same: supporting open source development and collaboration around the Notes and Domino ecosystem.

Projects, resources, and the work of the community continue to be available to everyone.

We are also looking at perks for Patreon supporters. These may include recognition, discussions with the OpenNTF team, event-related benefits, swag, and other ways to participate more closely. The intention is to give supporters something useful or enjoyable in return, without taking things away from people who cannot or do not want to contribute financially.

OpenNTF has never been just a website or a collection of downloads. It exists because developers, administrators, business partners, volunteers, and others have contributed code, time, knowledge, infrastructure, and funding over many years.

Patreon is simply another way to contribute.

We already have a growing group of patrons supporting OpenNTF, and we are very grateful to them.

If OpenNTF has been useful to you or your organisation, and you would also like to support our work, you can join them on Patreon.

https://www.patreon.com/cw/OpenNTF



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