The form to fill is here: Proton Lifetime Fundraiser 2024
Would be helpful if people put in projects like Graphene, Tor, and Qubes! You can also always nominate non-technical orgs like EFF too 
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I’ve nominated Ente.
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I’ve nominated GrapheneOS.
Our phones are the most sensitive devices, we use them more than any other tech. Because of how close the phones are to us and how much of our data goes through them, the phone isn’t just a gadget, it’s kind of part of you.
Not only is GrapheneOS the most private and secure OS on the market, it also manages to be the most usable and user-friendly when compared to other similar OSs. That privacy, security, and UX gap between GOS and other similar OSs (CalyxOS, etc.) is also getting wider and wider.
Overall, when considering the size of their team and their budget, GrapheneOS is one of the most impressive projects that punches way above its weight.
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I’ve nominated LadyBird, a new,built-from scratch browser engine. This task will require a lot of effort, but if they can pull it off, this will be a huge win for privacy. Since they are starting from scratch, they will not implenent old and insecure tech.
Plus, we need more choice that Chromium & Gecko.
Edit: Just to be clear Ladybird is a long-term project and will not be ready until 2027.
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Proton already supported GrapheneOS in 2022. Anyone here know if having received funds in the past disqualifies them from being a non-consecutive recipient?
I couldn’t find any direct information but I think this implies they can be selected again:
If you’re not sure what kinds of organizations to nominate, you can find inspiration in some of our previous recipients. These have included investigative newsrooms, civil society groups, and public interest tech developers, such as Privacy International, Freedom of the Press Foundation, World Wide Web Foundation, Tor, and Graphene OS.
I answered you in DM and in Ladybird thread, but I would prefer this thread to not have debates. It’s not the goal.
I nominated Fossify.
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Last year was GrapheneOS for me, this time I chose Forbidden Stories.
The Pegasus project was outstanding.
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I saw and interpreted that statement the same way. Further transparency would be appreciated.
I nominated wallabag.
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I nominated GrapheneOS.
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I nominated GrayJay / FUTO because I cant nominate GrapheneOS every year and becuase Surveillance Watch doesnt really lend itself to donations and is more contribution focused.
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FUTO is backed by a billionaire, and they’re giving away huge grants to others themselves, it doesn’t make sense to nominate them, at least in my eyes.
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F-droid
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Youre right. I nominated them for visibility on the project and for the intent of their projects as per the assesd guidelines of nomination. As i said, nominating GrapheneOS each year seemed trivial given its reach now and Surveillance Watch isnt really designed for this kind of thing.
Not being argumentative, but pointing out that my focus was to call attention to the project, more specifically the licensing model and not to give them money. Its not always abiut money.
Edit: As an addition, it takes all types to change things for the better and I think billionaire backed projects should be placed in high esteem when they match the values of missions like this. How else do we encourage more wealthy types to care about such ideals?
Appreciate you sharing your thoughts though.
Except that a fundraising is exactly about money.
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I nominated Tor Project, specifically the Tor VPN app (which replaces Orbot) in hopes it can ship sometime in this decade.
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Sigh… I gotta say, I didnt expect to have to defend a clearly outlined move on my part. Let me put this to rest:
This campaign has evolved into a significant source of funding for important projects, and I’m proud to contribute to that, where I personally purchase raffle tickets every year to support the cause. But it does not have to always be about grants to deserving projects. As a long-time supporter, I believe this charity can evolve and do even more.
That’s why I nominated FUTO. They’re doing incredible work with local AI for STT, their licensing model, and GrayJay – all of which advance privacy and data sovereignty. Yes, they have financial resources, but that doesn’t diminish the value of their contributions.
Recognizing a project like FUTO can be incredibly impactful. It sends a message that these values matter, even when a project is already successful. It encourages others with resources to step up and prioritize these principles. Sometimes, a vote of confidence and increased visibility can be just as valuable as a grant, especially when it inspires others to follow their lead. We need to reach for collaboration and interoperability of ideals and celebrate innovation.
If its all the same to you, I’d rather leave it at that and not further monopolise the chat. You may connect one on one if you wish to dive deeper.
Happy to see everyone sharing what they chose. As good a time as any to also donate to the projects you nominated if you can! Push your employer to match the donation too if they have matching programs.
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