Funding Working Group

The OWASP Funding Advisory Council will identify, cultivate, and pursue funding opportunities that strengthen the long‑term financial sustainability of the OWASP Foundation. The primary aim of the committee is to expand and diversify revenue streams by researching, evaluating, and recommending opportunities such as grants, sponsorships, philanthropic partnerships, and strategic collaborations.

The committee’s mandate explicitly excludes determining how funds are allocated or spent. All decisions regarding the use of funds remain under the authority of the OWASP Board, Executive Director, and relevant operational policies.

The Funding Advisory Council is empowered by the Board to collaborate with staff, volunteers, partners, and the broader security and open-source communities in support of the OWASP mission.

The council is specifically responsible for:

Funding Research & Opportunity Development

• Identify and evaluate potential funding opportunities, including grants, sponsorships, partnerships, and philanthropic programs.

• Maintain a centralized repository of active and upcoming funding opportunities.

• Develop and refine criteria for assessing opportunity fit, feasibility, and alignment with OWASP’s mission.

Proposal Support & Coordination

• Support staff and volunteers in preparing grant applications, sponsorship proposals, and partnership materials.

• Provide subject-matter guidance on proposal narratives, impact framing, and alignment with OWASP’s strategic goals.

• Coordinate with the Executive Director and relevant staff to ensure proposals meet organizational requirements.

Relationship Building

• Cultivate relationships with potential funders, sponsors, and partners.

• Represent OWASP’s mission and value proposition in conversations with prospective supporters (without signing authority).

• Recommend engagement strategies to strengthen long-term relationships with funders.

Governance & Compliance

• Ensure all funding pursuits adhere to OWASP policies, nonprofit regulations, and ethical guidelines.

• Provide the Board with transparency on active pursuits, risks, and opportunities.

• Refrain from making any decisions regarding the allocation, spending, or management of funds.

Authority Limitations

• The council has no direct budget and no authority to allocate or approve spending.

• [TBD] expense policy for funding requests.

• All financial decisions follow the Staff and Board-led approval process.

• Members do not have signing authority and do not represent their employers or institutions.

The funding working group may undertake the following activities to support its mission:

• Develop a “Funding Opportunities Playbook” to guide chapters, projects, and volunteers in identifying and pursuing funding.

• Host informational sessions or workshops to help community leaders understand available funding pathways.

• Collaborate with other committees (e.g., Education, Events, Projects) to identify funding needs and match them with opportunities.

• Create templates for grant proposals, sponsorship decks, and partnership outreach.

• Track and report on success metrics such as the number of opportunities pursued, proposals submitted, and relationships established.

• Explore new funding models aligned with open-source sustainability trends.