Processing Foundation Maintenance Fund

Open source software rarely fails all at once. It erodes overtime: a broken dependency here, an unfixed bug there, until the tools people depend on quietly stop working. Established in 2026, the Processing Foundation Maintenance Fund exists to prevent that slow erosion for p5.js and Processing Java, two of the most widely used creative coding tools in the world.

Free and open source, p5.js and Processing Java let individuals, institutions, and companies everywhere create generative art and interactive design without paying a license fee. But free software is no cheaper to maintain than paid software. Keeping these software stable, secure, and compatible with modern frameworks takes steady work that requires reliable funding.

The Maintenance Fund serves as a durable backbone for the infrastructure that millions of people across all six continents rely on. It directly supports the Foundation's Open Source Micrograntees and Developers in Residence, who handle the essential day-to-day maintenance and cover the costs that keep the software up and running. Maintenance isn't glamorous, but it lays the foundation that makes new ideas possible.

The Processing Foundation practices transparent financial reporting, check back in to learn how the Maintenance Fund gets distributed in the 2026–2027 Annual Report.