[tor-project] Tor's Bug Smash Fund: Fundraising Campaign

[Al Smith]

Hi all,

Final Bug Smash Fund campaign update: in August, we raised $106,709 that
we will earmark for finding and fixing bugs + performing maintenance!
About 60% of the total raised came in through cryptocurrency.

We're very happy that despite the challenges brought on by COVID-19, and
the cancellation of in-person events where the majority of our donations
were received in 2019's Bug Smash Fund campaign, we were able to meet
*and* surpass our goal.

Thank you for everything you did to help spread the word about this
campaign. It made a huge impact. For more, you can read our closing blog
post: https://blog.torproject.org/tor-bug-smash-fund-2020-106K-raised

Al

Al Smith (they/them)
Fundraising • Communications
The Tor Project

On 8/11/20 1:18 PM, Al Smith wrote:
> Hi everybody,
>
> Update: The Bug Smash Fund campaign has been live for a little more
> than a week now. So far, we’ve raised $15,539 from 397 donors through
> the website! 
>
> This time in the campaign last year, we had raised $8,302 from 294
> donors, meaning we’re tracking about $7,237 higher than this time last
> year, with an increase of 103 donors. Great progress! Thank you for
> amplifying this effort, it makes a big difference.
>
> We’re still working against the reality that donations at DEF CON
> brought in $40K donations last year, and that opportunity just isn't
> possible this year. Please continue to share and spread the wordso we
> can do our best to make up that gap!
>
> I’ll send another update before the end of the campaign. 
>
> Cheers,
> Al
> Al Smith (they/them)
> Fundraising • Communications
> The Tor Project
> On 7/31/20 8:10 AM, Al Smith wrote:
>> Hello Tor!
>>
>> Today, the Tor Project is launching our second annual Bug Smash Fund,[1]
>> a month-long fundraising campaign (7/31 - 8/31). The goal of the Bug
>> Smash Fund campaign is to raise unrestricted funds that we allocate to
>> finding and fixing bugs / doing maintenance / and addressing issues that
>> aren’t flashy or exciting for most funders, but totally necessary for
>> the health of Tor and all of the third party apps that rely on Tor to
>> provide privacy, security, and anonymity to their users.
>>
>> Unrestricted funding, like what we’re raising for the Bug Smash Fund, is
>> key for the Tor Project to improve our agility and stop relying on the
>> slow, piecemeal process of grant funding in order to accomplish our
>> goals and respond to emergent issues.
>>
>> Last year during our first Bug Smash Fund campaign, we raised $86,081
>> that we used to close 74 tickets.[2]
>>
>> In 2019, we were able to allocate all of the donations we raised
>> in-person at DEF CON to the Bug Smash Fund. That was about $40,000. As
>> we all know, this year is different, and it will be a big stretch to
>> meet or exceed the amount we raised last year without this event. So
>> your help to amplify this campaign could really help make this campaign
>> a success.
>>
>> How to help:
>> -- Tweet about the Bug Smash Fund using the #TorBugSmash and a link to
>> our launch blog post. Here are some suggested posts.[3]
>> -- Quote tweet @torproject posts about the Bug Smash Fund with your own
>> take about why unrestricted funds are so important for the health of Tor.
>> -- Forward this email to those who might be able to amplify the campaign.
>>
>> Activities in August to support the Bug Smash Fund campaign:
>> -- Hosting a second PrivChat event featuring stories about smashing bugs
>> in software development on (date tbd)
>> -- Sharing regularly on social media and engaging our friends to amplify
>> the campaign
>> -- Sending two emails to previous donors who have not made a donation in
>> the last 90 days
>> -- Promoting a new cryptocurrency campaign on Blockchair:
>> https://blockchair.com/donut/tor-project
>>
>> If you have any questions about or ideas for the Bug Smash Fund
>> campaign, please email me or Isabela or grants at torproject.org, we would
>> be happy to talk about it.
>>
>> Happy Friday,
>> Al
>>
>> [1] https://blog.torproject.org/tor-bug-smash-fund-2020
>> [2] https://blog.torproject.org/tor-bug-smash-fund-2019-final-update
>> [3] https://pad.riseup.net/p/OiWVPFGPw7I9vnX7MnN2
>>
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