LFX Crowdfunding gives open source projects a way to raise money for development, events, infrastructure, security audits, or a general-purpose fund. Each initiative has a dedicated page showing funding progress, publicly visible donations and expenses, sponsor tiers, and a link that project owners can share. Owners can set custom benefits for tiers such as Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Supporters can make a one-time gift or choose a recurring monthly donation, which they can cancel at any time. The service is free at no cost, with 0% platform fees. The Linux Foundation underwrites platform and payment processing fees until $10M in funding. Donations are processed through Stripe; LFX Crowdfunding says it does not store full card details. Donors need an LF ID account and are prompted to sign in before payment. The Linux Foundation operates the service as a 501(c)(6) nonprofit, and its About page says funds are disbursed within 5 business days. Contributions to hosted initiatives are not deductible as charitable contributions for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Companies can receive formal invoices, PO-based billing, compliance-ready receipts, and finance-team documentation. Project owners and designated beneficiaries submit expenses through an external reimbursement service, with LFX Crowdfunding handling setup and approvals.
Who it is for
LFX Crowdfunding suits open source projects with an active community and a clear funding need, including projects raising money for development, events, infrastructure, or audits. It can also suit companies that need invoices, PO-based billing, receipts, and finance documentation when sponsoring an initiative.
What is good
- Supports project, security audit, event, and general-purpose fundraising.
- Accepts one-time and cancelable monthly donations.
- Initiative pages show progress, donations, and expenses publicly.
- Project owners can set sponsor tiers and custom benefits.
- Companies can receive invoices and PO-based billing.
- The plan is free with 0% platform fees.
What to know first
- Donors need an LF ID account before payment.
- U.S. contributions are not deductible as charitable contributions.
- Expense submissions use an external reimbursement service.
Verdict
Choose LFX Crowdfunding if an open source project needs public fundraising pages, sponsor tiers, and recurring donation support. It is free with 0% platform fees, and companies can receive formal billing documentation. Donors should account for the required LF ID sign-in and the fact that U.S. contributions are not deductible as charitable contributions.
Get started with LFX Crowdfunding
- Open https://crowdfunding.linuxfoundation.org/.
- Create an initiative for a project, security audit, event, or general-purpose fund.
- Set sponsor tiers and any custom benefits for supporters.
- Share the initiative page link with prospective donors and sponsors.
- Donors sign in with an LF ID before completing payment.
What the free plan stops at
The plan is free with 0% platform fees; the Linux Foundation underwrites platform and payment processing fees until $10M in funding. Contributions are not deductible as charitable contributions for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Questions about LFX Crowdfunding
How much does LFX Crowdfunding cost?
Its plan is free, with 0% platform fees. The Linux Foundation underwrites platform and payment processing fees until $10M in funding.
Can donors give monthly?
Yes. Donors can make one-time donations or set up recurring monthly donations, which they can cancel at any time.
Do donors need an account?
Yes. Making a donation requires an LF ID account, and users are prompted to sign in before payment is processed.
How are donations and expenses shown?
Donations and expenses are publicly visible on each initiative page, which also includes progress tracking and a shareable link.
Are contributions tax deductible in the United States?
Contributions to initiatives hosted on LFX Crowdfunding are not deductible as charitable contributions for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Who operates LFX Crowdfunding?
The Linux Foundation operates it as a 501(c)(6) nonprofit. Its About page says funds are disbursed within 5 business days.
LFX Crowdfunding plans and pricing
All plansCompared on nonprofit crowdfunding software
- Free plan
- Yes
- Recurring donations
- Yes
