$20,000 Donated to the Django Software Foundation (4 years of giving back)

For the fourth year running, I have donated $5,000 to the Django Software Foundation renewing Foxley Talent's Corporate Membership and Silver Sponsorship for another year.

That's $20,000 in total donated to the DSF since I started Foxley Talent.

If you have read my previous posts on donating you'll know that this isn't something I compromise on. It's budgeted, it's non negotiable and it's something I'm really proud of.

When I started Foxley Talent I committed to donating 5% of our profits each year to the DSF. In the good years that works out as planned. In the harder years... the donation stays the same but the percentage of profit it represents has been a lot higher.

This year the donation carries a bit more weight than usual. So let me explain...

It hasn't been an easy year

I'll be honest. The last 12 months have been the hardest since I started Foxley Talent.

I had to scale the company back to survive. Clients went into administration owing us money and I've been unpicking some very messy accounting and tax issues that are still ongoing.

Last summer I was close to calling it a day. Instead I made the decision to reset, strip things back, rebuild with clarity and purpose and focus on what I do best. Being the go-to recruiter for the Python and Django community.

(Jon at DjangoCon US 2025 in Chicago)

So here I am, back where I began. Just me, running Foxley Talent as a one person operation heading into year five and making sure the donation still happened. Because for me, giving back to the DSF isn't something I do when times are good. It's something I do because it's the right thing to do.

Full stop.

Why does the DSF matter?

The Django Software Foundation is the non profit organisation that funds and supports the development of Django itself. This year the DSF has increased its fundraising goal to $500,000. This is a big step up from the $200,000 target of previous years and a sign that the foundation is ready to do more.

(at the time of writing the DSF has raised just over 8% of the annual target)

That budget funds the Django Fellowship Program, supports conferences and community events, DjangoGirls workshops, development sprints and much more. Without the DSF, Django as we know it wouldn't exist.

The increased target means that donations from companies and individuals matter even more now. I might even turn this blog post into a lightning talk to give at some of the conferences this year.

There are still less than 50 companies globally that sponsor the DSF as Corporate Members. Foxley Talent is one of them and I wear that Silver Member badge with pride. It's on our website, our YouTube videos, our conference stand... everywhere.

If your company uses Django I'd encourage you to look into becoming a Corporate Member. Speak to your boss, see what budget is available. Giving the equivalent of one developer's monthly salary could help make a huge difference.

A HUGE THANK YOU from me and Foxley Talent to the other Corporate Members.

What is the Open Source Pledge?

Something I've been following closely is the Open Source Pledge. An initiative originally started by Sentry (another Django Corporate member) that's gaining momentum.

(Times Square, New York)

The pledge is simple. Companies commit to paying Open Source maintainers a minimum of $2,000 per year per developer on their staff.

Their tagline sums it up perfectly. Do the right thing, support Open Source.

Even as a one person business my annual $5,000 donation to the DSF exceeds the pledge's minimum threshold. I'm just doing what I can.

I think what the Open Source Pledge is doing is important work and I'm glad to see more companies committing to supporting the open source projects they depend on.

If you haven't come across them yet take a look at opensourcepledge.com . They maintain a public list of member companies and it's growing.

DjangoCon and beyond

Alongside the DSF donation, sponsoring and/or attending DjangoCon and PyCon events remains a core part of what I do.

(DjangoCon US 2025 - photo credit: Bartek Pawlik)

These conferences are where I meet the people I work with. Developers, CTOs, founders and community organisers. The relationships I've built at DjangoCons over the years are the foundation of my business.

Even when the budget is tight I still show up. Being present in this community isn't a marketing tactic. It's who I am and what Foxley Talent is about.

With the recent influx of fake candidates on the job market, being able to say to a client that "I've met this person" suddenly holds a lot of additional weight. I wrote about the fake candidate problem earlier this year.

18 years in the Python world

This year marks 18 years since I started recruiting in the Python world. I've seen other frameworks come and go, markets boom and bust and through all of it Django has remained a constant.

(with some Django royalty in Dublin 2025)

Over those 18 years I've built a network and a reputation that I don't think any other recruiter in this space can match. Not because I'm the loudest or the biggest but because I've been here. Consistently. Doing the work and giving back along the way.

If you're a company looking to hire Django Developers I'd love to help. Whether it's a single hire or building out an entire team, this is ALL I do and I know the community better than anyone. And by proxy, part of any fee you pay will go towards next year's donation to the DSF!

If you're a Django Developer looking for your next role come and have a chat. Even if it's not the right time now I'd rather get to know you and be ready when it is.

In Summary

Donating $5,000 to the Django Software Foundation when you're a one person recruitment business that has just been through its toughest year might not make financial sense on paper.

But the way I see it, supporting the community that has given me my career, my network and my livelihood will always make sense.

Here's to year five and to the Django community that makes it all worthwhile.

Thanks for reading.
Jon

Related Articles

Previous DSF donation post 2025
Previous DSF donation post 2023
Django Developer Salary Report 2026