What WordPress Foundation does

The WordPress Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization founded in 2010 by Matt Mullenweg to ensure free, perpetual public access to the WordPress open source software project and to protect the WordPress, WordCamp, and related trademarks. Its core product portfolio consists of community programs rather than commercial technology: WordCamps (78 conferences held in 51 countries in 2024, selling 18,500+ tickets), WordPress Meetup chapter groups (633 in 92 countries with 510,000+ members), the Learn WordPress educational platform (38,000 registered learners, 502 lessons, 24 courses), do_action charity hackathons (8 events in 2024 producing 21 charity websites for non-profits), and scholarship programs including the Kim Parsell Memorial Scholarship and the Open Horizons Scholarship. All programs are offered free of charge to participants. Technically, the Foundation does not build or sell proprietary software; it stewards the GPL-licensed WordPress codebase and operates supporting platforms including WordPress.tv, learn.wordpress.org, and the do_action event framework, with the Foundation's wholly-owned subsidiary WordPress Community Support, PBC handling all WordCamp and Meetup financial operations ($2,181,836 cash position as of October 2024). The Foundation itself is funded entirely through donations and grants — receiving $41,417 from 174 active recurring donors in 2024 (no donor contributing more than $5,000 to satisfy IRS public-support thresholds) — and reinvests funds into event infrastructure, scholarships, education, and grants to aligned non-profits such as the Internet Archive ($100,000 donation approved October 2024) and prior recipients including Hack the Hood, Black Girls Code, and the Foundation for Public Code.

Name

WordPress Foundation

Legal name

WordPress Foundation

Website

https://wordpressfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The WordPress Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded by Matt Mullenweg that protects the WordPress and WordCamp trademarks and funds community programs — including 78 annual WordCamps, 633 Meetup groups across 92 countries, Learn WordPress education, scholarships, and charity hackathons — financed entirely through donations and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Open Source Nonprofit Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

Keywords

• Open source advocacy
• Community event programs
• Open source education
• Nonprofit foundation
• Trademark stewardship

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: The WordPress Foundation is funded entirely through donations. Revenue includes individual donations, corporate sponsorships directed to the Foundation, and grants to non-profit organizations with similar missions. As of October 2024, the Foundation had received $41,417 in donations in 2024, up $12,952 from the prior year. There were 174 active recurring donations, an increase of 40 over the prior year. No single donor contributed more than $5,000, ensuring the Foundation meets the required 33.33% public support percentage. The Foundation also receives donations from WordCamp surpluses (e.g., WordCamp NYC's $28,069.25 donation in 2010). In 2017, the Foundation contributed financially to non-profits including Hack the Hood, Internet Archive, and Black Girls Code.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The WordPress Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit that ensures free, perpetual access to WordPress and related open source software (GPL-licensed) and protects the WordPress, WordCamp, and related trademarks. It does not develop or sell technology products; instead it funds and runs community programs including WordCamps (78 events in 51 countries in 2024), WordPress Meetup chapters (633 groups in 92 countries with 510,000+ members), do_action charity hackathons, Learn WordPress education (launched December 2020 with 502 lessons and 24 courses), and scholarship programs supporting contributors. All programs are offered at no cost to participants, funded via donations and WordCamp surpluses.

Product overview

The WordPress Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization founded in 2010 by Matt Mullenweg to democratize publishing through open source, GPL-licensed software. The Foundation ensures free access to WordPress in perpetuity and pursues a charter to educate the public about WordPress and related open source software. Its product portfolio centers on community programs: WordCamps (regional conferences in Asia, Europe, and US), WordPress Meetups (local chapter groups in 92 countries with 510,000+ members), do_action charity hackathons, Learn WordPress educational platform, and scholarship programs supporting contributors from underrepresented backgrounds. A subsidiary, WordPress Community Support PBC, handles event operations. The Foundation also protects WordPress, WordCamp, and related trademarks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WordCamps Casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress, ranging from blogging newcomers to professional developers. Operated as flagship events (WordCamp Asia, WordCamp Europe, WordCamp US) and numerous local WordCamps (78 events across 51 countries with 18,500+ tickets sold in 2024). Free or low-ticket-cost events supported by the Foundation's subsidiary WordPress Community Support, PBC.
• WordPress Meetups Locally-organized, regularly scheduled (typically monthly) face-to-face WordPress user groups. The Foundation covers Meetup.com organizer dues for all WordPress meetup groups (annual overhead approximately $221,529). As of 2024 there are 633 chapter Meetups in 92 countries with over 510,000 members.
• do_action Charity hackathon program where community volunteers use WordPress to build free websites for non-profit organizations that cannot afford professional web development. 8 do_action hackathons in 2024 produced 21 charity websites (up from 4 events in 2023). The Foundation provides grants ($200-500 per event), Zoom Pro accounts, and Google Workspace support.
• Learn WordPress Free online education platform at learn.wordpress.org offering 502 lessons, 24 courses, and 107 online workshops covering WordPress usage, development, and contribution. Launched December 2020. Includes Learning Pathways (launched August 2024 with 93% learner satisfaction rate and 59% video retention), online workshops averaging 33 participants, and a Mentorship Program that served 28-100 mentees in 2024.
• Kim Parsell Memorial Scholarship Annual financial assistance scholarship for women who are active WordPress contributors and require financial support to attend flagship WordCamps. Established 2015 in memory of Kim Parsell. Expanded in 2024 to cover WordCamp Asia, WordCamp Europe, and WordCamp US (one position per event). Recipients recognized annually via Foundation news posts.
• Open Horizons Scholarship Financial assistance scholarship helping WordPress contributors from underrepresented regions attend flagship WordCamp events. Funded by a $46,000 donation from Automattic. Launched in May 2025 starting with WordCamp US 2025, with the Foundation publishing updates on each cohort's activities.
• Introduction to Open Source Workshops Locally-organized workshops spreading knowledge of open source software, particularly in regions with less participation in open source projects. Covers GPL licensing, WordPress as open source software, and contribution opportunities. 11 workshops with 233 RSVPs held in 2021, funded by the Foundation and run by volunteer community organizers.

Quantifiable outcome

• WordPress powers more than 40% of the web
• +5 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and flagship.

• Mozilla FoundationminorOthersThe Mozilla Foundation is cited by the WordPress Foundation as a key inspiration and model organization. Mozilla makes the web and email more accessible and is built on open standards, similar to the WordPress Foundation's mission to democratize publishing through open source software.
• Public CodeminorOthersPublic Code is cited as an inspiration by the WordPress Foundation. Public Code campaigns for legislation requiring that publicly financed software be made publicly available under a Free and Open Source Software license, directly aligning with the Foundation's GPL-first philosophy.
• WordPress Community Support, PBCflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerWordPress Community Support, PBC is a public benefit corporation and subsidiary of the WordPress Foundation, established in 2016. It handles all financial and logistical operations related to WordCamps and Meetups, including sponsor management, ticketing, and insurance. This subsidiary allows the Foundation to delegate event operations while maintaining oversight. As of October 2024, WPCS had a cash position of $2,181,836 in its J.P. Morgan Commercial Operating Account, up $667,076 from 2023. It covers Meetup.com fees ($221,529/year) and manages the flagship WordCamp events.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/WordCampCentral
• Xx.com/wpfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WordPress Foundation