Mozilla Foundation

File:MozillaEvelynAveHeadquarters.jpg]]

File:Mozillaheadquarters.jpg shared by both the Mozilla Foundation and the Mozilla Corporation until July 2009]]

On February 23, 1998, Netscape created the Mozilla Organization to co-ordinate the development of the Mozilla Application Suite.{{Cite news|title=Netscape Announces Mozilla.org, a Dedicated Team and Web Site Supporting Development of Free Client Source Code |work=Netscape.com |date=February 23, 1998 |url=http://www.netscape.com/newsref/pr/newsrelease577.html |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980706003741/http://www.netscape.com/newsref/pr/newsrelease577.html |archive-date=July 6, 1998 }}{{cite web|url=http://wp.netscape.com/newsref/pr/newsrelease591.html?cp=nws04flh1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021105061654/http://wp.netscape.com/newsref/pr/newsrelease591.html?cp=nws04flh1 |archive-date=November 5, 2002 |title=Netscape Accelerates Communicator Evolution With First Release Of Next-Generation Communicator Source Code To Developer Community Via mozilla.org |publisher=Netscape |access-date=December 6, 2011}} When AOL (Netscape's parent) drastically scaled back its involvement with Mozilla Organization, the Mozilla Foundation was launched on July 15, 2003, to ensure Mozilla could survive without Netscape. AOL assisted in the initial creation of the Mozilla Foundation, transferring hardware and intellectual property to the organization, employed a three-person team for the first three months of its existence to help with the transition, and donated $2 million to the foundation over two years.{{cite web |url=https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/press/mozilla-foundation.html |title=mozilla.org Announces Launch of the Mozilla Foundation to Lead Open Source Browser Efforts |publisher=Mozilla Foundation |access-date=December 6, 2011 |archive-date=November 13, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113110922/http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/press/mozilla-foundation.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q9GnNrq3e5EC&pg=PR11 |title=Open Sources 2.0: The Continuing Evolution |date=2006 |publisher=O'Reilly Media |isbn=9780596553890 |editor-last=DiBona |editor-first=Chris |oclc=64549862 |editor-last2=Cooper |editor-first2=Danese |editor-last3=Stone |editor-first3=Mark}}

In September 2019, the Mozilla Foundation, Creative Commons, and Coil Technologies announced Grant for the Web, a $100 million fund designed to support the development of technologies, content, and ideas utilizing the Interledger Protocol.{{Cite web |date=16 September 2019 |title=A $100 Million Investment to Reshape the Economics of the Web |url=https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/blog/100-million-investment-reshape-economics-web/ |access-date=11 March 2024 |website=Mozilla Foundation |archive-date=March 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240311155209/https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/blog/100-million-investment-reshape-economics-web/ |url-status=live }} Management of this fund was transferred to the Interledger Foundation in 2021.

On November 4, 2024, The Mozilla Foundation announced via email they had laid off 30% of its employees as the organization says it faces a "relentless onslaught of change."{{cite web |last=Whittaker |first=Zack |date=November 5, 2024 |title=Mozilla Foundation lays off 30% staff, drops advocacy division |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/11/05/mozilla-foundation-lays-off-30-staff-drops-advocacy-division/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241105200704/https://techcrunch.com/2024/11/05/mozilla-foundation-lays-off-30-staff-drops-advocacy-division/ |archive-date=November 5, 2024 |access-date=November 6, 2024 |website=TechCrunch}}

{{main|Mozilla Corporation}}

On August 3, 2005, the Mozilla Foundation announced the creation of Mozilla Corporation, described as "a taxable subsidiary that serves the non-profit, public benefit goals of its parent, the Mozilla Foundation, and that will be responsible for product development, marketing and distribution of Mozilla products."{{cite web |url=https://www-archive.mozilla.org/reorganization/ |title=Mozilla Foundation Reorganization |date=August 3, 2005 |publisher=Mozilla |access-date=June 18, 2018 |archive-date=November 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221120210415/https://www-archive.mozilla.org/reorganization/ |url-status=live }} It also handles relationships with businesses, many of which generate income. Unlike the Mozilla Foundation, the Mozilla Corporation is a tax-paying entity, giving it much greater freedom in its revenue and business activities. From 2004 to 2014, most revenue came from a deal with Google, the default search engine in the Firefox web browser. In November 2014, Mozilla signed a five-year partnership with Yahoo,{{cite web|url=https://blog.mozilla.org/blog/2014/11/19/promoting-choice-and-innovation-on-the-web/|title=New Search Strategy for Firefox: Promoting Choice & Innovation|website=The Mozilla Blog|access-date=December 22, 2014|archive-date=August 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190824092645/https://blog.mozilla.org/blog/2014/11/19/promoting-choice-and-innovation-on-the-web/|url-status=live}} making Yahoo! Search the default search engine for Firefox in the US. Yandex Search is the default for Firefox in Russia and Baidu continues its role as the default in China.

In November 2017, Mozilla terminated its agreement with Yahoo two years earlier than planned. While numerous factors were attributed to the decision to terminate the agreement, including some mention that Mozilla saw declining revenues related to the switch, likely the impetus was related to the recent acquisition of Yahoo by Verizon and Oath. Per Mozilla Chief Business and Legal Officer Denelle Dixon, "We exercised our contractual right to terminate our agreement with Yahoo! based on a number of factors including doing what's best for our brand, our effort to provide quality web search, and the broader content experience for our users. We believe there are opportunities to work with Oath and Verizon outside of search."{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/14/mozilla-terminates-its-deal-with-yahoo-and-makes-google-the-default-in-firefox-again/|title=Mozilla Terminates Its Deal With Yahoo Early|date=November 14, 2017|publisher=Techcrunch|access-date=August 30, 2018|archive-date=November 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171114211602/https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/14/mozilla-terminates-its-deal-with-yahoo-and-makes-google-the-default-in-firefox-again/|url-status=live}}

{{main|Mozilla China}}

Beijing Mozilla Online Ltd ({{zh|c=北京谋智网络技术有限公司}}), {{a.k.a.}} Mozilla China, is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Mozilla Corporation.谋智网络是Mozilla Corporation在中国的全资子公司, 我们是Mozilla大家庭中非常重要的一份子——[https://firefox.com.cn/about/career/ 火狐浏览器 | 职业机会] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920205151/https://www.firefox.com.cn/about/career/ |date=September 20, 2020 }} Mozilla China is headquartered in Beijing.

On January 28, 2020, the Mozilla Foundation announced that the Thunderbird project would henceforth be operating from a new wholly owned subsidiary, MZLA Technologies Corporation, in order to explore offering products and services that were not previously possible and to collect revenue through partnerships and non-charitable donations.{{Cite web|url=https://blog.thunderbird.net/2020/01/thunderbirds-new-home/ |first1=Philipp |last1=Kewisch |title=Thunderbird's New Home|website=The Mozilla Thunderbird Blog|date=January 28, 2020 |language=en-US|access-date=January 28, 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128162800/https://blog.thunderbird.net/2020/01/thunderbirds-new-home/ |archive-date= January 28, 2020 }}

On November 2, 2022, Mozilla announced the establishment of Mozilla Ventures, an impact investing venture capital fund which "supports early-stage startups whose products or technologies advance the values in the Mozilla Manifesto."{{Cite web |last=Sawers |first=Paul |date=2022-11-02 |title=Mozilla launches $35M venture capital fund for early-stage 'responsible' startups |url=https://techcrunch.com/2022/11/02/mozilla-launches-35m-venture-capital-fund-for-early-stage-responsible-startups/ |access-date=2025-02-20 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}} It was established with an initial US$35 million, and followed over a decade of prior investments by Mozilla into startups.{{Cite web |last=Lawler |first=Ryan |date=2012-05-10 |title=Mozilla & Knight Foundation Invest $1M In Crowdsourced Translation Startup Amara |url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/05/10/amara-funding/ |access-date=2025-02-20 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Coldewey |first=Devin |date=2020-05-14 |title=Mozilla goes full incubator with 'Fix The Internet' startup lab and early-stage investments |url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/05/14/mozilla-goes-full-incubator-with-fix-the-internet-startup-lab-and-early-stage-investments/ |access-date=2025-02-20 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}

{{Missing information|the detailed financial development|date=November 2015}}

The Mozilla Foundation is funded by donations and 2% of annual net revenues from the Mozilla Corporation, amounting to over US$8.3 million in 2016.{{Cite web|title = Independent Auditors' Report and Consolidated Financial Statements|url = https://assets.mozilla.net/annualreport/2016/2016_Mozilla_Audited_Financial_Statement.pdf|website = Mozilla Foundation and Subsidiary|access-date = January 7, 2019|archive-date = May 21, 2019|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190521205630/https://assets.mozilla.net/annualreport/2016/2016_Mozilla_Audited_Financial_Statement.pdf|url-status = live}}

Initial funding in 2003 came from AOL, which donated US$2 million, and from Mitch Kapor who donated US$300,000.{{Cite web|title = Mozilla.org announces launch of the Mozilla Foundation to lead open-source browser efforts|url = https://blog.mozilla.org/press/2003/07/mozilla-org-announces-launch-of-the-mozilla-foundation-to-lead-open-source-browser-efforts/|date = July 15, 2003|website = Mozilla Press Center|access-date = January 3, 2016|archive-date = November 9, 2020|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201109094351/https://blog.mozilla.org/press/2003/07/mozilla-org-announces-launch-of-the-mozilla-foundation-to-lead-open-source-browser-efforts/|url-status = live}} The group has tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code, though the Mozilla Corporation subsidiary is taxable.

In 2006, the Mozilla Foundation received US$66.8 million in revenues, of which US$61.5 million is attributed to "search royalties" from Google.{{cite web|url=https://www.mozilla.org/foundation/documents/mf-2006-audited-financial-statement.pdf|title=2006 Independent Auditor's Report and Consolidated Financial Statements |publisher=Mozilla Foundation and Subsidiary |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121229220046/https://www.mozilla.org/foundation/documents/mf-2006-audited-financial-statement.pdf |archive-date= Dec 29, 2012 }}

From 2004 to 2014, the foundation had a deal with Google to make Google Search the default in the Firefox browser search bar and hence send it search referrals; a Firefox-themed Google search site was also made the default home page of Firefox. The original contract expired in November 2006. However, Google renewed the contract until November 2008 and again through 2011.{{cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/2008/08/28/mozilla-extends-lucrative-deal-with-google-for-3-years |first1=Jason |last1=Kincaid |title=Mozilla Extends Lucrative Deal With Google For 3 Years |publisher=TechCrunch |date=August 28, 2008 |access-date=October 29, 2012 |archive-date=October 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019160538/http://techcrunch.com/2008/08/28/mozilla-extends-lucrative-deal-with-google-for-3-years/ |url-status=live }} On December 20, 2011, Mozilla announced that the contract was once again renewed for at least three years to November 2014, at three times the amount previously paid, or nearly US$300 million annually.{{cite web | url = http://allthingsd.com/20111222/google-will-pay-mozilla-almost-300m-per-year-in-search-deal-besting-microsoft-and-yahoo/ | title = Google Will Pay Mozilla Almost $300M Per Year in Search Deal, Besting Microsoft and Yahoo | access-date = January 18, 2012 | last = Swisher | first = Kara | author-link = Kara Swisher | date = December 22, 2011 | website = All Things Digital | publisher = Dow Jones | quote = The search giant will pay just under $300 million per year to be the default choice in Mozilla's Firefox browser | archive-date = May 27, 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130527065545/http://allthingsd.com/20111222/google-will-pay-mozilla-almost-300m-per-year-in-search-deal-besting-microsoft-and-yahoo/ | url-status = live }}{{cite web |url=http://blog.mozilla.com/blog/2011/12/20/mozilla-and-google-sign-new-agreement-for-default-search-in-firefox/ |title=Mozilla and Google Sign New Agreement for Default Search in Firefox |publisher=Blog.mozilla.com |date=December 20, 2011 |access-date=October 29, 2012 |archive-date=April 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120412065828/http://blog.mozilla.com/blog/2011/12/20/mozilla-and-google-sign-new-agreement-for-default-search-in-firefox/ |url-status=live }} Approximately 90% of Mozilla's royalties revenue for 2014 was derived from this contract.Mozilla's [https://static.mozilla.com/moco/en-US/pdf/Mozilla_Audited_Financials_2014.pdf 2014 Audited financial statement] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208025752/https://static.mozilla.com/moco/en-US/pdf/Mozilla_Audited_Financials_2014.pdf |date=December 8, 2015 }}, page 21

In November 2014, Mozilla signed a five-year partnership (effective December 2014) with Yahoo!, making Yahoo! Search the default search engine for Firefox in North America. This partnership came with an annual price tag of US$375 million to be paid by Yahoo! or its acquirer in the event of an acquisition. There was also a clause stating that Mozilla reserved the right to terminate the deal early if it did not want to work with the acquirer, but the acquirer would still have to pay Mozilla the full sum per year until 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/14/mozilla-terminates-its-deal-with-yahoo-and-makes-google-the-default-in-firefox-again/|title=Mozilla terminates its deal with Yahoo and makes Google the default in Firefox again|website=TechCrunch|date=November 14, 2017 |language=en-US|access-date=November 14, 2019}} The default search engine in Russia will be Yandex, and in China, Baidu.

In November 2017, however, Mozilla announced{{cite web|title=Firefox Features Google as Default Search Provider in the U.S., Canada, Hong Kong and Taiwan|url=https://blog.mozilla.org/blog/2017/11/14/firefox-features-google-as-default-search-provider-in-the-u-s-canada-hong-kong-and-taiwan/|website=Mozilla Blog|access-date=November 21, 2017|archive-date=October 31, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031121956/https://blog.mozilla.org/blog/2017/11/14/firefox-features-google-as-default-search-provider-in-the-u-s-canada-hong-kong-and-taiwan/|url-status=live}} that it was switching back to Google as the default search engine. This represented an early termination of its Yahoo partnership.{{cite web|title=Google's back: It's Firefox's default search engine again, after Mozilla ends Yahoo deal|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/googles-back-its-firefoxs-default-search-engine-again-after-mozilla-ends-yahoo-deal/|website=ZDNet|access-date=November 21, 2017|archive-date=November 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111164909/https://www.zdnet.com/article/googles-back-its-firefoxs-default-search-engine-again-after-mozilla-ends-yahoo-deal/|url-status=live}}

Nabiha Syed was named the executive director of the Mozilla Foundation on May 15, 2024.{{cite web|title=Mozilla Foundation Welcomes Nabiha Syed as Executive Director|url=https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/blog/mozilla-foundation-welcomes-nabiha-syed-as-executive-director/|access-date=July 23, 2024|website=Mozilla Foundation|date=May 15, 2024 }}

{{As of|2025|05}}, the Mozilla Foundation board of directors has nine members:{{cite web |title=Mozilla Leadership |url=https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/who-we-are/leadership/ |access-date=March 25, 2025 |website=Mozilla Foundation}}

• Nicole Wong (Chair)
• Brian Behlendorf
• Helen Turvey
• Amy Keating
• Mark Surman - also serves as the foundation's president
• Alondra Nelson
• Edwin Macharia
• Raffi Krikorian
• Zain Habboo

In 2006, after a request from Theo de Raadt of OpenBSD for funding from corporate entities that make a profit through the use of OpenSSH in their packaged distributions, the Mozilla Foundation donated $10,000 to de Raadt and OpenBSD for OpenSSH development. The funds donated came from money earned through the income provided by Google. The Mozilla Foundation found that without OpenSSH, much of the work done by developers would be through insecure and unsafe methods, and gave the funds as a thank you.{{cite web |url = https://undeadly.org/cgi?action=article&sid=20060404004219 |title = Donations Update |first = Marco |last = Peereboom |website = OpenBSD Journal |date = April 4, 2006 |access-date = September 7, 2020 |archive-date = August 4, 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200804035153/http://undeadly.org/cgi?action=article&sid=20060404004219 |url-status = live }}{{cite web |access-date=September 7, 2020 |title=Mozilla Foundation activities, week ending 2006/03/31 |url=http://hecker.org/mozilla/foundation-activities-2006-03-31 |website=Frank Hecker |archive-date=October 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201001064718/http://hecker.org/mozilla/foundation-activities-2006-03-31 |url-status=dead }}

At the end of 2010, the Mozilla Foundation partnered with Knoxville Zoo in an effort to raise awareness about endangered red pandas. Two red panda (a.k.a. Firefox) cubs born at the Knoxville Zoo have officially become a part of the Mozilla community. The cubs are named Spark and Ember by online voters, and Mozilla broadcasts a 24-hour live video stream of the cubs for several months.{{cite web |url=http://blog.mozilla.com/blog/2010/12/03/meet-the-newest-and-cutest-mozillians/ |title=Meet the Newest (and Cutest) Mozillians |publisher=Mozilla Foundation |access-date=January 23, 2011 |archive-date=August 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810211853/http://blog.mozilla.com/blog/2010/12/03/meet-the-newest-and-cutest-mozillians/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://firefoxlive.squarespace.com/ |title=Firefox Live Blog with Knoxville Zoo |publisher=Mozilla Foundation |access-date=January 23, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101207065357/http://firefoxlive.squarespace.com/ |archive-date=December 7, 2010 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.twitter.com/cubcaretaker |title=@cubcaretaker on Twitter |publisher=Mozilla Foundation |access-date=January 23, 2011 |archive-date=November 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112040543/http://twitter.com/cubcaretaker |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://firefoxlive.mozilla.org/ |title=Firefox live |publisher=Mozilla Foundation |access-date=January 23, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110123135043/http://firefoxlive.mozilla.org/ |archive-date=January 23, 2011 }}

{{Portal|San Francisco Bay Area|Free and open-source software}}

• List of Mozilla products

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite web| title=Mozilla Foundation Forms New Organization to Further the Creation of Free, Open Source Internet Software, Including the Award-Winning Mozilla Firefox Browser| website=Mozilla Press Center| date=August 3, 2005| url=https://www.mozilla.org/press/mozilla-2005-08-03.html| access-date=August 3, 2005}}
• {{cite web| title=Mozilla Seeks New Leader for Its Movement-Building Arm|website=The Mozilla Blog| url=https://blog.mozilla.org/en/mozilla/mozilla-seeks-new-leader-for-its-movement-building-arm/| access-date=August 18, 2023}}

• {{Official website}}

{{Mozilla organisations}}

{{FOSS}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2003 establishments in the United States

Category:501(c)(3) organizations

Category:Free software project foundations based in the United States

Category:Mountain View, California

Category:Mozilla

Category:Non-profit organizations based in the San Francisco Bay Area

Category:Organizations established in 2003

Category:Foundations based in the United States

Category:Internet-related activism