Donation Based Models
Donation based models are funding approaches where individuals or organizations voluntarily contribute money to support projects, creators, or causes without receiving a direct product or service in return. These models are commonly used in open-source software development, content creation, and non-profit initiatives to sustain work through community support. They rely on platforms like Patreon, Open Collective, or GitHub Sponsors to facilitate recurring or one-time donations.
Developers should learn about donation based models when working on open-source projects, independent software tools, or community-driven initiatives that need sustainable funding without traditional monetization like sales or subscriptions. They are particularly useful for maintaining free software, supporting documentation efforts, or funding research where direct revenue generation isn't feasible, helping ensure long-term project viability through user contributions.