4. Keep Donations Optional and Treat Them as Community Contributions
Aug 26, 2026
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Donations Policy
Why Keep Donations Optional
- Maintains project openness
- Avoids alienating users
- Encourages community ownership
Treating Donations as Community Contributions
- Publicly list contributors
- Provide transparent accounting
- Offer non-monetary recognition
Implementing an Optional Donation System
- Add a donation button on the website.
- Use a third‑party service (e.g., OpenCollective, Patreon).
- Display a short message: "Your support helps us keep the project free for everyone. Donations are optional."
Best Practices
- No pressure: Do not ask for a specific amount.
- Show impact: Share how funds are used.
- Respect privacy: Do not request personal data beyond what is necessary.
# Example of a donation link in your README
[](https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=EXAMPLE)
By keeping donations optional and framing them as community contributions, you foster a welcoming environment while ensuring the project's long‑term sustainability.