At AsyncAPI, we believe that access to open-source mentorship should be a right, not a privilege. Since launching the program in 2022, we've created pathways for contributors to grow into maintainers, technical leaders, and community advocates. We’re not just teaching skills, we’re building the next generation of open-source leadership.
As of this publication, the Maintainership Program does not yet have a dedicated sponsorship stream. This means its future is currently dependent on AsyncAPI’s overall annual budget, making its continuity and capacity directly tied to general donations to the initiative. We’re on a mission to change that.
Why Sponsorship Truly Matters
At AsyncAPI, we believe that access to open-source mentorship shouldn’t be a privilege, it should be a right. Since launching the program in 2022, we've created pathways for contributors to grow into maintainers, technical leaders, and community advocates. We’re not just teaching skills, we’re building the next generation of open-source leadership.
What sets us apart is our approach, not just our actions. We focus on authentic community collaboration, inclusive practices, and measurable impact. We build a platform for lasting, real-world open-source growth, not just run a program.
We’re proud to serve a vibrant and growing community of over 2,000 contributors. Our results speak for themselves:
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70% of alumni go on to become maintainers, triagers, or community leads in open-source organizations.
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Over 50% return as mentors for programs like Google Summer of Code and contribute to growing a culture of peer-led learning.
But the numbers only tell part of the story. There’s Maya, who joined the program as a participant and now leads design-focused community initiatives. Or Ashish Padhy, who secured an internship and launched his open-source journey through the program. These are the human stories behind the stats, stories that grow with your support.
What Your Sponsorship Enables
By sponsoring the AsyncAPI Maintainership Program, you’re investing in open-source infrastructure, mentorship, and impact at scale:
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Expanded Opportunities: Each project slot represents a fully funded contributor opportunity. Sponsorship directly increases the number of contributors we can support per cohort.
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Mentor Support: Your funding enables us to offer honoraria to mentors, acknowledging their vital work and incentivizing sustainable mentorship.
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Scalability & Stability: Critical open-source projects benefit from the consistent contributions of maintainers who are passionate, trained, and compensated.
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Operations & Infrastructure: Sponsorship supports coordination, onboarding resources, platform tooling, and post-program recognition.
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Global & Inclusive Participation: With your support, we can reach underrepresented and underserved contributors across the globe, breaking down financial and geographic barriers.
Your sponsorship helps maintain a program that’s inclusive, sustainable, and high-impact—for contributors, mentors, and the broader open-source ecosystem.
Let’s build the future of open-source together.
