Sponsoring W3C

Ensuring that the Web remains open, accessible and interoperable for everyone around the world is a mission that the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) takes to heart every day. While some of the technical work we do receives funding from Member organizations, we are only able to achieve W3C Founder and Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee’s vision for the Web through the generosity of contributions and sponsorships from individuals and organizations.

1. Donations

Since 1994, W3C has been developing Web quality assurance tools used every day by millions of Web developers and Web designers. These tools are free, open-source and provide the Web a fair, reliable help in building Web content that works now and will work in the future. Good tools cost a lot to develop, support, host and maintain: with your help, we can make the validators better, faster, friendlier, and maintain a great, free service for all of the Web.

W3C invites donations from the Web community to help support its operations of stewardship in leading the Web to its full potential. Our strong commitment to those who make the Web work feeds the virtuous circle of increasing developer engagement at W3C and the value of W3C to the community. Day after day, the W3C Team makes the Web a better place and helps you build the Web.

Support W3C's mission and its free services: become a Friend of W3C's, donate.

2. Sponsorships

W3C recognizes that giving takes many forms. We have identified a number of ways that individuals and organizations can pursue philanthropy, corporate responsibility, business goals, and support W3C's mission. Each program is detailed below.

W3C Membership is not required to participate in these programs, however W3C Members may receive additional benefits when they participate.

Global Sponsor

For organizations that benefit greatly from the Web, or individuals who appreciate W3C's work, to support our operations.

Technology Ecosystem Sponsor

To allow organizations to support specific technical activities at W3C.

Events & Inclusion Sponsor

To connect with W3C's international audience. To reflect the diversity of the whole world.

Web for All Sponsor

To lead in social responsibility to make the Web available to all.

Developer Sponsor

To help W3C provide developer tools and educational materials.

3. Global Sponsor

3.1. Help improve the Web, faster

Your generosity allows W3C to accelerate bringing standards to market by dedicating more resources to its activities. The organization sponsor program allows you to associate your brand and offerings with W3C's mission. Contact <sponsorship@w3.org>. All proposals for sponsorship are subject to W3C approval.

3.2. Global Diamond Sponsor

  • Visibility at Technical Plenary meeting, with the benefits identified as a Silver Sponsor of that event
  • Visibility at the next Advisory Committee meeting at the Platinum Level of that event
  • A choice of:
  • Amount: US$ 150K annually

3.3. Global Ruby Sponsor

3.4. Global Emerald Sponsor

  • Visibility at the Technical Plenary meeting, with the benefits identified as a Bronze Sponsor of that event
  • Visibility at the next Advisory Committee meeting at the Silver Level of that event
  • One Workshop Bundle
  • Amount: US$ 50K annually

3.5. Friends, a gratitude program

W3C invites donations from the community to help its operations of stewardship in leading the Web to its full potential. Our strong commitment to those who make the Web work feeds the virtuous circle of increasing developer engagement at W3C and the value of W3C to the community. Day after day, the W3C Team does its best to make the Web a better place and help you build the Web.

Support W3C's mission and its free tools: become a Friend of W3C's, donate.

4. Technology Ecosystem Sponsor

4.1. Support Specific Technical Activities

W3C has over 40 Working Groups driving the evolution of our Web Standards and about 10 Interest Groups focused on Use Cases and Requirements that are designed to be given to Working Groups to shape future evolution of our Standards. These groups are complemented by Industry ecosystems teams. These teams are providing leadership so that we hear both the Technical and Business aspects of a given Industry.

The two programs below allow you to help us achieve success in these areas and give your organization marketing visibility on all of the activities associated with a given technical area. Contact <sponsorship@w3.org>.

4.2. Industry Ecosystem Sponsor

This Sponsorship provides funding for the work associated with a specific Industry Ecosystem. The specific benefits are:

  • Sponsorship of any Workshops and Working Group Meetings for the Ecosystem including TPAC
  • TPAC Sponsorship
  • Mention on any Public Relations activity about the Ecosystem
  • Maximum of 4 Sponsors per Ecosystem at any given time
  • Amount: US$ 35K for Members, US$ 45K for non-Members; annually

4.3. Technology Sponsor

This Sponsorship provides you the opportunity to support specific technical activities of W3C's work. Examples of this are a specification editor or a W3C Team Contact in a particular group or area. The specific benefits are:

  • Your Logo on major topic page that contains the technical work that is sponsored
  • Mention on any Public Relations activity about the technical works
  • Up to 20% of the funds can be allocated to:
    • Sponsorship of Workshops and Group Meetings for the specified technical area
    • TPAC Sponsorship
  • Amount: US$ 100K annually, or as required for the specific project

5. Event & Inclusion Sponsor

5.1. Reach an Engaged and International Audience

W3C Workshops, meetups, and other events bring you into direct contact with leading Web technology experts: representatives from industry, research, government, and the developer community. Whether your interests are focused on a particular topic being discussed by a Working Group, or you wish to reach a diverse international audience setting W3C's strategic direction, these events help your organization reach W3C's engaged participants. Sponsorships offset a portion of our meeting costs, so W3C welcomes multiple sponsors for each event. Contact <sponsorship@w3.org>. All proposals for sponsorship are subject to W3C approval.

5.2. Technical Plenary (TPAC)

During Technical Plenary week each year, a number of W3C Working, Interest, and Coordination Groups gather, network, and try to resolve challenging technical and social issues. This well-attended and popular week of meetings is an important means for W3C to coordinate solutions to technical issues that cross group borders. Below are examples of the Sponsorship offerings for TPAC. For each TPAC a specific set of offerings is developed and priced. If you're interested in details, please contact <sponsorship@w3.org>.

5.2.1. Inclusion Fund Sponsor

There is increasing awareness of the need for greater diversity in the tech field. We would like W3C to be a model of supporting diversity and inclusion. As an international organization, we can see the immense value we gain from having greater gender diversity, and expertise from across multiple countries and cultures. The diversity of the whole world needs to be reflected, as 60% of the world is now online and as more people continue to access and use the Web that we develop the standards of, here together at the Web Consortium.

We believe that more diversity means better representation, which leads to better and more inclusive design. Indeed, more background, more use cases, more edge cases, lead to a better Web. More diversity also brings higher quality results. W3C established an Inclusion Fund to ensure that more people, including from underrepresented groups can attend, for example through assistive technology or caring support.

5.2.2. Thank you, Sponsors

TPAC 2023 sponsors are Gooroomee, Sttark, Igalia.

TPAC 2023 Inclusion Fund sponsors are W3C, Tetralogical, Igalia, University of Illinois Chicago, and an anonymous donor.

5.3. Advisory Committee (AC) Meeting

W3C organizes two Advisory Committee meetings per year, where C-level representatives of the W3C Membership meet to set the strategic direction for the Consortium. Below are examples of the Sponsorship offerings for our AC Meetings. For each AC Meeting a specific set of offerings is developed and priced. If you're interested in details for the currently scheduled AC Meetings, please contact <sponsorship@w3.org>.

5.4. Workshops

W3C organizes Workshops to promote early involvement in the development of W3C activities from Members and the public.

5.4.1. Single Workshop

  • Sponsor logo on Workshop communications including:
    • Call for Participation and Report
    • On-site signage and materials (digital is preferred, to be environmentally friendly)
    • Any commemorative item produced (e.g., T-shirt)
  • One guest pass to observe the Workshop
  • Sponsor mention in social media and any press releases or media advisories
  • Amount for W3C Members: US$ 7.5K per event. Amount for others: US$ 10K per event

5.4.2. Workshop Bundle

Many organizations want to sponsor multiple Workshops during the course of the year. This is best done by buying a Workshop Bundle which makes you a Sponsor for up to four (4) Workshops during a 12-month period.

  • Amount for W3C Members: US$ 25K. Amount for others: US$ 35K per event

Note: There are opportunities to fund more fully a W3C Workshop, including planning, venue costs, and publication of the report. Please contact us at <sponsorship@w3.org> to discuss higher sponsorship amounts or custom organization sponsor packages.

5.5. Developer Meetup

From time to time W3C organizes public events so that local developers can meet and exchange ideas with W3C participants.

  • Sponsor logo in print and online W3C communications, including on-site signage
  • Poster display at gathering (digital is preferred, to be environmentally friendly)
  • Any commemorative item produced (e.g., T-shirt)
  • Sponsor mention in social media and any press releases or media advisories
  • Amount for W3C Members: US$ 5K per event. Amount for others: US$ 7.5K per event

5.6. Working Group Meeting

Many W3C Working Groups meet face-to-face several times per year. These meetings are not open to the public, but they still offer opportunities to connect with the group participants.

  • Listing as Working Group sponsor in meeting communications (digital is preferred, to be environmentally friendly)
  • Any commemorative item produced (e.g., T-shirt)
  • Sponsor mention in social media and any press releases or media advisories
  • Amount for W3C Members: US$ 5K per event. Amount for others: US$ 7.5K per event

5.7. Customize your Sponsorship

We invite event sponsors to customize their support. Sponsors may specify that they want to be recognized for supporting a particular element of a meeting, such as:

  • food and beverages
  • internet connectivity
  • interpreting, captioning
  • American Sign Language
  • marketing efforts such as shirt design and production

We welcome additional suggestions and will work with you to customize our recognition of your support.

6. Web for All Sponsor

6.1. Empower people on the Web

You can have an impact on people's daily lives by ensuring the Web is available to people with disabilities, to those with literacy barriers, and to anyone whatever their native tongue. Show your leadership in social responsibility by supporting current programs and proposed initiatives. Or, propose your own initiatives that align with your philanthropic goals and are relevant to W3C. With your support, W3C can continue to work so that the Web is available to all. Below we list target sponsorship amounts, but in general W3C welcomes any donation to help us carry out these activities. Specific contacts are listed below; for general questions, contact <sponsorship@w3.org>.

6.2. Internationalization (i18n), Making the World Wide Web worldwide!

'i18n' is an abbreviation for 'internationalization' (because there are 18 letters between the 'i' and the 'n'). The mission of the W3C Internationalization activity is to ensure that W3C's formats and protocols are usable worldwide in all languages and in all writing systems.

W3C's goal is a Web for All, regardless of language script or culture. The web community has made tremendous progress in internationalizing the Web over recent decades, but as the Web increasingly penetrates into ever more language communities, as usage scenarios grow, and as new applications such as digital publishing emerge, there remains more to do.

For the Web to truly work for stakeholders all around the world, there must be a collaboration of language experts, web site designers, developers, and vendors who are active in moving the Web forward. To ensure a rapid response to the growth of the Web, the W3C wants to marshall the resources of organizations and experts who care about these problems and enlist their help in strengthening internationalization support for the Web. To accelerate progress in this area, the W3C is also looking to supplement the core funding it receives from W3C Member fees so that it can increase in-house resources dedicated to this work. Read more in the i18n Briefing Document. Contact <sponsorship@w3.org> and Ralph Swick <swick@w3.org>.

6.2.1. i18n Platinum Sponsor
  • A seat on the Internationalization Review Board
  • Opportunity to designate up to half of the funding toward specified goals or projects
  • Badges (or logo) with which to promote your role as Platinum sponsor of W3C Internationalization
  • Amount: US$ 100K annually
6.2.2. i18n Gold Sponsor
  • A seat on the Internationalization Review Board
  • Opportunity to designate up to half of the funding toward specified goals or projects
  • Badges (or logo) with which to promote your role as Gold sponsor of W3C Internationalization
  • Amount: US$ 50K annually
6.2.3.  i18n Silver Sponsor
  • Opportunity to designate up to half of the funding toward specified goals or projects
  • Badges (or logo) with which to promote your role as Silver sponsor of W3C Internationalization
  • Amount: US$ 25K annually
6.2.4. i18n Bronze Sponsor
  • Badges (or logo) with which to promote your role as Bronze sponsor of W3C Internationalization
  • Amount: US$ 10K annually

6.3. Global Inclusion and Participation

6.3.1. W3C Workshops in New Regions

Hold more W3C Workshops in Brazil, Russia, India, China, in developing countries, and in other countries with emerging economies, to engage more individuals and organizations globally in informing, driving, and contributing to W3C work, with the goals of increasing access to the Web for more people around the world, and shifting the membership profile of W3C so that it better matches trends of Web usage. Estimated budget: US$ 30K per year. Contact <sponsorship@w3.org>.

6.3.2. Enhanced W3C Chapters Program

In order to improve the Web and make it truly global, W3C needs to work more closely with people in regions in the world that have other economic, social, political and educational conditions than the highly industrialized countries. To this end, we seek to expand and enhance the W3C Chapters Program with activities to increase education, outreach, community forming, and regional feedback. Estimated budget: US$ 80K per year. Contact <sponsorship@w3.org>.

6.4. Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) Sponsor

The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) is the leading international forum for development of authoritative solutions for Web accessibility. WAI enables partnering of industry, disability communities, accessibility research, government, and others interested in improving accessibility of the Web for people with disabilities and older people. WAI ensures that W3C technologies support accessibility; develops accessibility standards and guidelines for web content, browsers, multimedia players, authoring tools, and dynamic web content; develops resources for evaluation and repair of Web sites, and for education and outreach; and coordinates with research and development which may impact future accessibility of the Web. Benefits of WAI sponsorship include visibility for your organization's commitment to accessibility of the Web. Learn more about WAI Sponsorship.

6.4.1. WAI Platinum Sponsor
  • Identified as a sponsor for one W3C/WAI Workshop, or host for up to two face-to-face W3C/WAI meetings, per year
  • Full day or two half-day web accessibility briefings or consultations (annually; mutually agreeable schedule)
  • Visibility in select WAI publications
  • Participation in advisory discussions on WAI's work (WAI Steering Council)
  • Featured on WAI Sponsor page as WAI Platinum Sponsor (logo, 2 images, 250-word blurb)
  • Use of WAI Platinum Sponsor logo on Sponsor's website
  • Amount: US$ 100K annually
6.4.2. WAI Gold Sponsor
  • Half-day web accessibility briefings or consultations (annually; mutually agreeable schedule)
  • Visibility in select WAI publications
  • Participation in advisory discussions on WAI's work (WAI Steering Council)
  • Featured on WAI Sponsor page as WAI Gold Sponsor (logo, 100-word blurb)
  • Use of WAI Gold Sponsor logo on Sponsor's website
  • Amount: US$ 50K annually
6.4.3. WAI Silver Sponsor
  • Participation in advisory discussions on WAI's work (WAI Steering Council)
  • Featured on WAI Sponsor page as WAI Silver Sponsor (logo and 50-word blurb)
  • Use of WAI Silver Sponsor logo for this sponsor level on Sponsor's website
  • Amount: US$ 25K annually
6.4.4. WAI Bronze Sponsor
  • Visibility on WAI Sponsor page as WAI Bronze Sponsor
  • Amount: US$ 10K annually

7. Developer Sponsor

7.1. Reach out to Developers

The developer community and the design community turn to W3C for authoritative guidance. W3C recognizes the importance of test suites, validation and other quality assurance tools, tutorials, primers, curriculum and other materials that this community values. These services also help ensure proper adoption of W3C standards. You can help W3C reach these communities through support of a number of programs for developers. Specific contacts are listed below; for general questions, contact <sponsorship@w3.org>. All proposals for sponsorship are subject to W3C approval.

7.2. Quality Assurance Tools

7.2.1. W3C Validator

The W3C Validator is a popular tool for improving the quality of the Web. W3C wants to make it an even more useful tool for building Web documents and applications. W3C invites individual donations to help W3C improve the existing validation services and create new ones (e.g., targeting high-volume customers). Contact Vivien Lacourba, Head of W3C Systems <vivien@w3.org>.

7.2.2. Test Suites

W3C recognizes the value of test suites in improving interoperability among Web software. W3C always welcomes contributions from the community to our test suites. In addition, we invite support so that we may increase our staff allocation to test suite development for technologies such as HTML5. Contact Philippe Le Hégaret, Project Management Lead <plh@w3.org>.

7.3. Curriculum and Best Practices

7.3.1. Coordinated Best Practices

Develop a coordinated package of W3C standards, guidelines and best practices in the "horizontal" areas of accessibility, multilingual support (including internationalization), device independence, and mobile web for outreach to a more globally diverse audience for W3C's work. Estimated budget: $150K per year for complete sponsorship; or $40K per year for each of the four horizontal areas. Contact <sponsorship@w3.org> and see also Web for All sponsorship opportunities.

7.3.2. Curriculum Development

Promote production of a Webcraft Curriculum by engaging the web community in development of materials at a rigorous level of requirements, primarily for use in educational institutions. Such materials developed for this audience would impact large numbers of people, but also be repurposable for self-teaching tutorials and training, and potentially for certification of trainers or students. One year initial project funding would allow recruitment of partner organizations and help catalyze a community effort to maintain and further expand an ongoing wiki-based curriculum, using a core of writers, invited vetted professionals, and public reviewers. Estimated budget: $150K one time. Contact <sponsorship@w3.org>.