The Pizzigati Prize for Software in the Public Interest honours the life and legacy of Antonio “Tony” Pizzigati, an early advocate of open source computing. Tony never had a chance to fulfill his computing dreams, so the prize was created to help others realize theirs.
The Pizzigati Prize provides grants to developers making a two-faceted contribution to social change. Applications for cash grants are open now – apply before January 24, 2024
First, they’ve had an important practical impact, creating software that helps nonprofits more effectively serve their communities. Second, against the idea that progress demands competition between people striving to get ever richer, these developers instead model a key principle of the open source movement: We all benefit when we work together. In the continuing struggle for a better world, this commitment to social impact, collaboration, and sharing is what the Pizzigati Prize celebrates.
In addition to cash grants, the prize provides publicity for achievements crucial to social progress and also enhances the stature of public interest computing and people’s understanding of it.
Along the way, this prize links public interest software developers with each other and with the nonprofit and advocacy groups that so strongly need their assistance.
