Strategic Planning at the PSF

"The Python ecosystem is growing and changing fast. PyPI hosts over 800,000 projects and serves tens of billions of downloads per month. The Developers-in-Residence program has grown from a single role to a team spanning CPython development, security, and PyPI safety, proving that targeted investment in core infrastructure works. Last year's fundraiser showed that the community and sponsors are willing to support the PSF's mission when provided the opportunity."

"The foundation also faces challenges. As we shared in November, the PSF's assets and yearly revenue have declined and costs have increased, while the demand for the foundation's work grows faster than its capacity. Last year we had to pause the Grants Program after reaching the budget cap earlier than expected. These pressures are part of why the board committed to a strategic plan: the foundation needs a clear framework for making hard choices about where to focus."

"The PSF Board has discussed strategic planning over the years, including at the 2024 board retreat. This year, we committed to turning that discussion into a concrete plan. The process included numerous interviews with PSF Staff, community members, and participants across the Python ecosystem. After interviews, the PSF Board went through a prioritization exercise, followed by a series of dedicated and structured board discussions."

"The plan has two parts: I. Organizational Goals: How the PSF operates across all its activities, and II. Program Goals: Where the PSF directs its"

The Python Software Foundation is developing a strategic plan to guide its direction over the next five years. High-level goals are being shared to collect feedback from the Python community, with a full draft and detailed objectives planned for early June and adoption targeted for July 2026. The plan is motivated by rapid ecosystem growth, including PyPI hosting over 800,000 projects and serving tens of billions of downloads per month. It also reflects expanded Developers-in-Residence work across CPython development, security, and PyPI safety. Financial pressures include declining assets and yearly revenue, rising costs, and increased demand that exceeds capacity, including pausing the Grants Program after reaching a budget cap early.

Read at Python Software Foundation Blog