Blender Foundation has published its 2024 annual report, revealing strong growth in community support but warning that financial reserves remain below target.
According to the report, total income rose to €3.1 million in 2024, up from €2.55 million the previous year. Development Fund income alone grew by 21 percent. Chairman Ton Roosendaal noted that donation income increased by almost 20 percent and that more than half of the Foundation’s revenue now comes from individual contributors, balancing industry support with grassroots funding.
Part of this growth stemmed from campaign activity. A special 30th-anniversary donation drive held in December 2023 raised over €200,000 in one month. The report states that the campaign helped the Foundation “raise twice as much in Q1 [2024] as for Q1 2023.” At the end of 2024, the Foundation launched its “Join the 2%” campaign, designed to encourage more users to donate. Funds raised from that effort, excluding regular donations, have been booked into the 2025 fiscal year.
Expenses also rose, with contributions to developers increasing from €1.78 million in 2023 to €2.15 million in 2024. Staff and developer grants accounted for 87 percent of all spending. The Amsterdam Blender Conference, supported by ticket sales and sponsorships, broke even on its own budget for the first time, not counting staff costs covered by the Foundation.
Despite higher revenues, the Foundation reported a loss for 2024, though smaller than the profit booked in 2023. A reservation line for 2025 stood at negative €73,853. The board said that financial reserves are still below its target of maintaining a three-month cash buffer. It plans to seek additional corporate donors and expand small-user contributions through more effective communication.
Read the full report here.
