The report is viewable as a Web site or high resolution PDF.

The Annual Report reviews the FSF's activities, accomplishments, and financial picture from October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017. It is the result of a full external financial audit, along with a focused study of program results. It examines the impact of the FSF's events, programs, and activities, including the annual LibrePlanet conference, the Respects Your Freedom (RYF) hardware certification program, and the fight against Digital Restrictions Management (DRM).

"Software filters the information we receive about the world, the messages we put out into the world, and even the way we physically move in the world," said FSF executive director John Sullivan in his introduction to the FY2017 report. "If the software is not free 'as in freedom'... the consequences for the rest of us will be loss of democracy, privacy, security, freedom of speech, freedom of movement -- and even loss of life."

The FSF publishes its financials and annual report as part of their commitment to transparency. Along with its strong financial health, accountability and transparency are the reasons the FSF is a Charity Navigator Four Star Charity.

As with all of the Foundation's activities, the Annual Report was made using free software, including Pelican, Scribus, GIMP, and Inkscape, along with freely licensed fonts and images. If you would like a printed copy of the Annual Report, or have any questions or comments, please email campaigns@fsf.org.

About the Free Software Foundation

The Free Software Foundation, founded in 1985, is dedicated to promoting computer users' right to run, change, share, and contribute to computer programs. The FSF promotes the development and use of free (as in freedom) software -- particularly the GNU operating system and its GNU/Linux variants -- and free documentation for free software. The FSF also helps to spread awareness of the ethical and political issues of freedom in the use of software, and its Web sites, located at https://fsf.org and https://gnu.org, are an important source of information about GNU/Linux. Donations to support the FSF's work can be made at https://donate.fsf.org. Its headquarters are in Boston, MA, USA.

More information about the FSF, as well as important information for journalists and publishers, is at https://www.fsf.org/press.

Media Contact

Molly de Blanc
Campaigns Manager
Free Software Foundation
+1 (617) 542 5942
campaigns@fsf.org