The Python Software Foundation (PSF) is withdrawing its application for a $1.5 million (€1.3 million) grant from the US National Science Foundation (NSF). The organization refuses to agree to new grant conditions that explicitly prohibit programs related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
In January 2025, the PSF submitted a proposal to the Safety, Security, and Privacy of Open Source Ecosystems program. The project was intended to help address structural vulnerabilities in the Python programming language and its associated package platform PyPI. It was the first time the foundation had applied for government funding. The application process, led by security developer Seth Larson and deputy director Loren Crary, took months of intensive work and thorough evaluation.
After a lengthy review process, the proposal was ultimately recommended for funding. This is an exceptional achievement for a first-time application. However, when the PSF saw the final grant conditions, concerns arose. The foundation would have to declare that it does not and will not run any programs that promote DEI.
Trump administration fights against woke programs
That provision would apply not only to the specific security project, but to all of the organization’s activities. In addition, the NSF reserved the right to reclaim previously disbursed funds if the foundation violated this condition. According to the PSF, this would pose a significant financial risk. The Register places the measure in the context of the Trump administration’s federal policy, which restricts the use of public funds for diversity and inclusion programs.
The new grant conditions are the result of federal guidelines that have been in effect since early 2025 and that restrict the use of government funds for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. These regulations are part of broader political measures by the US government under President Trump to reduce the influence of so-called woke programs.
Diversity, equality, and inclusion are integral to the PSF’s mission, which focuses on promoting and protecting the Python programming language and supporting a diverse, international community of developers. The organization sought clarification from the NSF and investigated how other parties had dealt with similar situations. One such example was The Carpentries, a non-profit organization for software and data training, which had withdrawn its application earlier this year for the same reason.
Betrayal of PSF’s core values
Ultimately, the PSF concluded that it could not agree to a statement that excludes DEI-related activities. The deputy executive director of the programming non-profit, Loren Crary, stated that accepting such conditions would amount to a betrayal of the foundation’s core values and its community.
She indicated that it was a difficult decision, as the proposed project would have had significant benefits for the security of the open source community. The plan included the development of automated tools that would proactively check new PyPI packages for potential supply chain attacks, rather than just a reactive assessment, as is currently the case. The techniques used would also be transferable to other open source package managers, such as NPM and Crates.io.
In addition to the security benefits, the grant would have been a major financial boost. The PSF has an annual budget of approximately $5 million and employs 14 people. The $1.5 million over two years would have been the largest grant in the foundation’s history. Nevertheless, the board unanimously decided that the organization’s values outweigh the monetary amount.
According to Crary, the Python community broadly supported the decision, which she believes confirms that the foundation did the right thing. The PSF acknowledges that foregoing the grant poses a financial challenge, especially amid inflation, declining sponsorship, and economic pressure in the technology sector.
The organization is therefore calling on the community to continue supporting its work, for example, through membership, donations, or corporate sponsorship. According to the foundation, support from individual members and companies is essential to ensure the continued existence of Python as an open-source project and to preserve its values of inclusivity.
The National Science Foundation was unable to comment at this time because parts of the US government are closed due to an ongoing shutdown.