Announcing the Search for a DSF Executive Director | Weblog | Django

Title: Announcing the Search for a DSF Executive Director

URL Source: https://www.djangoproject.com/weblog/2026/jun/17/announcing-the-search-for-a-dsf-executive-director/

Published Time: 2026-06-17T08:00:00

Markdown Content: The Django Software Foundation is hiring its first Executive Director, and we have the Django community to thank for making it possible.

Six Django web development agencies have jointly pledged $47,500 to help fund the Executive Director's first year: Caktus Group, Lincoln Loop, Six Feet Up, Cuttlesoft, OddBird, and Two Rock. This is the financial foundation we needed to move from "we should hire an ED someday" to "we are hiring an ED now."

Why This Role Matters

The DSF has grown significantly over the past several years. We fund multiple Django Fellows, distribute grants to events around the world, manage corporate and individual memberships, oversee working groups, and handle the legal and operational responsibilities of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. For years, volunteer board members have carried this operational load alongside their regular jobs. That dedication has carried us far, but there are real limits to what a volunteer board can do.

An Executive Director changes that. This person would handle day-to-day operations and administration, sponsorship development and partner relationships, community outreach and communications, coordination with the Django Fellows and working groups, and grant management and financial reporting.

It is a paid position, part-time or full-time depending on the candidate, for someone who understands open source communities and is genuinely excited about helping Django thrive as both a framework and a foundation.

"For years our board has run the DSF on volunteer time, and we've hit the limits of what that can do. An Executive Director lets us actually grow the work, more support for Django Fellows, better fundraising, and the operational help we've needed for a long time," said Jeff Triplett, DSF Board President. "We've talked about this hire for years, and funding was always what held us back. Six agencies who compete with each other decided to put money in together so we could finally do it. That tells you how much this community cares about Django's future."

The Agencies Who Made This Possible

These six agencies compete for the same clients, but they share a foundation: Django. That shared reliance drove them to collaborate on this pledge, and we want to recognize each of them.

Caktus Group ($12,500), the Durham, NC consultancy founded in 2007 and known for data-intensive Django work with clients like UNICEF and the University of Chicago, put it directly. CEO Tobias McNulty said: "Django is the bedrock of our business, and as a smaller team, contributing is a significant investment. We hope this coordinated action from six agencies sends a clear signal to the rest of the industry: it's time to contribute to the core technology that makes our businesses possible."

Lincoln Loop ($10,000), the remote-first Python consultancy that has built platforms for Planned Parenthood, Wharton, Mozilla, and PBS, framed it as a question of sustainability. Founder Peter Baumgartner said: "We've seen the Django community thrive under volunteer leadership, but we've reached a ceiling. The Executive Director role is about sustainability, providing the leadership and structure needed to scale the DSF's impact and protect Django's long-term future."

Six Feet Up ($10,000), the woman-owned consultancy founded in 1999 with clients including Capital One, Purdue University, and UNEP, focused on what this means for enterprise confidence in Django. CEO Gabrielle Hendryx-Parker said: "Tech leaders stake their roadmaps on the long-term viability of their technology stack. A full-time Executive Director de-risks the framework's future, protecting the robust and lasting systems we build for our clients and ensuring Django remains a bankable, innovative choice."

Cuttlesoft ($10,000), the product agency based in Tallahassee and Denver that has been building with Django since 2014, sees the hire as an investment in the whole ecosystem. Co-founder Frank Valcarcel said: "Investing in a dedicated Executive Director is a proactive step toward ensuring Django's continued evolution. We believe this role will unlock new opportunities for growth and collaboration within the community, benefiting all who rely on this incredible framework."

OddBird ($2,500), the remote boutique agency co-founded by Django core developer Jonny Gerig Meyer, has been contributing to both the framework and the community for more than 17 years. Jonny said: "Adding a dedicated Executive Director helps the DSF ensure Django's long-term sustainability, giving developers and enterprise clients peace of mind choosing the Django ecosystem. This investment is a no-brainer, and we're thrilled to partner with other peer agencies to help make it a reality."

Two Rock Software ($2,500), the Django-focused custom development shop with deep roots in the Django events community, rounded out the pledge. Co-founder Peter Grandstaff, who serves as President of Django Events Foundation North America and helps run DjangoCon US, said: "As President of Django Events Foundation North America, I know how hard it is for a volunteer board to run an effective organization. I feel strongly that Django is at a point where an Executive Director is the right step into the future."

We Need Your Help Too

This $47,500 pledge is a launchpad, not the finish line.

Hiring an Executive Director means taking on a recurring cost that our current fundraising levels cannot sustain on their own. That is why the DSF is raising its annual fundraising goal from $300,000 to $500,000 (2026 fundraising goals). The additional funding reflects what it takes to responsibly hire and maintain this role, continue supporting our Django Fellows, and keep the rest of our programs running without cutting corners.

Six agencies stepped up first. We are asking others to follow.

If your company builds on Django, sells products that run on Django, or employs developers who work with Django every day, this is your opportunity to invest in the infrastructure that makes that possible. No contribution is too small, and every organization that joins this effort makes it easier for the next one to say yes.

You can reach out directly through our Contact the DSF page to discuss a contribution toward the Executive Director fund, or make a general donation at djangoproject.com/foundation/donate/. Individual community members can also contribute via Open Collective.

With the community's help, with your company's help, we can get there.

What Comes Next

The board is formalizing the hiring process and will publish the job posting in the coming weeks. When it is ready, we will announce it across the DSF blog, Django Forum, Django Discord, and our other community channels.

If you know someone who would be a great fit for this role, start thinking about them now.

Thank you to Caktus Group, Lincoln Loop, Six Feet Up, Cuttlesoft, OddBird, and Two Rock for leading the way.