Public benefit organizations such as hospitals, schools, and other essential services play a critical role in society, yet they often rely on taxes or fees to survive.
There is a sustainable alternative to taxing users: organizations should build their financial model on Open Source services. This approach would help eliminate the need for taxing or charging fees, allowing public benefit organizations to thrive without putting the financial burden on the public.
The Role of Open Source in Supporting Public Benefit Organizations
Open source is the engine that powers this model. It turns a public benefit service into shared infrastructure: no single organization owns the core asset, and no one can lock others out with licensing, exclusivity, or vendor control. Instead, multiple institutions co-develop the same tools, methods, and content, lowering the cost for everyone and improving quality through real-world use at scale.
For public benefit organizations, the practical advantage is compounding reuse. When one hospital, school, or agency improves an open tool, every other participant can adopt that improvement immediately, avoiding duplicate spending and accelerating progress. Open governance also aligns incentives: contributors support what they actually need, and the roadmap reflects the priorities of the organizations doing the work.
The Role of Endowments and a Conservative Approach
While open source services can provide much of the operational support for public benefit organizations, some aspects still require funding through traditional means. This includes costs for material infrastructure, facilities, and other areas where Open Source solutions are not feasible. Organizations can address these needs by establishing endowments. This financial security can serve as startup capital, cover un-open-source-able expenses, and act as an insurance policy in case certain services become obsolete or are no longer in demand.
One reality of this system is that organizations with larger endowments will likely attract more attention and become more selective in who they serve. Over time, laws may need to evolve to address this imbalance.
My focus is not on figuring out laws for a system. The system I am describing needs to be built before it is policed. In building the system, I hope my efforts will reduce the reliance on taxes and fees for essential public services in meaningful ways.
Examples of Open Source Public Benefit Services
Here are two examples of how open source development has successfully sustained public benefit services in my work:
1) Web Accessibility Testing and Remediation
In the past, many universities spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on digital accessibility testing and remediation. While ensuring accessibility is both legally required and ethically important, the costs are often prohibitive. To address this, I built an Open Source digital accessibility testing and remediation ecosystem. Initial costs were covered by the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) and a few other early supporters. As more organizations joined the project, costs decreased, and they gained greater control over the development roadmap.
The Open Source model has proven more cost-effective for institutions than hiring outside vendors to provide the same services. Additionally, UIC has become a leader in web accessibility, attracting talent from other universities and accessibility companies. Eventually, I expect Equalify to generate net income for UIC, establishing it as a major player in accessibility while sustaining the work through contributions from partner organizations.
2) “AI Leaders” Workforce Development Course
In 2025, I expanded my focus beyond software to explore whether open source could be applied to content. I launched “AI Leaders,” a workforce development course that teaches students valuable AI skills and provides job placements upon completion. Like the web accessibility ecosystem, this course was designed to be sustainable without user fees(in fact, we pay users for completing the course).
As the course expands to more organizations and becomes a talent pipeline for WordPress, it is expected to generate more revenue for UIC while attracting new talent to the university. The success of this project is a testament to the potential of Open Source models to create self-sustaining public benefit services.
Expanding the Open Source Model to Other Industries
The open source model is not limited to software and content. It can be applied to various sectors, including healthcare and education, to reduce costs and increase access to essential services.
Healthcare
In healthcare, as in education, organizations can specialize in specific areas of medical care or techniques. These organizations could share their expertise and resources with others in exchange for contributions or payment, creating a collaborative ecosystem that benefits everyone. Hospitals could focus on specific specialties, and other institutions would pay for access to their knowledge or methods. This could reduce the reliance on private insurance or government funding, ultimately lowering healthcare costs.
Liberal Arts Education
The open source model could also apply to liberal arts education. For example, a liberal arts college could develop a course on an esoteric topic, such as A.R. Ammons’ poetry. The course would be Open Source, meaning other institutions could adopt and modify it. As the course gains popularity, organizations may contribute to its development or pay to dictate its roadmap. While the college may not have the financial resources of a large institution, it could still thrive by offering valuable knowledge to a broader community of learners.
My Mission
The goal of creating a system that allows public benefit organizations to provide services without relying on taxes or user fees is ambitious, but it is not beyond reach. By embracing open source principles and leveraging endowments, organizations can create a sustainable ecosystem that benefits society as a whole.
While this vision may not be fully realized in my lifetime, I believe it would reduce the cost of public services. The more we can reduce the financial burden of providing these services, the more we can ensure that essential goods and services are available to all, regardless of their financial means.
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