NVDA Needs You

As you are all aware, NV Access, the organisation which develops NVDA, is a non-profit organisation which is predicated on making software for the blind that requires no extra cost than the purchase of a computer. What you may not know, however, is that to do this, we must seek grants or donations from larger organisations to survive. Unfortunately, the present financial climate has meant that these grants are much less forthcoming than in the past, despite the accolades that NVDA has received over the past couple of years.

Jamie and Mick, the core developers of NVDA, are essentially paid minimum wage for their experience, knowledge and skills, which they are prepared to accept because they love the fact that they are making a positive contribution to the blind community and the accessibility industry more generally. Despite their willingness to carry on, however, there will be no money to pay them after July 2011 unless we receive some financial assistance. Rest assured, we will be seeking grants from and alliances with other companies, but the stark reality is that these may not come to fruition in time to save NVDA. In short, we desperately need your help.

For the last release of NVDA, our records indicate that there were 50,000 downloads. Even if we discount 20,000 for those who may have downloaded NVDA multiple times, we are left with 30,000 individual users. If every user donated $10 today, we would have $300,000 that we could use to pay Jamie and Mick to continue to develop NVDA full time for the foreseeable future.

We are very proud that we provide a free and open source screen reader for our community and for the accessibility industry to use. The principles that underlie the decision to make NVDA free and open source are as important to the committee of NV Access now as they were when Mick first envisaged the potential of NVDA. However, for NVDA to be developed in the way that you have become accustomed, we need your help. We are not being greedy or exploitative, merely pragmatic and honest. Please think of how NVDA might have helped you, or may help others, and donate today.

We sincerely thank you for any contribution you can make.

The NV Access Committee