Free software has no shortage of talent, ideas, or users, but it does have a funding problem. The largest potential funding source already exists: public procurement. Governments spend billions each year on software and digital services, but most of that money flows into proprietary silos that limit transparency, reuse, and sovereignty.

If we take “Public Money, Public Code” - https://publiccode.eu - seriously, we must recognize that procurement (not donations or sponsorships) is the most powerful lever to sustain open source. Every government contract is a potential long-term investment in the commons.

This talk examines how procurement practices can become the backbone of sustainable free software ecosystems: • Why procurement reform is essential to digital sovereignty. • How existing frameworks (e.g., the EU Open Source Strategy - https://commission.europa.eu/about/departments-and-executive-agencies/digital-services/open-source-software-strategy_en ) still fall short. • How to structure tenders, contracts, and governance to ensure open deliverables. • Why governments should stop “buying software” and start funding maintenance and collaboration. • The opportunity for community organizations and small firms to compete fairly.

Procurement is where ideals meet infrastructure. By redirecting even a small fraction of public IT budgets toward open, reusable solutions, we can achieve what years of advocacy and fundraising have not: a self-sustaining free software ecosystem that serves everyone.