The Python Software Foundation (PSF) withdrew a $1.5 million grant proposal to the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) after funding terms were judged to force a compromise on the foundation’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
The proposed award would have been made under NSF’s Safety, Security, and Privacy of Open Source Ecosystems program, which funds efforts to improve the resilience and trustworthiness of open-source software infrastructure. The PSF submitted the proposal in January 2025 seeking resources to address security issues in the Python language and the Python Package Index (PyPI).
Under the planned work, the funds would have supported development of automated malware-detection tools for PyPI package uploads and the porting of those tools to other ecosystems such as NPM and Crate.io.
The NSF approved the funding but attached a clause requiring recipients to affirm they would not operate programs that “advance or promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).” The condition would have applied to all PSF activities, not only the grant-funded work, and a breach could allow the NSF to request repayment of previously transferred funds, creating what the PSF described as a financial risk.
The Python Software Foundation says DEI is central to its mission and values, and the PSF board voted unanimously to withdraw the application rather than accept the restricted funds.
The decision mirrors one by The Carpentries in June 2025, which also withdrew an NSF proposal after encountering the same DEI-related restrictions under a different NSF program.
The PSF said the need for financial support is greater than ever and called for membership, donations and sponsorships to support its work. The announcement did not include any comment from the NSF.