Chrome launches a grant fund for CSS, HTML, and design tooling
The Chrome team has announced a new fund intended to provide financial grants to people building the UI ecosystem: design tools, CSS, and HTML. The fund targets the kind of work that often happens as unpaid side projects—specifications, demos, tutorials, polyfills, and tools that exist because someone saw a need and filled it. Chrome says it wants to help more people spend time on these projects and create more value for the web.
What kinds of projects qualify?
The fund is open to a wide range of work. The following are examples of what the team is looking for, though they stress they are keen to hear other ideas.
Open UI research and proposals
Design research aimed at producing a new Open UI proposal—for example, researching a date range component or another component you care about.
Specification writing
Funding alone isn't the only support available. Chrome also says it can help newcomers to spec writing make the right contacts and work alongside experienced specification editors.
Accessibility research
Work on Open UI and new CSS layout techniques is surfacing accessibility questions that need research and testing before they can be resolved. The team is interested in projects that involve the accessibility community to ensure new proposals are grounded in research with real users—for instance, studying the impact of a pattern like a toggle.
Polyfills, tools, and demos
Eligible work includes polyfills that spread an API to more browsers, tooling like Sass and PostCSS, advanced demos showcasing newer or experimental APIs, and plugins for tools like Figma.
Solving problems in key areas
Chrome called out several places where developers consistently struggle to achieve their UI goals:
- Scrolling
- Form elements
- Toggle
- Mobile layout and UI elements
- Layout in general—for example, regions
Projects in these spaces are of particular interest, whether they're pure research, design ideas, or specification development. The shape of the project is up to the applicant, and Chrome can provide both funding and connections.
Who can apply
You'll need an Open Collective account to apply. You can apply for a project you own, or nominate a project you think deserves support. If you don't own the project, you'll need a thumbs up from one of the core maintainers indicating they would accept the change you're proposing.
How submissions are judged
The fund is owned by Sarah Drasner and Nicole Sullivan. To assess suitability, they will work with specialists in each area. Proposals are evaluated on potential impact, so applications should demonstrate how the work will affect standards, tooling, design, or accessibility.
How to apply
The fund is rolling, so there is no deadline for submissions. To apply:
- Create a GitHub issue or document describing the project, if one doesn't already exist. For additions to an existing project, an issue is a good way to show interest from core maintainers.
- For new ideas and research proposals, create a document explaining the project, your interest and experience in the area, and the impact you believe it can have on the CSS ecosystem.
- Complete the application form to make your initial submission.
After you apply, the team will be in touch—possibly to discuss the idea and find out more before making a decision.
