Donation
Folding@home runs on donated computing time and donated money. The first is what most people contribute — install the client and let your computer fold. Financial donations cover the things federal grants can't, like server hardware and infrastructure. This page answers the common questions about money donations; the giving flow itself lives at /donate.
Do I need to donate money to participate?
No. Folding cycles on your own computer is the primary contribution, and it's free. Money donations are a separate, optional way to support the project — useful but not expected.
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Donations made through the Folding@home Foundation are tax-deductible in the United States. Donations are processed by every.org, which issues tax receipts on the Foundation's behalf. Outside the US, deductibility depends on your country's rules — check with a tax advisor.
What can I donate?
- Credit card (one-time or recurring) via every.org.
- Cryptocurrency via every.org's crypto donation flow.
- Donor-advised funds (DAFs) via DAFDirect.
- Merchandise purchases through the F@h merch store — proceeds support the Foundation.
The full list is on the donate page.
Where does the money go?
Server hardware, infrastructure, software development, and educational outreach — the things federal research grants generally don't cover. The funding FAQ explains the donor-vs-grant split in more detail.
Can I set up a recurring donation? How do I cancel?
Yes — the credit-card flow at every.org offers monthly recurring donations as an option. Every.org manages all the recurring billing; to cancel, change the amount, or update your payment method, log into your every.org account or contact every.org support. We don't have access to your billing details on our end.
How do I get a receipt?
Every.org emails a receipt automatically when your donation is processed. If you didn't receive one, check your spam folder first; if it's not there, every.org's support can resend it from your account.
Can my company donate or sponsor F@h?
Yes — corporate giving, in-kind hardware donations, and sponsorship are all welcome. Email the project manager at projectmanager@foldingathome.org for details. See also the contact page.