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==What makes a good Drumbeat project?==

The best Drumbeat projects: 

- Make the web better in a concrete way. This could be in the form of a exploiting a new or existing technology or by reaching out to new people, showing why openness matters. A more open web should be a direct objective of your project, not a side effect.

- Are built on free and open technologies, and/or licensed freely (ie. under permissible Creative Commons licenses LINK or similar). If I cannot build on your work, it's  probably not Drumbeat material. [We are open about this constraint--you can use  proprietary  software if there's no way around it].

-  Are easy to understand and  engage with for a  non-technical individual who cares about the web. If only true geeks  get it, or if there's no clear way to participate, it's probably not  Drumbeat material. 

-    Have 'maker' attitude -- they are about building, creating and tinkering with things that make the web better. Less talk, more action, preferably in surprising and unorthodox ways.

- Invite new people to engange in Mozilla's mission LINK of web "openness, innovation, and opportunity". 

This could be teachers, artists, lawyers, journalists, or ordinary internet users who'd want to lend skills and creativity to the open web cause. We also want to create compelling challenges for the existing Mozilla community. 

If you've got an idea or project that matches all or most of the above criteria, you've got a good Drumbeat project.

== How does the Drumbeat website work? ==

Imagine a ladder. Projects move up when they gain support and participation. The most promising projects receiving the most support and resources. 

There are three steps on the ladder.

1. Emerging
Emerging projects are at the lowest level of the Drumbeat ladder. There could be hundreds of emerging projects at one time - they are the "raw" Drumbeat material, and are competing for attention and participation. 
 
    •    Projects appear on the 'hub' page on the Mozilla Drumbeat site
    •    Project leads can recruit contributors, gather 'votes' and promote their project on and also outside of Drumbeat
    •    The project page can serve as simple project workspace if you don't have your own
   
    
2. Featured
Featured projects have proven potential and gained traction within the Drumbeat community, but are not yet "quite there" yet. There are significant challenges of technical, legal or conceptual character, or the project lacks key people or ressources. 

    •    Traction = votes, contributors, traffic and  other metrics tracked on the Drumbeat site
    •    Featured projects means high profile rotating profile at top of front page
    •    Projects receive strategic advice, are profiled in Drumbeat newsletters and are generally getting lots of critical attention.
    •   There are approximately 10 - 15 featured projects at any one time. Featured projects that do not solve critical challenges move back into "emerging" status if deemed inactive.

3. Supported
A small handful of the most promising projects are selected from the 'featured' pool by community reviewers. Once 'supported by Drumbeat', projects receive funding, and practical and conceptual support from Mozilla.  

    •    Supported projects receive from $5- 25k seed funding, and gain the ability to fundraise via drumbeat.org. 
    •    Gain visibility on other Mozilla sites, including the Firefox landing page, plus email promotion campaigns
    •    Gain dedicated support from a Mozilla Drumbeat 'project producer'
    •    Up to five new projects are supported per year.
    
When you create a project profile -- and complete all of the information -- you automatically become an 'emerging project.'

== OK, but what's in it for me? ==

If you need quick cash for your startup, you're not banging on the right door. We suggest you try our good friends at Kickstarter, or other microfunding platforms. Drumbeat is a process  aimed at making your open web project happen collaboratively. It's a way to find collaborators from a pool of passionate "hackers" from all walks of life.