Nabiha Syed Executive Director of Mozilla Foundation

Hello,

A few weeks ago, I wrote to you about the millions of dollars of lost funding Mozilla is facing due to U.S. government cuts. Today, I need to share something that recently landed in our inbox.

We’ve officially received notice from the U.S. National Science Foundation that they’re terminating our Mozilla Common Voice grant.

This $1.05 million USD grant was going to make voice technology accessible to underrepresented communities, including:

• Creating speech recognition datasets for African American Vernacular English
• Building resources for Spanish-English code-switching contexts in North America
• Preserving and digitizing Anishinaabemowin, an Indigenous language

Our language is our story, our community, our culture. When AI only works for a few of the world’s dominant languages, we’re not just facing a technological gap — we’re facing the erasure of cultural identity in our digital future.

Mozilla Common Voice is the world’s largest crowdsourced, open speech dataset. It’s a platform where communities can preserve, revitalize, and elevate their languages by creating the datasets needed for voice-enabled technologies. While big tech corporations focus only on a few profitable markets, we’ve built a home for more than 300 languages.

I have made the decision to continue this vital work despite losing this funding. It’s a risk. 23,053 people from the Mozilla community have donated to defend Mozilla’s programs following these U.S. government cuts. Will you join them?

Please consider adding a €10 donation today to help close Mozilla’s funding gap and build a digital future that works for all of us.

The datasets created through Mozilla Common Voice are open-source. So they benefit the entire tech ecosystem, not just one company’s products. This is how we create systemic change — by building a foundation for more inclusive AI where no voice goes unheard.

The decisions we make right now will shape what’s possible in the months and years ahead — and whether we can meet this moment with the urgency it demands. That’s exactly why I am calling on the Mozilla community to help sustain the critical work of Mozilla Common Voice. The U.S. government can cancel our funding, but they can’t undermine our ambitions.

From day one, Mozilla has been powered by people who believe technology should serve everyone — people who refuse to sit back and watch tech be shaped solely by profit, politics, or power. In the face of funding challenges, this mission becomes more crucial than ever.

Your support now isn’t just filling a budget gap — it’s making a statement that inclusive voice technology matters. With your help, Mozilla Common Voice will continue ensuring diverse languages and dialects aren’t left behind in our AI future.

So, I am asking you directly: Can you add a €10 donation today? Your support will help ensure voice technology recognizes everyone while advancing an internet that truly serves all of us.

Always yours,

Nabiha Syed
Executive Director
Mozilla Foundation