Drupal Certified Partner Program

What it means to be a Drupal Certified Partner

In late 2019, Dries Buytaert introduced the notion of “Balancing Makers and Takers” in a blog post. The overriding message is that Drupal needs significantly more contribution for the project to remain competitive in the longer term and that new models to incentivize and recognize contribution are required to achieve this. From this idea, the Drupal Certified Partners Program was created.

The Drupal project is driven by a large global network of developers, designers, and other contributors that are constantly innovating the Drupal project. The Drupal Certified Partner recognizes and awards agencies that demonstrate significant innovation, philanthropic leadership and contribution to the Drupal project. These organizations are verified by the Drupal Association as Drupal Certified Partners on Drupal.org.

As an open-source project the Drupal Certified Partner provides us with the necessary support to ensure security, accessibility and flexibility of the platform to meet enterprise level client innovation & scalability standards. Drupal Certified Partners are ambitious and have made Drupal a priority. Organizations are evaluated annually and awarded certification levels reflective of philanthropic and code contributions that they have made towards the project & the Drupal community.

How to become a Drupal Certified Partner

The Drupal Certified Partner program are organizations committed to the Drupal open-source project with a maker's mentality. Your engagement with this program is not meant to function solely as a marketing opportunity but instead as a values exchange rooted in your organization’s commitment to the community values of Drupal, to being a philanthropic supporter of the Drupal Association’s education and talent development programs, and to share the impact of innovating the Drupal project for a collaborative and inclusive global future as a public benefit.

A common attribute of Drupal Certified Partners is that they contribute to deliver value for the Drupal project and to help the Drupal community. You will find yourself among a community of peers who love Drupal and are working globally to use Drupal to keep the web safe and open for everyone.

To talk to someone email partnerships@association.drupal.org

Fill out a Certified Partner Application

How to qualify for the program

A Certified Partner must meet the certification requirements.

Annual contribution requirements to become a Drupal Certified Partner

Tier	Annual Weighted Contribution Credits (minimum)
Top Tier	12,000
Diamond	5,000
Platinum	2,500
Gold	1,000
Silver	500
Bronze	150

Annual sponsorship amount for Drupal Certified Partner

Total Number of Employees & Full Time Contractors	Annual Financial Sponsorship
500+	$25,000
251 - 499	$20,000
101 - 250	$16,000
51 - 100	$12,000
21 - 50	$8,000
11 - 20	$5,000
5 - 10	$3,000
Less than 5	$1,500

Drupal Certified Partners benefits

Premium exposure on Drupal.org and its 10 million annual visitors

Drupal Certified Partners badge to use on organization’s marketing materials

Exclusive benefits

Verified listings in the Drupal.org marketplace

Enhanced Organizational Profile on Drupal.org

Priority for sales leads from Drupal.org

Discounts and access to exclusive benefits at DrupalCon and other Drupal Association managed events

Special recognition at Drupal Association events

Frequently Asked Questions

My company has never contributed. Where do we start?
The DA publishes how-to guides for developers and other forms of contribution and mentors may be available to assist with getting started.
My client won’t approve a case study to be published publicly on Drupal.org. Will this affect my certification?
No. Case studies can be submitted for the express purpose of certification without being published on Drupal.org. The Drupal Association will still need to verify each case study with the client in question or some other means of verification.
Won’t the Certified Partner Program automatically favor bigger companies?
The goal of the program is to drive the overall volume of quality contribution, spreading this effort amongst a larger number of companies. Under this model, any company with a strong contribution policy will easily qualify for the program, with the volume of their contribution determining what tier they qualify for.
Can a small company achieve a high certification tier?
Yes. If they meet the contribution requirements and pay the tier’s donation amount, any size company can achieve a high tier. Of course, a bigger team will mean it’s easier to achieve a higher volume of contribution credits, and the tiers will ultimately reflect a company’s overall capability to take on large scale projects.

Can’t companies just “game” contribution credits to achieve a certification tier?
Weighted contribution credits ensure that effort is directed to the aspects of Drupal that need the most work.

How can I check if my company automatically qualifies as a Certified Partner?
You can check drupal.org/drupal-services and see what your company’s current contribution volume is against the certification tiers listed in this FAQ.
Will my company lose contribution credits if specific staff members who originally accrued the credits leave to join a new company?
No. Credits are only assigned at the time that they’re originally attributed to a company.
How are New Business leads managed by the Drupal Association?
It’s anticipated that most leads will be organic based on certified partner listings for specific regions. E.g. Filter all certified partners in Germany. If the DA is contacted directly for partner recommendations, they can provide links to certified partner profiles that match the criteria requested. E.g. Location, team size, customer experience.
Does DrupalCon or other forms of community event sponsorship count towards contribution credits?
Not currently, but this may be applicable in the future.
What happens if a company pays a high donation but their contribution falls below the threshold for the tier they’ve paid?
At the time of annual program renewal, the DA may need to interview the company to establish if their contribution level can be maintained to meet their tier requirements if they’ve fallen below the base threshold.