Drupal Certified Partner Program: Bohdan Artemchuk Highlights Impact on Ukrainian Teams

The Drupal Association recently announced significant updates to its Certified Partner Program, aiming to better recognize the pivotal contributions of certain firms to the Drupal ecosystem. Bohdan Artemchuk, the Co-founder and CxO of DevBranch details these changes in a recent post, emphasizing the implications for small and medium-sized enterprises within the Drupal community.

The revised program seeks to spotlight firms that play a crucial role in the health and sustainability of Drupal. The existing marketplace lists over 2,283 companies offering Drupal services, with 591 of these making contributions to Drupal in 2023. Notably, the top 14% of these contributors are responsible for 88% of the total contributions in that year. This includes smaller organizations that have not received due recognition despite their significant impact. Bohdan highlights that five of the top ten contributors in 2023 are companies with fewer than 50 employees.

Currently, 89 companies are on the list of Drupal Certified Partners, a stark reduction from the previous 2200+. DevBranch, for instance, actively contributes to Drupal.org and considers this recognition a significant achievement. One condition for certification is having at least 150 annual Drupal.org credits, a threshold comfortably surpassed by Bohdan's team with over 1300 credits in the last year.

A major shift in the program involves an annual financial contribution required from all Drupal Certified Partners. This fee is now based on the company size, specifically the number of employees and full-time contractors. Previously, companies could choose packages based on their cost and benefits. Under the new structure, companies with 21-50 employees are required to contribute $8000 annually, a figure that could rise to $12000 with team growth.

Bohdan shares insights from several agency owners worldwide, including his own perspective, highlighting the substantial financial impact of these changes. Many agencies are reassessing the value of joining the enhanced program, considering the increased costs against the benefits offered. The situation is particularly challenging for Ukrainian-based Drupal teams. Since 2022, expenses have soared due to the ongoing full-scale invasion by Russia. Companies are diverting significant resources and personal time towards defence efforts, including volunteering, donations, and supporting teammates who have joined the Armed Forces. Additionally, relocating from offices near front lines has added to the operational costs.

Remaining in Ukraine also poses significant business challenges for companies like DevBranch. Companies face limited project opportunities as potential business partners and clients implement risk management strategies, often excluding collaborations with firms in conflict zones. Ukrainian Drupal teams continue to contribute to the community despite these hurdles, underscoring their resilience and commitment.

The Drupal Association's updated Certified Partner Program is a significant step toward recognizing the contributions of smaller yet vital players in the Drupal community. However, the new financial requirements pose substantial challenges, particularly for agencies in conflict-affected regions like Ukraine. 

Bohdan's LinkedIn post garnered many comments, with people acknowledging the difficulties of Ukranian companies. Still, all of them recognised the updates to the Certified Partner program as necessary. Read the full post here.