In this case one of the programmers is a researcher. That has applied for grants to work on Sage. Grants that also funded other programmers (grad students and the like).<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;wstein.org&#x2F;grants&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;wstein.org&#x2F;grants&#x2F;</a>