The Apache Foundation is a non-profit designed to promote open-source, collaborative software development.
The Foundation was formed primarily to:
I should apologize in advance to those who are not as familiar with this organization as some of the others listed. This is, in part my "wannabe geek" coming out. However, please don't discount the impact this group and others like it have to the world.
The Apache Foundation is a great example of community organization and planning. As mentioned, they promote and improve open-source solutions where none existed before.
Why is this important? Open source software, hardware, and other such projects actually have a large and increasing impact on the world. Benefits of open source solution include but are not limited to education, economic, diversity, and community.
Again this may be confusing or uninteresting to some so let me give a quick real-life example. Recently Brazil's government decided to stop using Microsoft Windows, replacing it instead with an open source operating system (i.e. Ubuntu.) The estimated savings will come to about $120 million dollars a year, freeing up funds to be used elsewhere.
Though that's more of a macro example, you can benefit as well. Open-source software often provides a little to no cost alternative to proprietary software. Here's a good place to start: if you're like 85% of the world, you're using Microsoft Internet Explorer to browse the web. Try Firefox. It's better, much more customizable, more secure, and open-source. Many more programs can be found at sourceforge.net.
Of course, there is a Web site included here. Links to information, donation methods, projects, and software all can be found at apache.org