One option is to start a crowdfunding campaign. You can review how previous campaigns were structured here: https://forum.armbian.com/crowdfunding/
As a rough estimate, bringing a new board or image to a sustainable level typically requires around $5,000 just to cover the initial development effort - when dealing with something simple. Running a campaign also gives a clear picture of how challenging it is to secure funding for this type of work.
However, initial development is only part of the cost. To avoid creating another long-term maintenance burden (a “support black hole”), an additional $5,000–$10,000 is usually needed to cover ongoing maintenance, updates, CI resources, testing, and long-term support.
It’s also important to emphasize a general principle: you should ideally choose hardware that is already officially supported, rather than expecting support to be built around hardware after purchase. Supporting embedded devices sustainably requires planning, funding, and long-term commitment — it doesn’t happen automatically.
In short - it’s possible, but it requires realistic budgeting and shared responsibility.
