fundraising for laptop drivers & firmware?

Hi, I'm researching an article about funding drivers & firmware for linux on mainstream hardware. I'm a huge fan of coreboot/seabios & feel both excited for life after binary blobs and frustrated at how difficult it is to ship OSS firmware.

Looking for any and all feedback but tag in especially if you know about:

* what skill-sets the community needs to develop these without industry support
* $$ figures for driver development in-house at major shops
* are OSS firmware projects trying to support mainstream laptops on launch? are manufacturers interested?

Have had a series of linux laptops as my daily drivers for ~ 4 years -- am grateful for the work the community is doing.