Just to be clear.
KDE eV is non-profit, as any other, each year either it made more money than its operating costs or not.
This is normal business.
The title is sensationalist, but accurate. Yet KDE eV is in good financial state.
This spending was planned, not forced (KDE eV is under Germany Law). KDE eV benefited from a big donation years ago that wasn’t fully spent and has still some reserve. Yet income increased in 2023.
Read the actual report, to have more context.
Quoting the report:
In conclusion, 2023 was a year of measured growth and careful planning for KDE e.V.
Valve contracts Blue Systems company to improve Plasma. This company is the biggest paid contributor company to Plasma and has been for years. It employs many prominent KDE contributors Nate Graham for starter.
This is in the blog post linked.