There are plenty ways to fund digital commons, including people volunteering their time.
I don't think volunteering is going to cut it. Big orgs have big money and public commons are just targets to be controlled exploited.
mozilla employs 750 people and has a 1/2Bn dollar deal with Google and still their browser is absolute hot garbage. i think volunteering won't cut it.
A leading web browser can not be built and maintained by volunteers.