RAWGraphs is an open source web application for the creation of static data visualisations that are designed to be further modified. Originally conceived for graphic designers to provide a series of tasks not available with other tools, it evolved into a platform widely used in research and data journalism contexts that provides simple ways to map data dimensions onto visual variables. It presents a chart-based approach to data visualisation: each visual model is an independent module exposing different visual variables that can be used to map data dimensions. Consequently, users can create complex data visualisations. Finally, the tool is meant to produce outputs that are open, that is, not subjected to proprietary solutions, which can be further edited. Thanks to an intuitive user interface and experience drafting visualizations become an easy task, enabling the user to produce the visualizations not only as a mere output but also as a tool within the research process. Last year we launched a successful crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for the redesign and development of a new version of RAWGraphs, that will be released in the first months of 2021. The new version is written from scratch with the aim to make the tool more flexible for customisation and to create an active community also on the development side. The talk aims at presenting how RAWGraphs has been used in research context and our strategies to keep the project free, open source, economically sustainable and independent.