A few years ago I had proposed to make a last ROS 1 version, and turn it into a “rolling release”, I think it could still be done 
And I think I still have a PR waiting to be merged on ROS 1 --’
If the foundation has $4 mil waiting, I think it’d be a good use of some of that money to open an office somewhere in Europe, get some European public funding (double whatever money you put in basically), hire some engineers at European rates, and work swiftly on fixing whatever is blocking people from switching to ROS 2. Many countries would be happy to welcome you I’m sure! I’d pick Wroclaw in Poland imho.