The Support Inclusion in Tech initiative pays the travel expenses of underrepresented individuals accepted to speak at WordCamps. 

We are recognized by the WordPress Open Source Project as a third party diversity & inclusion initiative and listed in the WordCamp Organizer Handbook.

Great question. The first WordCamps did not feature speakers. Many were social gatherings of local WordPress community members. Over time, to attract attendees and speakers, WordCamps took shape to become flagship events with an organizing team, sponsors, a dedicated venue, catered lunch, and an after party or networking event. Ticket prices range from $10 to $50 to make conferences accessible to anyone. Historically, most WordCamp speakers worked for companies in the WordPress ecosystem and had their trips paid for by their employers. That is still the case today. Speaking at a WordCamp can be a fun, relaxing, out of the office day.

Support Inclusion in Tech wants to shift this paradigm to include any underrepresented speaker who wants these networking opportunities, mentorship and guidance, and a resume-enhancing experience.

The WordPress community wants speaker support. Our goal is to assist in creating a playing field where all voices have an opportunity to share their unique experiences at WordCamps. Together, we can realize a Fifth Freedom.

This initiative assists with promoting greater diversity and inclusion in the WordPress community by supporting speakers who want to participate in WordPress programming but have financial barriers.

Support Inclusion in Tech’s audience is underrepresented speakers.

This initiative pairs speakers with participating companies that will pay for their transportation, hotel, or both through a scholarship, grant, or reimbursement of their expenses. Money is transferred from companies to speakers directly using an agreed upon payment method. Speakers may attend networking events, seek mentorship and guidance from industry professionals, and gain an opportunity to enhance resumes.

The eligibility criteria are that applicants must be members of underrepresented groups and must be accepted to speak at a WordCamp.

The application process has two steps. The first step is the completion of the speaker application form. The second step is filling out the anonymous directory listing form. 

Benefits include reimbursement of travel and accommodation expenses up to a pre-determined amount, networking opportunities, mentorship and guidance, and resume-enhancing experiences.

100% of funds go directly to the speaker. Zero funds are paid by companies to join or participate in Support Inclusion in Tech.

Company leaders in the WordPress ecosystem will receive testimonials of their impact reflecting their direct investment in diversity and inclusion, an annual report of their impact, social media mentions, opportunities to meet speakers who do not request privacy, and approval to use the Support Inclusion in Tech logo to represent their diversity and inclusion values. 

Additionally, companies are participating alongside well known names and, by partnering with an external program, they avoid the costs related to a full-time in-house project manager that manages diversity and inclusion programming. Support Inclusion in Tech program management expertise includes demonstrated examples of speaker support through this initiative, experience leading and co-organizing WordCamps, local and national WordCamp speaker selection experience, and first hand experience as an underrepresented WordCamp speaker. 

Support Inclusion in Tech believes in radical financial transparency. Not collecting funding allows for lean operations. Not keeping track of cash, payables, and related financial records removes the need for tax accountants, business and nonprofit fees and related costs. In kind donations including hosting, plugins, and marketing from partners removes a significant amount of overhead.

Yes, this is sustainable. Refocusing hours spent from close to a decade of Meetup and WordCamp organizing to work exclusively on diversity and inclusion requires no significant change in community contribution time. Remote work allows for asynchronous collaboration and saves money on office space and related costs.

Recipients are expected to use the funding for travel expenses. If seeking reimbursements, recipients must provide receipts. Additionally, recipients must adhere to the WordPress Community Code of Conduct, create at least one anonymous testimonial, complete post-event survey(s), and participate in post-event activities (optional).

The speaker application is found here: https://supportinclusionintech.com/apply-for-support/

The sponsor registration form is found here: https://supportinclusionintech.com/companyregistrationform/