Fundraising for PyLadies for PyCon 2014

Lynn Root

October 07, 2013 | Tag: » PyCon

TL;DR: Donate to PyLadies for PyCon!

With PyCon 2014 planning in high gear, PyLadies is revving up to raise funds to help women attend the biggest Python conference of the year.

We’re hoping to raise at least $40,000 to help women attend PyCon 2014. Here’s the breakdown:

Our numbers

• In addition to registration, it will take about $500-1000 per woman in North America to attend PyCon 2014 in Montreal
• In addition to registration, it will take about $1000-2000 per woman outside of North America to attend PyCon 2014 in Montreal

Why PyLadies? Our effect on the community

(percentages are not at all accurate, and are roughly estimated based on guessing names-to-gender scripts):

• PyCon 2011 had less than 10% women attendees (speaker % unknown)
• PyLadies started in late 2011
• PyCon 2012 had about 11% women attendees, and about the same in speakers.
  • This included giving PyLadies and Women Who Code booths to help promote our messages
• At the time of PyCon 2013, PyLadies had about 14 chapters, doing stuff like:
  • hosts events like learning python, learning git/github,
  • providing space for study groups,
  • enriching members with speaker series (like Guido van Rossum!),
  • events to help think up of talks to submit for PyCon (as well as DjangoCon),
  • hold events for folks to practice their talk, etc
• PyLadies work showed: PyCon 2013 had over 20% women attendees (!!), and about 22% female speakers (!!!!).
• No overhead - we’re all volunteers! ;-)
• Lastly, donations tax deductible since PyLadies is under the financial enclave of the Python Software Foundation

What we’re actively doing:

• We’re using all of the $10k that PyLadies raised at last year’s PyCon auction to increase the aid pool - something that we were hoping to actually use towards growing PyLadies locations (but it’s okay! $10k for more women friends at PyCon!)
• We’ve raised about $5000 from individuals/grassroots and companies as of this blog post.

What you will get in return

• Unless you explicitly choose to be anonymous (though the online donation site or in private discussions), we will profusely thank you via our public channels (Twitter, this blog, and at our PyCon booth)
• Provide a detailed write-up and financial introspection of how many women we’ve helped because of this campaign
• Visibility! It shows the PyCon/Python community that your company/you are serious about women in tech - which can directly benefit sponsors with increased hiring pool of female Pythonistas.

Ways to donate

All of the following methods are tax-deductible with funds going to the Python Software Foundation, a 501©3 charitable organization.

• Through our donation page (ideal for individuals)
• Email me at lynn@lynnroot.com (ideal for companies or anyone needing a proper invoice, or individualized solutions)
• Become a sponsor for PyCon (this is more indirect and less potent, but overall helpful to PyCon)

More information is available on the PyCon Financial Aid site if you would like to apply for financial aid for PyCon, whether you are a PyLady or PyGent.