Giving back to the community
Yoast Diversity fund
We care about diversity. That’s why we started the Yoast Diversity fund. This fund aims to increase the diversity of the IT community, especially the WordPress community, by removing financial barriers for people from typically underrepresented groups in tech.
Why do we have a diversity fund?
Creating an inclusive conference with a diverse range of speakers can be challenging. Women, as well as other underrepresented groups, often have fewer speaking opportunities for various reasons. At Yoast, diversity is part of our core values, which led to the establishment of the Yoast Diversity fund.
We strongly believe in promoting diversity among conference speakers. Conferences are invaluable for learning, inspiration, forging lasting connections, and making pivotal career or life choices. The individuals on the stage significantly impact these outcomes, and the diverse community around us shapes the overall experience.
The importance of representation
Historically, conferences have struggled to showcase underrepresented and disadvantaged groups, especially in the tech industry. We are committed to changing this narrative. To truly expand our perspectives, we must eliminate the barriers preventing everyone from sharing their experiences. That’s why we’re dedicated to providing equal opportunities and working towards fair, secure conferences that provide a level playing field.
We want to enhance the inclusivity of conferences
By removing financial barriers for speakers from diverse backgrounds who want to share their insights with the world.
Apply to the Diversity fund
WordPress events and other open-source conferences occur throughout the year and all over the world. Although we proudly sponsor events worldwide, more money is often needed to cover speakers’ travel and accommodation expenses. This is especially the case for events that are not commercially operated. At Yoast, we aim to eliminate this specific obstacle to hosting diverse conferences.
To address this, we’ve launched the Yoast Diversity fund, offering reimbursement for speakers’ travel and accommodation costs, with support of up to €1,500 per event. If you’re interested in participating in an event and believe our assistance could be beneficial, don’t hesitate to apply for our Diversity Fund!
Apply to the Diversity fundWho can apply?
The eligibility criteria for the Yoast Diversity fund are as follows:
- The applicant belongs to or identifies with a typically underrepresented group.
- The applicant has either been confirmed as a conference speaker or is awaiting a response.
- The conference is a non-commercial gathering.
- The conference focuses on WordPress, such as a Meetup or WordCamp, Magento, PHP, JavaScript, TYPO3, or another open-source community.
- The event is on the same continent as the applicant’s residence. Efforts are made to minimize the ecological footprint of the participation.
What type of costs are reimbursed?
Our objective is to cover the expenses that might hinder your participation as a speaker at tech conferences. If you encounter any unique costs, such as child care or specialized transportation, we encourage you to share them with us, and we will assess each case individually.
Here are some examples of costs that we are willing to reimburse:
- Travel and transportation expenses, including gas, car rentals, taxis, or flights.
- Accommodation costs include a hotel, Airbnb, or similar lodging.
- Child-care expenses.
- Fees for sign language interpreters.
- Visa-related costs.
- Due to your unique needs, any additional costs associated with the assistance you may require.
We’re thrilled to take care of numerous aspects. However, we’re unable to facilitate reimbursement for food expenses.
Yoast Diversity fund
What benefits can I expect from the Diversity fund?
The Yoast Diversity fund provides financial support to help offset your expenses. Please note that we do not handle travel or accommodation arrangements on your behalf. The maximum reimbursement for costs per event should not exceed €1500.
Apply now!
Fill in the form below to apply to our Diversity fund:
Celebrating the Transformative Impact of the
Yoast Diversity fund
We have successfully created a positive impact in fostering diversity within the tech community. To date, we’ve had the privilege of assisting and supporting 158 people. These individuals represent a diverse range of backgrounds, experiences, and talents, and their journeys have contributed significantly to the broader goal of enhancing inclusivity in the tech industry.