In a significant step towards promoting diversity and inclusion within the WordPress community, GoDaddy and the WP Community Collective (WPCC) have announced the launch of the GoDaddy WC Fellowship program. This initiative aims to support and promote underrepresented speakers at regional and flagship WordPress WordCamps, providing a platform for diverse voices within the community.
The WP Community Collective is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and funding individual contributions and community-based initiatives within the open-source WordPress project.
GoDaddy WC Fellowship Program
The newly launched program marks the WPCC’s first corporate sponsorship with GoDaddy, a leading provider of web hosting and domain services. Under the WC Fellowship program, the WPCC and GoDaddy will support up to three Fellows per WordCamp event. Each Fellow will receive a stipend of up to $1,500 to cover expenses related to attending the conference, including Contributor Days.
To be eligible, applicants must publicly identify as underrepresented via any public professional directory, such as through the Underrepresented in Tech directory or a similar platform. Applications for the WC Fellowship will open on May 7, and the first group of Fellows will attend WordCamp US in Portland, Oregon.
Adam Warner, Global Field Marketing Director at GoDaddy, highlighted the company’s commitment to fostering diversity within the WordPress community. “At GoDaddy, we believe that diversity and inclusion are fundamental to the success of the WordPress open-source project and community. By partnering with the WP Community Collective, we’re able to support underrepresented voices through the WC Fellowship program, providing opportunities for those who might otherwise face barriers to participation,” he stated.
Sé Reed, co-founder and president of the WPCC, echoed this sentiment. “We are thrilled to officially be working with GoDaddy to bring this program to life. There are some amazing folks in the WordPress community whose voices can’t always be heard, and the more of those folks we can amplify, the stronger the WordPress community’s collective voice will be,” Reed said.
The WC Fellowship program is the second initiative launched by the WPCC, following the WPCC Accessibility Fellowship, which began in January 2024.
It’s encouraging to see an increasing number of financial assistance opportunities for those interested in attending WordCamps. The Kim Parsell Memorial Scholarship too is currently accepting applications through May 30.