Code of Conduct requirement
The Django Software Foundation exists, in part, to support and promote the interests of the community, including sponsorship of events. We aim to steward spending in a way that would make the membership proud to support the community.
Mutual respect and courtesy among attendees is required for a healthy community. The Python and Django communities have been active in addressing these issues, but it is still a pressing issue.
As of the January 9, 2013 board meeting, the Django Software Foundation will only give financial aid to events that adopt a Code of Conduct.
The Foundation requires a Code which includes general protections and a clear system for reporting and accountability. The DSF suggests this template (created by The Ada Initiative and wiki contributors under the CC0 license) as a starting point. The PyCon Code shows a concrete example derived from the template.
The DSF encourages the larger open source community to adopt a similar policies regarding Codes of Conduct. We're all responsible for building the communities we want to live in, and ensuring that our community events are open and inclusive is one small step towards this goal.
Beyond the Code of Conduct
A Code of Conduct meeting these standards is only the minimum acceptable standard, however, and the Python and Django communities have continued to explore and implement further ways to make their events safer, more welcoming and more accessible for all who attend. The DSF Board is heartened and humbled by these efforts.
In recognition of the fact that there are many valid approaches to improving the inclusiveness and accessibility of events, and that many of those approaches incur additional costs for event organizers, the Board has decided to commit additional financial resources to these efforts.
As of the December 2016 meeting of the Board, it is the policy of the DSF to:
- Provide additional funding to events which demonstrate inclusiveness and accessibility efforts beyond the adoption of an acceptable Code of Conduct (which remains a prerequisite to funding), at a level commensurate (as determined by the Board) with the impact and additional costs of those efforts, and
- Whenever financial constraints require the Board to choose which of several events will receive funding, an event which demonstrates inclusiveness and accessibility efforts beyond the adoption of an acceptable Code of Conduct will be funded in preference to an event which does not.
Event organizers applying for funding will be asked to provide a statement to the DSF of the steps they are taking to improve inclusiveness and accessibility, an estimate of the costs incurred, and a proposed mechanism of accountability for measuring and verifying the impact of their efforts (such as a post-event diversity report or transparency procedure). Back to Top
