[Grants] Grant Application from Felicity Brand for Write the Docs Australia 2024 Conference

[Linux Australia Website]

Your Email Address: felicitybrand at gmail.com
Project name: Write the Docs Australia 2024 Conference
Grant Type: Project Grant
Aim of the project: [Write the Docs Australia](https://www.writethedocs.org/conf/australia/2024/) is an annual conference dedicated to connecting content professionals from various disciplines, including technical writers, programmers, support teams, developer advocates, and content strategists. The event has a rich history, running successfully for the past six years, serving as a pivotal platform for networking, education, and community building.
## Purpose of the event
* **Networking:** The conference facilitates networking among industry professionals, fostering collaborations and sharing best practices.
* **Education:** We feature presentations, lightning talks, workshops, and unconference sessions on the latest trends and tools in technical documentation and content strategy.
* **Community Building:** The event strengthens the community of documentarians, promoting knowledge-sharing and professional growth.
## Alignment with Linux Australia values
The Write the Docs organisation shares a strong alignment with the values of Linux Australia. At first glance, Write the Docs and Linux Australia may not seem to have much in common: many technical writers use proprietary tools, and many developers aren’t thrilled about documentation. But technical writers and developers have a long history of working together, so it’s no surprise that our two communities align at the most fundamental level. 
Specifically, the Write the Docs values of [community-first, openness, and inclusivity](https://www.writethedocs.org/about-us/) resonate deeply with Linux Australia's values of [community, open tech, respect and diversity](https://linux.org.au/about-us/values/). Many individuals actively participate in both communities.
## Event-specific values
The Write the Docs Australia conference upholds a culture of inclusion, respect, and diversity, as reflected in its[ Code of Conduct](https://www.writethedocs.org/conf/australia/2024/code-of-conduct/). The conference is dedicated to creating a [welcoming space](https://www.flickr.com/photos/writethedocs/53654012869/in/album-72177720316224454/) for all participants, ensuring respectful interactions and promoting diversity in the tech community. This strong commitment to [inclusivity](https://www.flickr.com/photos/writethedocs/53654003333/in/album-72177720316224454/) aligns well with the ethos of Linux Australia.
Estimated cost breakdown of the project: ## Package amount
We’re applying for a Project Grant for the [“First Draft” sponsorship package](https://www.writethedocs.org/conf/australia/2024/sponsors/prospectus/) which costs AUD $1,500. This package is aimed at open source organisations and includes:
* Two conference tickets.
* Linux Australia logo on the conference website.
* Linux Australia sponsor name included in all conference emails to attendees.
* Promotional Linux Australia displays and swag items (like Linux Australia stickers!) on the [conference swag table](https://www.flickr.com/photos/writethedocs/49076625406/in/album-72157711813997262/). All items to be provided by Linux Australia.
## How we’ll use the grant
The grant will be used to cover essential expenses to ensure the successful execution of Write the Docs Australia 2024. These expenses include:
* **Venue hire:** We are excited to welcome everyone to a new (and bigger) venue in Melbourne this year. We have upgraded from last year’s venue, [Library at The Dock](https://www.writethedocs.org/conf/australia/2023/venue/), to the [Melbourne City Conference Centre](https://www.writethedocs.org/conf/australia/2024/venue/).
* **Food:** Catering for attendees, providing meals and refreshments throughout the event.
* **Social event**: An off-site event where delegates can chat and network, with snacks and drinks provided.
* **Supporting equipment:** Necessary equipment such as AV systems, projectors, and microphones to facilitate presentations and workshops.
* **Videographer:** Hiring a professional videographer to record all talks, ensuring they are available on YouTube afterward for free access.
* **Sketchnote artist:** Engaging a sketch note artist to visually capture key points from the sessions. 
We are committed to keeping ticket prices affordable for a broad range of attendees, ensuring accessibility for freelancers, students, and those currently out of work. Your sponsorship will make it possible for a diverse group of documentarians to attend our event.
## How the grant will benefit the open tech community
All talks will be recorded and made freely available on our dedicated YouTube channel, [WriteTheDocsAus](https://www.youtube.com/@WriteTheDocsAus). This open sharing of knowledge provides educational opportunities across our industry, enabling everyone to access insights from the conference.
## What’s in it for you?
Some of our attendees may be new to open source and might not be familiar with Linux Australia. Including your logo and promotional materials at Write the Docs Australia 2024 is a valuable opportunity for Linux Australia to connect with a broader audience and showcase your initiatives.
Additionally, the two free tickets included in the sponsorship package allow Linux Australia representatives to attend the conference, network with attendees, and spread the word about your organisation. This face-to-face engagement will help foster a deeper understanding of Linux Australia's role in the open source community.
Project team details: ## About Write The Docs
Write The Docs is an international community encompassing technical writers, developers, support teams, and content strategists. The group was founded with the vision of improving documentation practices across the tech industry. Eric Holscher played a pivotal role in its inception. His commitment to the open source ethos helped shape Write The Docs into a thriving, global, open community that promotes high-quality documentation and the exchange of best practices.
Swapnil Ogale was instrumental in creating the Australian contingent of Write the Docs. Read more in his [retrospective post celebrating our 8th anniversary](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/8-years-write-docs-australia-swapnil-ogale-bgmcc/).
Over the years, the Write The Docs Australia conference and meetups have consistently [included talks about documentation in open source](https://www.youtube.com/@WriteTheDocsAus/search?query=open%20source). In this way, our organisation helps grow, foster, and develop knowledge about open source communities and free and open source software (FOSS) projects in Australia. 
We are proud to have many vocal open source advocates within our community, an active open-source channel in our Slack workspace, and every year members of Write the Docs participate in the [Google Season of Docs](https://developers.google.com/season-of-docs) program. One of our notable contributions to the open source community is [The Good Docs Project](https://www.thegooddocsproject.dev/), a global project that was co-founded here in Australia. This initiative focuses on creating high-quality, reusable templates and guides for documentation in open source projects.
## Meet the project team
The Write The Docs Australia 2024 [conference team](https://www.writethedocs.org/conf/australia/2024/team/) comprises dedicated professionals with extensive experience in open culture contributions:
* **Swapnil Ogale (Conference Chair):** Swapnil initiated Write the Docs in Australia in 2016 and works as a technical writer at Amazon Web Services. He has a strong background in organising tech events and a passion for community building and open source documentation.
* **Jared Morgan:** With 17 years of experience as a technical writer, Jared is deeply involved in the documentation community. He works at [Squiz](https://www.squiz.net/) and brings a wealth of experience in planning and delivering documentation as a product.
* **Felicity Brand:** With 15 years of experience in technical communication, Felicity is based in Melbourne and loves working in open source. She has attended and spoken at the past two Everything Open conferences.
* **Jennifer Appleby:** Jennifer has spent most of her career in IT, focusing on technical documentation in recent years. Her extensive experience in enterprise software and her passion for open source and community engagement make her a valuable team member.
* **Shiham Jamaldeen**: An experienced technical communicator, Shiham has over 10 years of experience working across healthcare, banking, financial markets, and human resources. Based in Adelaide, and working at [Sony Interactive Entertainment](https://sonyinteractive.com/en/), he is an experienced documentarian, copywriter and budding full stack web developer.
First Name: Felicity
Last Name: Brand
Email Address: felicitybrand at gmail.com
A statement including a willingness to provide regular project updates on the project: We, the organisers of the Write the Docs Australia 2024 conference, are committed to maintaining transparency and open communication with our sponsors. As part of this commitment, we pledge to provide regular updates on the progress and development of the conference project to the Linux Australia Council.
Thank you for considering our application. 
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