Automattic Donates $30,000 to Launch the Open Horizons Scholarship
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We’re proud to support the WordPress Foundation with a $30,000 donation to launch the Open Horizons Scholarship, a new initiative designed to support WordPress contributors from underrepresented, underserved, and economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
This scholarship joins other Foundation-led efforts, like the Kim Parsell Memorial Scholarship and the Diversity Scholarship, that work toward a more inclusive, representative WordPress community. The initial endowment includes $6,000 provided by both Queeromattic, Automattic’s LGBTQ+ resource group, and Automattic’s Physically Disabled resource group. While the funding comes from Automattic, the program itself will be fully managed by the WordPress Foundation, including application reviews and fund distribution.
The Open Horizons program helps active contributors attend WordPress flagship events by removing financial barriers so they can connect, collaborate, and grow their impact within the community. WordPress flagship events are the largest international WordCamps, held annually in the following regions: Asia, Europe, and the United States. WordCamp Asia, WordCamp Europe, and WordCamp US bring together contributors, users, and companies from those regions and beyond to collaborate, learn, and shape the future of WordPress.
More than just a travel fund, the Open Horizons Scholarship is a step toward a more inclusive and sustainable WordPress ecosystem. We’re excited to see the Foundation expand its support for global contributors and help ensure that distance or financial barriers don’t stand in the way of participation. We believe a stronger WordPress comes from more perspectives at the table—by investing in people who move the project forward, we can build a more resilient, global, and innovative community for years to come.
If your company believes in supporting open source and empowering contributors, we invite you to match our donation. Together, we can make flagship events more accessible to the people shaping the future of WordPress.
Apply for the scholarship here.
This post has been amended to clarify Automattic’s and the WordPress Foundation’s roles in the Open Horizons Scholarship.
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