diff --git a/links/dev/Travel-Reimbursement-Process.md b/links/dev/Travel-Reimbursement-Process.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000..2b38412c2 --- /dev/null +++ b/links/dev/Travel-Reimbursement-Process.md @@ -0,0 +1,216 @@ +--- +layout: default +title: Travel Reimbursement Process +--- + +The Git project offers financial assistance to active contributors and +developers to help them attend key community events, such as +[the **Git Merge** conference](https://git-merge.com/). + +This document outlines the eligibility criteria, application process, +and reimbursement guidelines. + +## 1. Software Freedom Conservancy Policy + +First please read the +[Software Freedom Conservancy Travel and Reimbursable Expense Policy](https://sfconservancy.org/projects/policies/conservancy-travel-policy.html). + +As the Git project is part of the Conservancy, +**you must follow this policy when requesting any reimbursement**. + +If you agree with this policy, you are welcome to proceed with the +next steps. + +**Note:** In case the Conservancy's official Policy differs from what +the guidelines listed on this page, please defer to the Conservancy's +Policy and let the Git PLC know. + +# 2. Estimate Costs & Email the Git PLC + +Please send an email to +[the Git PLC (Project Leadership Committee)](mailto:git@sfconservancy.org) +with a cost estimate in **USD** for your travel to the conference. + +In your estimate you might take into account the fact that the flight +and hotel costs might increase a bit between now and the conference +date, but please base it on facts by checking current prices. + +Please only include items that the Policy allows us to reimburse (see +the Conservancy's Policy above) and within the specified limits. + +Many conferences like the Git Merge provide meals like lunch, +breakfast and sometimes dinner. It's nice if you can take this into +account in your estimate. + +Make sure to mention the total cost for a visa if you need one, and +the total cost for everything (including visa costs). + +# 3. Apply for a visa + +If we don't reject your estimate and if you need a visa, +**please start to apply for a visa as soon as possible**. +It can take a lot of time. + +And then let us know when you get a visa or if your visa request is +rejected. Also please let us know if you can get an estimate of when +you will know if your visa request is accepted or rejected, or in the +case you cannot get a visa in time which unfortunately happens quite +often. + +The more we know about your visa process, the better we can help you +and others. For example if you get an appointment, let us know the +date and the documents that could help you get a visa then. + +# 4. Visa Fees Reimbursement + +Don't wait for your sponsorship request to be fully approved to apply +for a visa if you need one. If you follow these requirements: + +- You follow the Conservancy's Policy and really need a visa to travel + to the conference. +- You are a legitimate beneficiary (someone who actually contributed + to Git). +- You ask for travel reimbursement with a reasonable total estimate at + a proper time for a strongly Git related conference, like Git Merge. +- The visa fees you estimate are less than $500 USD and seem + justified. + +we will reimburse your visa fees even if you don't get a visa. We +encourage you to apply for a visa soon because unfortunately not +getting a visa is the most likely thing that might prevent you from +attending. + +# 5. Request approval timeline + +We cannot fully approve most requests right away, because there is a +risk, even if that never happened in the past, that we get too many +valid requests that we cannot all satisfy. + +When a Git related conference is announced, we prefer to leave some +time for people to apply, and then, after that time passed, decide for +all those who applied during that time. + +This shouldn't prevent you from applying for a visa soon (see the +above section). + +This means that we usually accept late applications. If you decide +late that you would like to go and need financial assistance, please +apply even if it's late. Don't apply though if it's too late and you +cannot for example get a visa in time. + +When we approve your request, you will receive an email from us saying +it's approved. Don't start booking anything that is not visa related, +especially not flights, before you receive that email. + +# 6. Visa Documentation Support + +When your request has been fully approved, the Conservancy will be +able to provide official **Sponsorship Letter**. This is a letter +saying that we approved to reimburse your travel costs for up to a +certain amount. It might help you with your visa process. + +The Git PLC itself cannot provide an invitation letter to the +conference though, as it is not organizing the conference even if +individual PLC members may participate in these activities through +their affiliations with other organizations. + +Please don't ask the PLC for things related to the conference, like an +invitation letter, how to submit a talk, how to get a free ticket to +the conference, etc. Instead, please first take a look at the +conference website and if you don't find the information there, find +the organizers (they usually announce the conference on the mailing +list) and email them directly (without us in Cc). + +# 7. Visa and Request Approvals + +When we approve your request and you need a visa, we will usually say +that: + +- we approve to reimburse you for the visa fees up to a certain + amount, and + +- if you can get a visa, we approve to reimburse you for the whole + travel up to a certain amount. + +This is because we don't want as much as possible to waste flight and +hotel booking money when people don't get a visa, which unfortunately +happens quite often these days. + +In some cases already having flight tickets and hotel bookings could +help you with the visa process. In these cases, please email us and +convince us that chances are high that you will get a visa if you can +book the flight tickets in advance (before you get a visa). Also try +to find flights tickets and hotel bookings that are at least partially +reimbursible, so that everything is not lost in case you cannot get a +visa. + +It's your responsibility to find and provide us with documents, +estimates and good arguments to convince us that you have a good +chance of getting a visa if you can book in advance. + +# 8. Booking Guidelines + +Please take another look at the Conservancy's Policy just before or +while booking. + +Note especially the documentation requirements, including a record of +your flight search cost. + +Note that you're free to stay extra days at your own expense, as long +as the flight cost is comparable. + +We reimburse only the expenses occuring during the time when the +conference happens, or maybe a bit before and after it if all the +reasonnable travel options force you to stay later or arrive earlier. + +Also please take another look at the hotel rates policy, since some of +the options near the conference venue might be on the expensive side. + +# 9. GSoC Mentor Summit + +If you mentor someone working on Git for the Google Summer of Code, +you might apply and be selected by the Git mentors and org admins to +be a Git delegate at the GSoC Mentor Summit organized by Google. + +Usually only one primary delegate is automatically accepted by +Google. One or more secondary delegates might be accepted by going +through a waitlist. + +If you are selected to be a Git delegate and accepted by Google, the +Git PLC will reimburse your travel in a similar way as for Git +developers going to a conference. + +The difference is that Google is usually providing a significant +amount of money to the Git project for the primary delegate and a +smaller amount for the secondary delegate. If you are among them and +your travel cost would be less than the corresponding amount provided +by Google, you can consider that the Git project will reimburse your +travel costs. In other words, you don't need to send a request to the +Git PLC. + +Please consider the following though: + +- Google usually provide food and lodging free of charges during the + whole Mentor Summit, so in most cases you shouldn't need to ask for + such reimbursements. You should mostly ask for your flight (or maybe + car, bus or train) costs to be reimbursed. + +- Contact us and the Git GSoC org admins as soon as possible before + booking flights if you are not sure you will get a visa in time, or + if you are not sure to go to the Mentor Summit for other + reasons. Note that Google provides us money for your travel only if + you actually go to the Mentor Summit, and we might be able to send + someone else at the last moment. + +- If you are not sure that your travel costs will be less than what + Google provides us, please send us a regular request as soon as + possible. + +# 10. Submitting for Actual Reimbursement + +When you want to get reimbursed, please take another look at the +Conservancy's Policy for the exact submission steps. It usually +requires you to send an email +**directly to a Conservancy email address**, not to +the Git PLC, though it's fine if you put the Git PLC in Cc. + diff --git a/links/mentoring/common/Mentoring-Program-Guide.md b/links/mentoring/common/Mentoring-Program-Guide.md index 52d2b4796..64de1665d 100644 --- a/links/mentoring/common/Mentoring-Program-Guide.md +++ b/links/mentoring/common/Mentoring-Program-Guide.md @@ -627,7 +627,8 @@ We try to help successful participants come to the [Git Merge conference](https://git-merge.com/) and meet the community, often including their mentor(s), there. For that the Git project offers to reimburse the participants' travel -expenses. +expenses. See +[the dedicated page](https://git.github.io/Travel-Reimbursement-Process). This is sometimes not possible due to visa issues, or the fact that the Git Merge unfortunately doesn't happen every year, though.