Application Response Builder

This page provides templates for responding to the Outreach Program for Women applications. Please check ALL top-level sections to see which ones apply and then check ALL sub-sections of the ones that apply. Please feel free to add in personalized feedback about the applications or identify common scenarios that should be added to this page.

What to look for in the application for building a response:

• Did the applicant make a contribution?
• Did the applicant link to or attach her contribution?
• If an applicant is a design applicant, did she send in or link to her design portfolio?
• Did the applicant discuss details of her project with a mentor?
• What are the other time commitments the applicant will have?
• Is the applicant in school full-time during the internship period?
• Did the applicant send in .doc or .docx attachment?
• Did the applicant participate in OPW or GSoC before?

The requirements for the applicants are to

• Have been assigned female at birth or identify as a woman, genderqueer, genderfluid, or genderfree regardless of gender presentation or assigned sex at birth
• Be least 18 years old on December 10, 2013
• Not be residents and/or nationals of Iran, Syria, Cuba, Sudan, North Korea or Myanmar (Burma), with whom the GNOME Foundation is prohibited by U.S. law from engaging in commerce
• Not have participated in OPW or GSoC before

Application will be considered because the applicant made a contribution or mentions plans for one

Hi [APPLICANT FIRST NAME],

Thank you for your application and for your contribution to [APPLICANT'S ORGANIZATION]! Please feel free to continue working with your prospective mentor on making more contributions as your time allows. Feel free to send us an update about any such contributions in the next week or so.

Please be sure to let us know if your availability for the internship dates changes at any point. The list of accepted participants will be posted on https://live.gnome.org/OutreachProgramForWomen/2013/DecemberMarch at 7pm UTC on November 25 and we'll be in touch shortly afterwards with personal feedback.

Thanks,
[RESPONDER FIRST NAME]

Contribution is mentioned, but not linked to or attached

Add the following after the first sentence.

Can you please send in an updated application that includes a link to your contribution or has it as an attachment?

Applicant mentions plans to work on a contribution, but no contribution was made yet

Change the first paragraph to the following.

Thank you for your application! Please be sure to continue working with [APPLICANT'S ORGANIZATION] on your initial contribution and send in an update about it by November 17 for your application to be considered.

Design applicant didn't attach or link to her portfolio

Add the following as a paragraph of its own after the first paragraph.

Please send in or provide a link to your design portfolio that shows some of your previous works.

Applicant made multiple contributions

Change "contribution" to "contributions" in the first paragraph.

Applicant has a full time job during the duration of the program

Add the following after the last paragraph.

If the applicant gave a lot of details about how she will balance two jobs, include this in the beginning of the paragraph:

Thank you for giving some thought to how you can balance your job and your participation in the program.

This program is expected to be a full-time effort and the main focus of the participants during the internship period. We will consider your application, however it might be more appropriate for you to continue contributing to [APPLICANT'S ORGANIZATION] in your spare time, develop more experience contributing to Free and Open Source Software, and apply for a full time job in the field. You can find many opportunities available at https://live.gnome.org/OutreachProgramForWomen/Opportunities .

Applicant is in school full-time during the duration of the program

Add the following after the last paragraph.

If the applicant gave a lot of details about how she will balance school work and the internship, include this in the beginning of the paragraph:

Thank you for giving some thought to how you can balance your school work and your participation in the program.

This program is expected to be a full-time effort and the main focus of the participants during the internship period. We will consider your application, however for December to March round we rarely accept students during their school year and only ones who have made extensive contributions to the project. It might be more appropriate for you to continue contributing to [APPLICANT'S ORGANIZATION] in your spare time, develop more experience contributing to Free and Open Source Software, and apply for the next round and for Google Summer of Code. Both programs will have internship dates from May 19 to August 18, 2014, and an application deadline on March 19. You can learn more about Google Summer of Code at http://www.google-melange.com/gsoc/homepage/google/gsoc2014 .

Application will not be considered because the applicant didn't make a contribution, nor mentions plans for it

Hi [APPLICANT FIRST NAME],

Thank you for your interest in the program! Completing a small contribution to the project you are interested in is required for applying for the program. You can find all the information about the program at https://live.gnome.org/OutreachProgramForWomen

Because you have not yet made the required contribution, we will not have a chance to consider your candidacy for this round. I would like to encourage you to learn more about (if organization selected, "[APPLICANT'S ORGANIZATION] and other ") Free and Open Source Software projects participating in the program, try out the technology they create, and start contributing to one of them in your spare time. You are welcome to apply for the next round which will have internship dates from May 19 to August 18, 2014, and an application deadline on March 19 or for the round after that in a year.

Thanks,
[RESPONDER FIRST NAME]

Applicant will be accepted into or enrolled in a college or university program as of April 21, 2014

Add the following in the end of the last paragraph.

You should also consider applying for Google Summer of Code - http://www.google-melange.com/gsoc/homepage/google/gsoc2014 .

Applicant has a full-time job

Change the last sentence to the following.

This program is expected to be a full-time effort and the main focus of the participants during the internship period. Because you currently have a full-time job, it might be more appropriate for you to consider other full-time opportunities available at https://live.gnome.org/OutreachProgramForWomen/Opportunities once you gain more experience in FOSS.

Application will not be considered because the applicant has prior OPW or GSoC experience

Hi [APPLICANT FIRST NAME],

Thank you for your application [If applicable: "and for your contribution to [APPLICANT'S ORGANIZATION]"]! Because the program is intended to help newcomers and contributors who are relatively new to the FOSS community to get more involved, we unfortunately can't accept past participants of Outreach Program for Women or Google Summer of Code internships. If you are accepted into or enrolled in a college or university program as of April 21, 2014, you are welcome to apply for Google Summer of Code - http://www.google-melange.com/gsoc/homepage/google/gsoc2014 . You might also like to consider other opportunities with participating organizations - https://wiki.gnome.org/OutreachProgramForWomen/Opportunities .

Thanks,
[RESPONDER FIRST NAME]

Applicant attached .doc or .docx

Use an opportunity for FOSS 101 and add the following after the last paragraph:

I also wanted to note that .doc and .docx are not open file formats, and .odt or .pdf are more appropriate file formats to use when communicating in the FOSS community.