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Rust Foundation Project Grants


Rust Foundation Project Grants exist to support specific packages of work that benefit Rust. Project Grants will be awarded to both individuals and teams, whether you're a member of a Rust Project Team or Working Group or not. Additionally, Project Grants are available for non-coding education/outreach work.


Any work that benefits the Rust Project is eligible for a Project Grant. Priority will be given to those grants that will clearly deliver a significant benefit to a reasonable proportion of the Rust community.


The 2023 Rust Foundation Project Grant application is currently closed. Please stay tuned for news of future Project Grant application periods.



Key Program Facts

Grant Value: Between $2,500 and $15,000 USD.
Past Project Grantees: 2022 Project Grantees listed here; 2023 Project Grantees listed here
Upcoming Application Period: To be announced.

 


Program Details



- Project grants are financial awards that support specific packages of work that benefit the Rust ecosystem.

- Project Grants are awarded to both individuals and teams, regardless of Rust Project Team/Working Group status or lack thereof.

- Project Grants are available for non-coding education/outreach work as well as engineering-focused work.

- Priority will be given to those grants that will clearly deliver a significant benefit to the Rust community.

- Work under the Project Grants program should be carried out within six months.

- Project Grantees will not be required to set and meet specific milestones. At the end of the program, Project Grantees will be asked to write a blog detailing their experience for possible publication on our website.

- Periodically, Project Grantees will be asked to share a brief, written update with the Rust Foundation team and participate in a check-in call.

- All Project Grantees will be required to adhere to the Rust Foundation’s Code of Conduct, which is an extension of the Rust Project Code of Conduct. Failure to adhere to the Code of Conduct may result in the Fellowship being terminated.




     Project Grant Categories


The work carried out by Project Grantees is focused on one of the following three areas of focus:

Maintenance and Support

Work in this category includes: code review, documentation updates, design review, issue triage & reporting, & bug fixes.

Development and Infrastructure

Work in this category includes: new features and documentation, performance enhancements, rollups/CI/releases

Community

Work in this category includes: moderation, communication (e.g. writing blog posts, release notes, preparing for meetings or taking minutes), producing education materials, providing educational support, pupporting/mentoring/guiding other contributors, organizing events/meetups, coordination and management activities




Who Can Apply?

- The Rust Foundation Project Grants application is open to anyone who will be over the age of 18 at the time of the grant award.

- We welcome applications from prospective grantees with different backgrounds from all over the world.

- Rust Foundation grantees do not have to speak English, but they will need to be able to understand enough written English to be able to interact with the Foundation staff and relevant members of the Rust community as needed.

- Rust Foundation staff, officers, and directors are not eligible to apply for any Rust Foundation grants.

All Project Grantees must ensure that they are able to receive financial transfers from the USA. Details of the restrictions of such transactions can be found here.




Project Grant FAQs

How long does the program last?

Project Grants are typically awarded for packages of work spanning 6 months.

Does it matter which country I live in or what my citizenship status is?

No, but you have to be able to legally receive funds from the USA to be a Project Grant recipient.

I am 17, can I apply to be a Rust Foundation Grantee?

In order to accommodate and abide by different countries’ child labor laws, we are not able to consider applications from people under the age of 18.

What type of work do Rust Foundation Project Grants support?

Any work that benefits the Rust ecosystem as a whole is eligible for a Project Grant. Priority will be given to those grants that will clearly deliver a significant benefit to a reasonable proportion of the Rust community.

Who can apply for a Project Grant?

Project Grants are open to applications from anyone who will be over the age of 18 at the time of the grant award. Rust Foundation staff, officers, and directors are not eligible to apply for any Rust Foundation grants. Employees of organizations that are Members of the Rust Foundation should contact us at grants@rustfoundation.org prior to completing an application, in order for us to assess whether an award to them might represent a conflict of interest for the Foundation.

I am interested in building the Rust community as the focus of a potential Project Grant, not writing code. Can I apply?

Yes.

Do I have to speak English to be a Rust Foundation Grantee?

Spoken English is not a requirement of the program, but Fellows will need a reasonable understanding of written English in order to be able to interact with the Rust Foundation staff team and the larger Rust community when necessary.

If I become a Project Grantee, will any information about me be published publicly?

We will publish a brief biography of you on the Rust Foundation website, along with any public social media/other relevant links that you are willing to share. If you would rather we use your online alias in place of your legal name, please let us know. While our preference is to publish a picture of you, we will also accept an avatar as an alternative.

How will I get paid as a Project Grantee?

RFFs are typically paid via direct bank transfers.

Can I drop out of the program if I am not enjoying it?

Yes, however we will do everything we can to find ways to make the program more enjoyable for you! Our goal is for all Fellows to feel comfortable telling the Rust Foundation team if they have issues or concerns related to the program so we can work together to find a solution.

How will my work be monitored during the program?

The Rust Foundation trusts our Project Grantees to honestly report how they have been supporting the Rust Project.


For answers to more more general FAQs about the grants program, click here.




More Information

Eligibility and exclusion criteria can be found here. | Our privacy & data-handling policy can be found here.




The Community Grants Program is made possible by these generous organizations:

... and by the companies and individuals who contribute through our GitHub Sponsors page.

If your organization is interested in supporting the future of Rust’s talent and innovation through the Community Grants Program, please email us at grants@rustfoundation.org. Donations in any amount are greatly appreciated.