Category:OWASP Season of Code

This is a DRAFT page still under review by the Global Projects Committee

What is a Season of Code?

The OWASP Season of Code program is the main way that OWASP funds development of strategic projects. The programs allows participants to submit proposals for project development and then receive grant money upon reaching their milestones. To date, OWASP has provided participants with over $200,000 USD in grants under the Season of Code program.

• Information on the current Season of Code
• Information on previous Seasons of Code

How does it work?

Each year, OWASP launches a Season of Code iteration with an associated request for proposals, mentors, and sponsors. Any person and any organization can get involved. You can either participate by writing a proposal for a grant, volunteer to mentor a selected project, or financially sponsor a project of your choice. OWASP Project contributors and leaders are encouraged to submit proposals or volunteer as mentors and submit ideas for proposals.

The typical timeline for a Season of Code involves:

• Proposal submission (~1 month)
• Project selection and notification (~1 month)
• Project delivery - 1st half - Midterm evaluation (~2 months)
• Project delivery - 2nd half - Final evaluation (~2 months)

Of course, refer to the Schedule posted on the current Season of Code homepage for exact dates and milestones.

Participation

Anyone can write a proposal for a Season of Code grant. All that is required is submission of a proposal according to the guidelines on the current Season of Code homepage. Good proposals are typically structured in two phases with concrete deliverables for each half of delivery. Ideal candidates should:

• Show the potential to accomplish the stated objectives/deliveries
• Have the commitment to dedicate the time required to complete projects in the appropriate period

After the submission deadline, proposals will be evaluated by the selection board and Participants will be notified. Unfortunately not all proposals can be funded, so please refer to the budget for the current Season of Code. Selected projects will be assigned a Mentor to help guide and review the work as the project is delivered.

Participants will deliver the project's 1st half and receive an evaluation from the project mentor. As long as everything is on track, half the grant payment is then paid and the Participant goes to work on the 2nd half. After a final evaluation, the remaining half of the grant payment is made.

For specific instructions, refer to the participant instructions on the current Season of Code homepage.

Mentorship

Anyone can volunteer to be a project Mentor. In the planning phases for a Season of Code iteration, Mentors provide ideas for projects which Participants can extend into full proposal submissions. Also, individuals can review proposal submissions and volunteer to mentor a specific project of interest. Ideal candidates should:

• Demonstrate expertise or domain-specific knowledge for the given project
• Be an OWASP Project contributor or leader (not required)

Once assigned to a project, a Mentor helps advise and guide throughout project delivery to ensure the project is progressing according to expectations laid forth in the proposal. After the 1st half of delivery, the Mentor will evaluate the project and sign-off. Likewise, after the 2nd half the Mentor will provide a Final evaluation.

For specific instructions, refer to the mentor instructions on the current Season of Code homepage.

Sponsorship

Anyone or any organization can be a Season of Code sponsor by donating money. The main benefit of being a Season of Code sponsor is that you can direct the funds toward sponsoring projects of your choice. Though not required, this can include:

• Adding your own ideas for proposals to the existing Season of Code list
• Providing a Mentor of your choice for the project
• Having your organization's name and logo added as a Sponsor to the project for 1 year

For specific instructions, refer to the sponsor instructions on the current Season of Code homepage.

How are proposals selected?

Each Season of Code iteration has an assigned selection Jury that evaluates proposals and selects projects to fund. Refer to the current Season of Code homepage for more specific information on Jury members.

There are two methods to select SoC projects:

• By direct majority vote by the Jury;
• By selection rating from using the following criteria. Each proposal will receive a 1-5 rating from each Jury member for each of the criteria below.
  • The final result will be the total value.
    • On the Project:
      • Completion - Will the project be completed in the time frame?
      • Innovation - Does the project break new ground or solve a hard problem?
      • Member Value - How big is the potential added value to OWASP Members?
      • Brand Value - How big is the potential added value to the OWASP Brand?
    • On the Candidate:
      • Past Work - Value of past contributions to OWASP Projects
      • Deliverability - Proven capability to deliver on similar scale
      • Quality of Proposal - Overall quality of the proposal submission

How do I get paid?

Money is paid to Participants and Mentors in two equal chunks, respectively based upon successful midterm and final evaluations. Overall, the split between Participants and Mentors is around 80/20, but for specifics, see the budget for the current Season of Code.

Previous Seasons of Code

This program was launched in 2006 as the OWASP Autumn Of Code 2006. Links to each Season of Code home page are available below.