Tag Archives: volunteers

Volunteering, WisCONline 2025

Volunteers Needed for WisCONline 2025: Access Team, Writing Workshop Team

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Volunteers needed!
Access Team Member
Do you love finding and hiring people for needed services? We need an Access Team Member to hire live Closed Captions transcribers to help make WisCONline 2025 accessible and welcoming. The process is in place, we just need someone to train and go through the steps! Please contact personnel@sf3.org (subject: Access Team Member) for more info.
Writing Workshop Team Member
Nurture spec-fic writers! As Workshop Team Member you’ll help the Co-Leads manage video call rooms for critique sessions and special topic sessions and/or take shifts for writing sprints for WisCONline 2025. Contact personnel@sf3.org (subject: Workshop Team Member) for more information.
Volunteering

Volunteer Needed: IT

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IT volunteer needed: If you have experience with server infrastructure (LAMP stack knowledge desired but not required), we’d love your help with our server migration project. This position can last until the end of the project or can be a longer-term role, depending our your availability and interest. For more information, please contact personnel@sf3.org (subject: IT volunteer).

Open Volunteer Positions

How to apply

You can email us about one or several of these roles you’re curious about at personnel@sf3.org (subject: Volunteering).  We can help if you aren’t sure what’s the best fit!

Open Volunteer Positions

Needed now:

  • Fundraising Chair

Would you love to connect funders to an event you love? We can train you to do just that! A Fundraising Chair coordinates with the Treasurer, any Fundraising staff, and your fellow Chairs about fundraising activities of your choice from a virtual menu of options. Ed2Go training available. To sate your curiosity, contact personnel@sf3.org (subject: Fundraising Lead).

 

  • Shift Volunteer Coordinator

Want to build scheduling skills to help WisCon organizers have some time to enjoy WisCon itself? Help to coordinate shift volunteers! You’ll work independently with support to help figure out what timeslots are needed (only 2 types for this year!), manage signup, communicate with potential volunteers, and identify potential “super volunteers” to cover multiple shifts. Curious? Email personnel@sf3.org (subject: Shift Coordinator) and we’ll see if it’s a good fit!

 

  • Website Team Lead

You’ll organize meetings and tasks and get team members engaged so that team members can update the website. In the process, you’ll refresh or build new WordPress know-how. Expect to start at 3-5 hours per week and drop off to about 1-2 hours a week in this position. If curious, contact personnel@sf3.org (subject: Website Team Lead).

 

  • Website Team Members

Have some WordPress skills you don’t want to get rusty, or want to build? Ask about joining our Website work sessions to continue to update the text, formatting, and structure of the WisCon website as a team. Starting at 3-5 hours per week and dropping off to about 1 hour per week.  For more info, contact personnel@sf3.org (subject: Website Team).

 

  • Closed Captioning Liaison

Want to coordinate an essential service and ease the load of organizers? Pick up Online Con Team’s current efforts to hire Closed Captions transcribers to help make WisCONline 2025 accessible and welcoming. The process is starting, we just need someone to train and go through the steps! Please contact personnel@sf3.org (subject: Access Team) for more info.

 

  • Access Lead

Want a role that comes with surprises and new challenges? The Access Lead makes WisCon accessible and welcoming by being responsive to attendee requests. In addition to keeping tabs on Closed Captioning and Alt Text efforts, you’d remain available and flexible to meet some unpredicted needs using WisCon resources. Please email personnel@sf3.org (subject: Access Lead) if you want to know more.

 

  • Grant Finder

Do you have access to your in-person public library and want to use that access to help WisCon be fully funded? This short-term role takes a burst of 5-10 hours per week, with possible recurrance.  If this looks interesting to you, please email personnel@sf3.org (subject: Grant Finder) to get connected!

  • Recruiter (1-2)

Do you enjoy crafting brief, clear, and enticing communication? You could work with other staff to draft and schedule open recruitment calls for WisCon, like the one you’re reading now! This takes 2-4 hours per call, 1-3 calls per week. Contact personnel@sf3.org (subject: Recruiter)

  • Interviewer (2nd)

Want to meet new people, and also have something specific to talk to them about? Interview prospective volunteers and help them find their best fit with open positions. Also perform exit interviews as needed.  Time commitment varies from 1-2 hours per week. Contact personnel@sf3.org (subject: Volunteer Interviewer) for more information.

  • Account Setup and Removal

Follow templates to set up new volunteers with their accounts, or remove outgoing volunteers.  Time commitment 3-4 hours per week as we approach WisCon, dropping to fewer afterwards. Contact personnel@sf3.org (subject: Accounts member) for more information.

 

  • Server Migration (optional App Support)

If you have experience with server infrastructure, we’d love your help with our server migration project. You’d build or practice your LAMP stack skills & knowledge. This 1-2 hour/week position can last until the end of the project or can be a longer-term role, depending our your availability and interest. If this might be a good match, please contact personnel@sf3.org (subject: IT volunteer).

 

  • Discord Lead-in-training

Have (or want to have) a Discord server? Wondering how you might scale it up? We can train you on Discord configuration and management! For 2-3 hours per week, you’ll be a member of an active team to help create and set up the Discord server for WisCONline. You’ll also help with coordinating moderation volunteers. Volunteer hours may increase in May to around 5 hours per week for the last week or two before WisCon. If you’re curious, email personnel@sf3.org (subject: Discord).

  •  Guest of Honor Team Co-Lead

Help choose our next Guest of Honor! Our process involves getting input of staff each year. As Guest of Honor Lead, you’ll also make sure each guest has a place on the program and coordinate liaisons as needed. Learn more by contacting personnel@sf3.org (subject: GoH Lead).

Chair Apprentices

Do you want to help run a convention, but don’t know where to start? Want to organize with WisCon without being the only person doing something? Consider joining WisCon staff as an Apprentice Chair! As apprentice, you could set your own hours, with the understanding that you expect to take on more hours, months or years in the future. You’ll need & develop excellent skills delegating, organizating information, and communicating. Our Chairs now have limited areas of responsibility:

  • Apprentice Programming Chair (Needed to hold WisCon in 2026)

What really makes a convention sing? Its programming! In this role, you’d get to practice coordinating the grid to ensure that no scheduling conflicts occur and practice communicating with various participants. You’d then step up into the Chair role in June, tracking team progress and calling meetings starting in late fall.  To learn more, please contact personnel@sf3.org (subject: Apprentice Programming Chair).

  • Apprentice Communications Chair (Needed to hold WisCon in 2026)

Want to spread the word about WisCon? Got a passion for documentation? As Apprentice Communications Chair you’d get to practice coordinating with other chairs and the Communications Team to send out the latest WisCon news. You’d then step up into the Chair role after this WisCon, when volume is relatively low. To learn more, please contact personnel@sf3.org (subject: Apprentice Comms Chair).

  • Apprentice Personnel Chair (Needed to hold WisCon in 2026)

Would you like to learn or practice volunteer coordination and management? You can help us be ready for the next WisCon! This remote role involves checking progress and follow-up with Personnel volunteers for a few hours per week. Contact personnel@sf3.org (subject: Personnel Apprentice Chair) for more information.

 

  • Apprentice Operations and Hospitality Chair (Needed to hold WisCon in person in 2026)

Want in on the nuts and bolts? You could help the Ops & Hospitality Co-Chairs  connect people together to ensure the Leads for Access, Guest of Honor, Online Con, Safety, Safer Spaces, and Registration have what they need to run WisCONline this year. If this is an interesting opportunity, email personnel@sf3.org (subject: Ops & Hosp Apprentice) and we’ll see if it’s a good fit!

  • IT Apprentice Chair

Are you curious about the digital bones of WisCon? Can you call a mean meeting, and also want to build your organizing skills? As a bonus, do you have a passion for translating between tech folx and mere mortals? For a few hours per week, help the Chair organize folx running the website, Sched, and general accounts. If this role seems interesting, email personnel@sf3.org (subject: IT Apprentice)

Board roles, term resets in October:

SF3 is the nonprofit that runs WisCon.

  • SF3 Vice President

Are you fascinated by the big picture and happy to let others handle mundane details? Or perhaps you love connecting people to facilitate effective action. You may be the perfect candidate to become Vice President of the SF3 Board. Expect to spend 3-7 hours a month as the liaison between the Board and WisCon committee chairs. For more information, contact personnel@sf3.org (subject: SF3 VP).

  • SF3 Board Member at Large
Have you ever been curious what it takes to keep WisCon well-resourced and in good legal standing? If you become a SF3 Board Member at Large, you can become familiar with the SF3 Board and execute self-directed projects. This term will be renewed in October. Expect to volunteer about 2-5 hours per month, more at your option. Prior non-profit, non-profit board experience, and/or experience attending WisCon, is a bonus. Contact personnel@sf3.org (subject: SF3 Board member) for more information.
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Volunteer Position: Communications Committee Co-Chair

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The communications Committee Co-Chair is part of the Communications Team (online and print) and reports to the SF3 Board President
Time Requirements: 5 hours per month pre-con, increasing to 6 hours per month around April-May and availability during the con
Presence at WisCon: Beneficial, but not required.
Term: One year. Alternatively, if other Communications team members are interested, the chair role could rotate throughout the year so that there’s a safety net if the current chair needs to step back.
Role summary: The Communications Committee Co-Chair maintains the flow of information between SF3 projects and the community. The Co-Chair manages communications team projects, deadlines, and team member assignments.

 Main Tasks:

  • Ensure the department report is completed prior to each ConCom meeting
  • Attend ConCom meetings to represent the Communications team
  • Monitor how each team is doing and checks in to provide support
  • Ensure team role descriptions are kept up-to-date
  • Upload and update Communications project documents as needed
  • Facilitate communication among Communication teams and between Communications and other departments as necessary
  • Decide whether to cancel tasks that can’t be completed due to a lack of time, resources, volunteers, or all three
  • Receive media queries and handles as appropriate
  • Make posts to newsletter/website/social media if other Communications members aren’t available
  • During WisCon, assist various departments in communicating to attendees throughout the weekend.
  • Oversee efforts to promote WisCon attendance, including advertisements, marketing campaigns, etc. Assign associated tasks to committee members as needed and track progress.

Skills & experience: Organized, responsive to deadlines and communications requests via email or Basecamp, available to attend monthly ConCom meetings and other team meetings as needed, working knowledge of how to maintain a WordPress site.

Beneficial skills (can be learned): Project management experience, experience working with communications tools or serving on a communications/marketing team.

Exclusions: Ideally, the Communications Co-Chair is not serving on the SF3 Board or as a Chair of any other SF3 committee.

Training provided: How to access and post to media and communications streams, including Basecamp, email newsletter, WisCon website + blog, and social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram). Will be provided access to the Communications Co-Chair email address and Communications team general email.

If you are interested in being the Communications Committee Co-Chair or if you have questions about the position, please contact Personnel at personnel@sf3.org

Con or Bust, Official Announcements

Seeking Co-Chairs and Apprentice Co-Chairs for WISCON 2025!

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Hello WisCon community!

We are currently considering the prospect of having a convention in 2025. However, to have a WisCon in 2025, we need at least three (3) Co-Chairs by end of August. At least one of these people should have had some previous experience with WisCon/SF3 in a pre-con role, meaning that the person is current or former member of the ConCom, Personnel Committee, Comms, or the SF3 Board. We would also like either additional Co-Chairs or apprentice Co-Chairs who can act in a supporting role. Apprentice Co-Chairs do not require experience and will have a smaller work load.
Are you interested in serving as a co-chair or apprentice co-chair?  Contact Personnel (personnel@sf3.org)
For more information about the roles, please read the information below.

Role: Conference Committee (ConCom) Co-Chairs
Department/Team: The Co-Chairs supervise the ConCom and work with other SF3 committees also working on Con business (Communications, Personnel, etc.)
Reports to: SF3 Board via monthly reports

Time Requirements: During the less-busy part of the con year (July-February), each co-chair spends an average of about 2.5 hours/week on con-related tasks. During the more-busy part of the con year (March-May) this increases to 4-5 hours/week; exact time requirements depend on how well-staffed the rest of the ConCom is.
Presence at con: Required. At least one Co-Chair is “on duty” at all times during the con.
Term: One year (typically starting in July) with the expectation of serving as a “Fairy ConParent (advisor)” the following con.
Role summary: The role of the Co-Chairs is to work together to provide high-level management over other ConCom departments to ensure that WisCon takes place (details below). Co-Chairs generally keep track of Department activity, help Departments coordinate with each other, run the Guest of Honor selection process for the following WisCon, and analyze the prior WisCon’s feedback survey results. If a task doesn’t have anyone working on it, Co-Chairs must decide whether to complete the task themselves, delegate it to someone else, or leave the task undone. The Co-Chairs interface with the SF3 Board primarily through monthly reports.

Main Tasks:

  • Running ConCom Meetings. This includes setting the dates and reminders, setting the agenda, collecting reports in advance of each meeting, presiding over the meetings themselves, and making sure minutes are published afterwards.
  • Tracking Responsiveness/Reports. A large part of the job is keeping track of who hasn’t reported in for a while and what emails are going unanswered to make sure everyone’s on track and to keep morale up. If someone isn’t responding to emails about once a week or so, the Co-Chairs reach out to them, and if they get no response, notify Personnel, who makes a determination on how to proceed. If a role is to be listed again, it should be taken to a ConCom meeting for a discussion, any suggested/agreed-upon modifications made, and then posted.
  • Tracking Departmental Coordination.If a Department has a question that can be answered by another Department, or is proposing changes that may impact another department, Co-Chairs must help connect the relevant Departments to each other as needed. Sometimes Departments know who to ask or realize which other Departments are involved with a task, and sometimes they don’t.
  • Making Judgement Calls on Events/Roles to Keep/Drop.Sometimes it is not possible to fill a role before the con. There’s a limited number of things that can just be cut, but Co-Chairs must also weigh whether events will keep happening at future cons if they are not formally run at a present con. Co-Chairs have to determine what tasks absolutely have to be done.
  • Being On-Call During the Con.There is a chair cell phone that can be used to contact the Co-Chairs anytime during the con. Most of the calls will come from the hotel. Co-Chairs can choose how to split up the times of being responsible for the phone. Some chairs alternate days, others take specific shifts during each day — whatever works for the all Co-Chairs.
  • Participating in Safety Processes. If someone wants “to talk to a manager,” Co-Chairs are our ultimate at-con managers. Co-Chairs may also be involved in judgment calls about Safety issues (such as potentially banning someone, asking them to leave, etc.).
  • Running Guest of Honor Selection Process.The Co-Chairs are responsible for selecting a GOH Vetting Committee and making sure the GOH nomination and voting process is executed according to schedule. This involves collating the GOH suggestions and putting together bios for the candidates, making sure the surveys get run, and contacting the top finalists to invite them (for which there are templates).
  • Answering Questions. Co-Chairs may receive a wide number of questions (both from inside and outside the ConCom/SF3), and they must either answer the questions directly or help forward the question to the person/department who might be able to answer. It’s not uncommon for people to write basically asking to be invited in an “official” capacity. We have an email template for responding to that.
  • Analyzing Prior WisCon Feedback Survey Results.Co-Chairs are in charge of analyzing the post-WisCon survey results from the con before theirs. This may involve working with other departments to implement changes based on the feedback received.
  • Manage tasks that don’t belong to any other department or that have slipped through the cracks between two departments.
  • Interfacing with the SF3 Board.

Skills & experience:

All Co-Chairs Should Have:

  • Task management and delegation skills.
  • Excellent organizational skills.
  • Excellent one-on-one communication skills (for communicating with other Co-Chairs)
  • Time and ability to check email and Basecamp on a frequent basis

At Least One Co-Chair Should Have (no one person needs all these skills):

  • Some degree of comfort with public speaking in front of large audiences
  • Excellent written communications / public relations skills
  • Ability to lead meetings effectively, including making sure everyone gets heard, covering an agenda, and sticking to a time limit.
  • Ability to take notes during meetings (these do not have to themselves be minutes-quality, just enough to write the minutes later).
  • Prior ConCom experience of at least one year preferred

Exclusions:

  • Co-Chairs should not also be chairing/leading any other Departments/Teams within WisCon or chairing any other cons
  • Co-Chairs should not co-chair two WisCons in a row

If you are interested in co-chairing for 2025 or if you have questions about co-chairing, please contact Personnel at personnel@sf3.org! 

Role: Apprentice Conference Committee (ConCom) Co-Chairs
Department/Team: Convention Committee aka ConCom
Reports to: Co-Chairs, SF3 Board via monthly reports

Time Requirements: Minimum 1 hour/week, maximum of about 2.5 hours/week (during less busy times) or 4-5 hours/week (March-May) depending on the Apprentice’s interest and availability. As this is a new role, this is an estimate. The exact time needed may also depend on how well-staffed the rest of the ConCom is.
Presence at con: Preferred. At least one Co-Chair is “on duty” at all times during the con and Apprentices may be added to the schedule.
Term: One year.
Role summary: The role of the apprentice Co-Chairs is to provide support to the Co-Chairs as they manage ConCom departments and ensure that WisCon takes place. Apprentices will take on tasks delegated by the Co-Chairs. This can include liaising with departments, analyzing feedback, creating monthly reports, and other subsets of Co-Chair tasks. Mentorship will be provided, with the idea that the Apprentices will learn how and feel confident to serve as Co-Chairs in the future. However, Apprentices are not required to become a co-chair! While this is a learning opportunity, it can also simply be a role you like and want to fill for one or more years.

Main Tasks:

  • Assisting Co-Chairs with their tasks. Depending on the Co-Chair needs and your skills, this may include running ConCom meeting, tracking responsiveness/reports, and tracking departmental coordination.
  • Potentially being On-Call During the Con.There is a chair cell phone that can be used to contact the Co-chair anytime during the con. Most of the calls will come from the hotel. As Co-chair split up their time, it may make sense to include Apprentices.
  • Assisting in Safety Processes. Apprentices will likely be there to watch and assist as Co-Chairs deal with safety issues and liaise with the Safety Team. Apprentices will not make any final decisions.
  • Helping to Answer Questions.The Co-Chairs may receive a wide number of questions (both from inside and outside the ConCom/SF3), and Apprentices may be asked to help field those questions.
  • Assisting with Analyzing Prior WisCon Feedback Survey Results.Apprentices can help Co-Chairs analyze the post-WisCon survey results from the con before theirs. This may involve working with other departments to implement changes based on the feedback received.
  • Help manage tasks that don’t belong to any other department or that have slipped through the cracks between two departments.
  • Interfacing with the SF3 Board. 
  • Generally shadowing the Co-Chairs. One of the goals of this position is for the Apprentice to learn how to be a Co-Chair. This will include taking on support tasks for the Co-Chair, but also observing and asking questions for your own growth.
  • Acting as a backup to the Co-Chairs.If a Co-Chair must step away before the con, Apprentices may be offered the Co-Chair role first–especially if the change happens very near to the con. Apprentices are under no obligation to accept.

Skills & experience:

All Apprentice Co-Chairs Should Have:

  • Task management and delegation skills.
  • Excellent organizational skills.
  • Excellent one-on-one communication skills (for communicating with other Apprentices and Co-Chairs)
  • Time and ability to check email and Basecamp on a frequent basis

Helpful Skills Include (but can be learned):

  • Some degree of comfort with public speaking in front of large audiences
  • Excellent written communications / public relations skills
  • Ability to lead meetings effectively, including making sure everyone gets heard, covering an agenda, and sticking to a time limit.
  • Ability to take notes during meetings (these do not have to themselves be minutes-quality, just enough to write the minutes later).

Exclusions:

  • It is preferred that Apprentices are not chairing/leading any other departments/teams within WisCon or chairing any other cons, however exceptions can be made.

If you are interested in being an Apprentice Co-Chair for 2025 or if you have questions about the position, please contact Personnel at personnel@sf3.org! 

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Volunteer Opportunity: Documentation Co-Lead

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Our Documentation Team (part of the Communications Committee) needs a Documentation Co-Lead.

If you enjoy organizing information and have experience (or a desire to learn) project management and volunteer coordination, this position is for you. As Documentation Co-Lead, you’ll coordinate the team creating and maintaining role descriptions and other vital documents that allow volunteers to produce WisCon.

Duties include: collaborating with other Documentation Team members; helping ensure that role descriptions and other important information for running the con are extant, accurate, up to date, and easy to find; respectfully responding to all WisCon communication as outlined in the Volunteer Code of Conduct (provided); and letting the Communications Chair know whenever you’re unable to respond to communications due to other demands on your time.

Mentoring will be provided.

Contact personnel@sf3.org (subject: Documentation Co-Lead) for more information.

Email Newsletter, Official Announcements, WisCon 45 in 2022

Let’s Save WisCon!

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This update is written by me, Kit Stubbs (they/them), both in my role as Treasurer for SF3, WisCon’s parent not-for-profit organization, and in my role as WisCon 2022 co-chair. Thanks to Ira Alexandre (WisCon 2022 co-chair, acting Personnel chair) and Aileen Wall (WisCon 2022 co-chair, Hotel) for their help.

First of all: Thank you to everyone who participated in our recent Town Hall, as panelists and attendees! Special thanks to our Board members Arley, for organizing and moderating, and Annalee and Charlie Jane, for organizing and helping with logistics.

WisCon’s roots are grounded in white feminism, and WisCon continues to struggle with racism and with finding ways to center attendees of color who have been harmed. The Town Hall marks a key point in our antiracist work to bring WisCon, particularly as experienced by our attendees and volunteers of color, into better alignment with our values—even if this means that white attendees will have to sit with discomfort.

Working towards a more antiracist con is just one of the major challenges that we face. Unless we, the WisCon community, also take significant action this year in terms of finances and our volunteer pool, within the next few years we will no longer be able to run WisCon.

Why? What’s going on?

Right now, in addition to pushing harder on antiracism, WisCon is facing big challenges on two other fronts: money and labor.

TLDR:

  • We don’t have enough funds to pay for what happens if we don’t fill our contracted block of hotel rooms, and we can’t afford to cancel the hotel contract. We need about $76k in additional income to our general fund by the end of WisCon 2022 to put the con back on solid financial footing.  Thanks to a generous donor, the first $5k we raise will be matched. Donate now to double the power of your donation!
  • We are in a volunteer shortage crisis. It takes a LOT of people to make WisCon happen, and we lack dozens of volunteers in key positions.
  • The Board of SF3 (WisCon’s parent nonprofit) and WisCon organizers are already starting to work on these challenges. There are many things, both large and small, that you can do to help!

What are the financial challenges?

Ideally, when we finish running one WisCon, we should have enough money to cover our expenses for the con that’s happening in two years. Why? Because shortly after each WisCon, typically, is when we sign a contract with the hotel for the con that’s happening in two years. As a ConCom member, I remember hearing “WisCon is very slowly losing money” for several years now. But it didn’t really seem urgent, somehow.

In an ongoing-pandemic world, this has become urgent because of the way our hotel contract works. Right now, we only have a contract signed with our host hotel for May 2022. We have committed to the hotel that WisCon attendees will reserve a certain number of rooms over a certain number of nights. This contract was signed pre-pandemic and assumed normal pre-pandemic WisCon attendance. We pay the hotel some extra rental fees, but most of the hotel space the con uses we get at steeply discounted rates, assuming that we fill those hotel rooms. We’re allowed to reduce our commitment before the deadline by 20% at no penalty, but if we have more unsold rooms than that, WisCon has to pay the hotel for them.

The budget that was approved by the previous Board assumed that we would have fewer in-person attendees this year, but it assumed we would still book our entire block of hotel rooms—the same size hotel block that we would normally book pre-pandemic.

But if we’re expecting fewer in-person attendees, we should also expect fewer hotel rooms to be booked, and that is a cost that WisCon is really not able to absorb.

Couldn’t we just cancel the hotel contract?

We can’t afford the cancellation fee. If we cancelled now, according to our contract, we would owe the hotel $158,000, which we absolutely do not have the resources to cover.

I’ve run some new, conservative budget projections since becoming Treasurer in October. These projections account for online memberships, which our current budget doesn’t (yay!) but also accounts for attrition in hotel rooms, which our current budget also doesn’t (oh no!). I assume that we will take a big hit on hotel rooms in 2022 and that we’ll gradually recover in 2023 and 2024.

If we take no action to change our current trajectory and only book half of our contracted hotel rooms in 2022, SF3 will go broke: We will have spent about $7,000 that the organization does not have.

If we want to get WisCon to a healthy place—meaning we’re at best fiscal practice and have enough money for the con that’s two years out in the bank—we need about $76,000 more in income for 2022 to our general fund. (This $76k doesn’t include funds for any new initiatives, this is just basically keeping the lights on. And this is separate from any WisCon Member Assistance Fund fundraising we do, since WMAF dollars legally can’t be used to pay for anything except grants to members for travel assistance.)

The good news: I’m not saying that we need to suddenly raise $76k in donations alone. This income that we need could come from selling more memberships (online or in-person), booking lots of hotel rooms (so we don’t have to pay the hotel for unused rooms), selling Dessert Salon tickets, grants, or donations. An additional $76k of income to our general fund would help keep us afloat through 2022 and 2023 and help ensure that we would have the funds to run in 2024 and 2025.

If someone were to magically appear and donate $76k to us right now, though, we’d still be in trouble because of our other current challenge: a lack of volunteers.

What’s going on with volunteers?

We’re in a volunteering crisis right now. It takes about 70 pre-con volunteers to make WisCon happen, and we have barely half that.

SF3 is WisCon’s parent not-for-profit organization. WisCon happens because there are a bunch of committees of people within SF3 who do the work, and right now, we have a record number of vacancies.

SF3 has a Board of Directors. Under the Board there are four committees: Personnel (helping to recruit, onboard, and offboard volunteers); Communications (taking care of the newsletter, website, and social media); Strategic Planning (looking at our vision and mission); and the ConCom (the Convention Committee, which handles the logistics of running WisCon). Of those committees, only the ConCom has chairs right now—Personnel, Communications, and Strategic Planning have a few volunteers, but none of these three committees has a leader.

The ConCom itself is made up of the three co-chairs and 28 departments of varying sizes. Currently we have 8 departments that are completely empty and at least 8 that are critically understaffed.

In general, the ConCom has been dwindling for the past several years. We had 71 members in 2017, but only 56 members in 2019. (Here is a graph showing Concom participation by the numbers over the past several years.)

If you’re reading this now, and you’re already a WisCon volunteer: Thank you. I’m not writing this expecting you to suddenly start putting more work on your plate. (If you have the extra capacity, great! But I’m not expecting that of anyone.)

The State of WisCon

We are definitely having a WisCon in 2022. Without more volunteers, we won’t be able to offer nearly as good an experience as we have in the past. Without more financial resources, WisCon 2022 may be the last one.

I believe these challenges are surmountable, but as members of the WisCon community, we have to act quickly to make change.

What are WisCon organizers already working on?

  • The SF3 Board is applying for grants on behalf of WisCon.
  • I (Kit, as Treasurer) am starting to recruit large donors for a matching funds campaign that will help double the power of small donations to WisCon. We already have a match pledged for our first $5k raised!
  • Our Personnel Committee continues to onboard new volunteers as quickly as they can.
  • While the Dessert Salon may work a little differently this year due to health concerns, the ConCom is still organizing a Dessert Salon for 2022! The Dessert Salon is a fundraiser for WisCon in general, and any funds raised through Dessert Salon ticket sales will absolutely help.

What can I do to help?

  • Please sign up for our email newsletter! One of the biggest challenges we have is reaching out to our own community. Sign up and encourage your WisCon-going or potentially-WisCon-going friends to sign up, too.
  • Register as soon as you possibly can when Registration opens this week. The more people who register in advance, the better idea we’ll have of how much additional income we need to bring in. For in-person attendees, consider supporting the con by buying a ticket to our Dessert Salon fundraiser when you register!
  • Book your hotel room as soon as you possibly can. The more hotel rooms we have booked, the less additional funding we’ll need to raise, and the sooner we know how many people will be staying at the hotel, the better.
  • Help spread the word about WisCon. We’re struggling to reach new people, especially younger speculative fiction fans, who might be interested in joining us and who may not know that you don’t need to be an academic or big name to attend WisCon and be on panels!
  • Tell us you’re interested in possibly volunteering, and/or register to attend our Volunteer Info Session on 12/12 at 3pm Central. We’ve previously posted some of our needs from Communications and Personnel and the ConCom. You don’t need to be in Madison to volunteer, and we have many positions open that don’t require you to attend WisCon in person.  If you’ve volunteered for the ConCom in the past and have the time and energy, please consider joining us again. We could really use your expertise!
  • Can you give $5k or more to help save WisCon? Write me (Kit) at treasurer@sf3.org to join our matching funds drive.
  • Have a smaller amount you might be able to contribute? Thanks to a generous donor, the first $5k we raise will be matched. Donate now to double the power of your donation!

Yes, we recognize the pandemic is still going on—if you’re able to book your hotel room and/or register early, great! If you’re able to chip in financially, great! But if not, no worries.

We need to address our issues with money and labor within a larger antiracist framework.  And I think we need to be honest that we’re in a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation: We’re short on money and volunteers to implement new antiracist policies and practices, which we need in order to attract and retain volunteers, especially volunteers of color.

If you’ve made it this far: Thank you. Posting this feels like the scariest thing I have ever done as a WisCon/SF3 organizer, and I really appreciate your time and energy in reading it.

Official Announcements, WisCon 44

WisCONline Update: Platforms + Volunteers

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The excitement is intensifying for WisCon 44 next weekend! We’re looking forward to seeing you all there, whether you’re new to WisCon entirely or just new to WisCONline (as we all are).

The ‘How To’s of WisCONline

We’ve gotten some questions about how you’ll access virtual WisCon 44 programming.

Invitations to the WisCon Discord server will be sent out to the email you gave when you registered, on the evening of Wednesday May 20 (after registration closes at 7PM). If you don’t receive an invitation that evening, please check your spam filter, and then contact registration@wiscon.net and we can send you a new link!

Most of WisCon’s programming will be streamed to YouTube, but available only via direct link (it will not show up on the WisCon channel or via searches). The links to specific program items will be sent out by email each morning, and also posted in the Discord server. (If you do not plan to join the Discord server, it is therefore particularly important that you make sure that you are able to receive emails we send out!)

Some of the WisCon special events—the Otherwise auction, the Vid Party, and the Floomp—may use other platforms. Information on joining these events will be sent out in the same emails as the links for watching streams on YouTube, and will also be posted to Discord.

More information on how the platforms and specific program items will work for WisCon 44 are available on our website; we’ll continue to update and expand what’s posted there between now and the convention.

WisCONline is looking for volunteers!

To make the convention happen every year, WisCon depends on its many volunteers. The virtual convention is no exception, even though the volunteer roles we’re looking to fill are different than they would be in person.

Technical Producers will coordinate the backend of program items, whether for live Panels or for pre-recorded Readings or Academic Programming items. If you’re comfortable with technical tools, and especially if you have experience with YouTube Studio, this is a great way to get involved!

Online Chat Moderators will monitor the conversation for live panels on Discord, and pass comments and questions onto the panelists via the Technical Producer.

Social Media Monitors will keep an eye on other web platforms for any issues arising in the current panel’s hashtag, and will escalate them to Safety if necessary.

And as at in-person conventions, Safety Volunteers will be available during programming hours, as a first point of contact for concerns or issues as they arise.

There’s no volunteer rebate or gift this year, but anyone who signs up for a volunteer shift by 5PM Central on Tuesday will receive an early invitation to the Discord server!

Full descriptions of all these roles can be found on our At-Con Volunteers page, or you can head directly to SignUp.com to sign up for specific shifts. If you have questions, or have any issues using the SignUp interface, you can also email volunteers@wiscon.net.

Email Newsletter, Official Announcements, WisCon 43

News for WisCon Tiptree Bakers

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Greetings from Kit and Renay, your Bake Sale co-leads this year! You’re receiving this email because at some point you told WisCon you were interested in participating in our Bake Sale to benefit the Tiptree Award. (Yay! Thanks!)
Once again this year, the Bake Sale will be on FRIDAY from 1-5 pm in room 627 (during and after the Gathering).
We’re continuing to push for better food safety practices at the Bake Sale, so please review these guidelines before you start baking a treat:
  • DO bring a single batch or pan of whatever treat you’re making. If you want to make more than one type of treat, that’s fine, but we don’t want large batches of any one item.
  • DON’T bring a treat that requires refrigeration. This is a food safety issue: Non-perishable treats only, please!
  • DO bring pies if you have a sturdy recipe that will hold up to travel well. However, make sure they’re not dairy-based, because we CANNOT accept treats that require refrigeration. Fruit pies = yes. Pumpkin pie/cheesecakes = no.
  • DO cut up brownies or bar cookies ahead of time.
  • DON’T bring a store-bought treat. We really want the Bake Sale to be mainly items that we’ve made in our own kitchens to raise money for the Tiptree Award. (If you’re traveling from out-of-town or your before-Con baking time is running short, consider volunteering during the Bake Sale instead!)
  • DO bring your treats in a disposable plate or container, covered with aluminum foil or plastic wrap if the container doesn’t have a lid. (If you absolutely can’t bring a disposable container, label your container with your name AND Con phone number.)
  • DO bring a list of ingredients for each treat you bring. WisCon has many members with food constraints, and we want as many people as possible to enjoy tasty baked goods! When making your list of ingredients, be particularly aware of the following allergens: wheat/gluten, eggs, dairy, soy, tree nuts, peanuts. The more information you can provide, the better!
  • DO follow basic food safety guidelines when preparing and handling food items: baking in a clean kitchen; hand-washing before touching baked goods or containers; storing in a cool, dry place; etc.
  • DO NOT BAKE if you or anyone in your household (including kids) is sick (especially with stomach- or digestive-related ailments, or with a viral infection). We will still love you, and will happily eat, er…, sell whatever you bring next year.
Dropping off your treats: Please bring your treats to University A (AKA “The Green Room”, on the second floor, through the double doors near the elevator lobby) during the following times:
Thursday: 3pm-10 pm
Friday: 8 am-12 noon
Please make every effort to drop off your treat during those hours; it’s more difficult for us to accept items once the Bake Sale is underway.
What should I make? Make whatever YOU like! Every year we see cakes, pies, cookies, brownies, fudge, and so much more. We love to see a huge variety of goodies come across the table, especially colorful or unusual items. (Chocolate treats are always popular!)
THANK YOU to everyone who’s willing to contribute treats for our Bake Sale! If you have other questions about baking, don’t hesitate to contact us at bakesale@wiscon.net .
Traveling from out of town or not sure you’ve got time to bake this year? In addition to bakers, we’re looking for volunteers to staff the Bake Sale for 1-hour shifts from 12:30pm to 5:30pm on FRIDAY (during & after the Gathering). Any time volunteering entitles you to our volunteer gift — ask about it at the Registration Desk. Six hours or more of volunteering entitles you to a 40% rebate on your WisCon membership; to claim this, ask for a volunteer rebate form at the Registration Desk.
Be a Tiptree Hero: Everyone who bakes OR volunteers at the Bake Sale can stop by the Bake Sale to receive a Tiptree Hero button!
Thank you again for your support of the Bake Sale and the Tiptree Award! We look forward to meeting you in Madison. If you have any questions about baking or volunteering, contact us at bakesale@wiscon.net.
Official Announcements

Call for Con Suite Volunteers

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It’s March already, and we’re getting down to the nitty-gritty of planning WisCon. We’ve heard that people would like the opportunity to plan their volunteering early, so that they can make the most of their time at WisCon, so we’re sending you a form for volunteering in the Con Suite now!

The Con Suite takes MANY MANY people MANY MANY hours to create a good space with great food for everyone who needs it — either in order to afford to attend, or to make a hectic schedule of fun times work, or both. In order to make that happen, historically a few volunteers wind up spending their entire convention trapped in the Con Suite.

We don’t want that to happen, ever again.

In order to stop that happening, we want to try to have people work no more than 6 hours in the Con Suite over the course of the convention. (Just enough to qualify for the volunteer rebate, if you opt for it!) That means we need MORE VOLUNTEERS to work FEWER HOURS. 🙂 Please sign up! Without volunteers, we can’t keep the Con Suite open.

Please use this form to tell us what you’d be comfortable doing in the Con Suite, how you’d prefer to do it, and when you’d be available: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeJ6j11IQkNjCxJnPNwB3FJ9okEpJVND2hey4N227oyiOPPPA/viewform

THIS FORM DOES NOT COMMIT YOU TO ANY SHIFTS. It just tells us when you could potentially volunteer. We will reach out to you to confirm and make final assignments.

There are lots of ways to volunteer in the Con Suite! Early in the morning, late at night, just on Thursday, one or two hours every day, Monday only…

Thank you for being willing to help out, and we’ll see you in May. <3

WisCon 42

Get Into the Guts of Convention Planning on Our Hotel Team

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Have you ever thought about how crucial WisCon’s Hotel team is to the convention? Maybe you haven’t. Maybe you don’t know what the Hotel Department is or what they do. Would you like to learn? It just so happens we’re looking for a few understudies!

You might have already guessed that they interact with our hotel—it’s right there in the name. The Hotel team keeps in touch with the Madison Concourse Hotel, our venue, throughout the year (and not just because they get to be friends during the convention, though that’s true, too).

Details? The members of our Hotel team get the updates on remodeling and other changes happening at the Concourse, keep tabs on reservations in WisCon’s room block, and double-check that our programming will fit into the available space. They confirm which rooms will hold the Safer Spaces, the Quiet Space, the parties, papers, panels, and workshops, and sort out which rooms need what audio/visual equipment when. They work closely with the Concourse to put together the diagrams of how each program room will be set up, when those setups need to change, and whether or not we need to rent more chairs, tables, or microphones. They tell the hotel when to expect our deliveries, meet our moving truck, and make sure that everyone involved—volunteers, convention members, contractors, and hotel staff—is able to have a great time throughout Memorial Day weekend.

How crucial is the Hotel team? Without them we wouldn’t have rooms to sleep in during the convention. Or anywhere to have panels. And no one would be able to hear the panelists, since they wouldn’t have microphones. Or chairs. Or tables. And we couldn’t all chill in the Con Suite because all of our kitchen equipment would still be in storage.

Want to be part of making all of these practical details happen? We’re currently looking for at least two additional Hotel team members, no prior experience needed. We will teach you all of the mysteries of who gets a “lanyard of power,” what our contracts say, how to read BEOs, and, incidentally, what BEO stands for.

Members of the Hotel team do not need to be local to Madison, since we work via email, chatrooms, shared documents, and conference calls. Folks on the team are automatically eligible to opt for a WisCon membership rebate of 40% of your registration fee, meaning that if you register for WisCon as an adult, you can opt to receive $22 of your $55 membership back after the con ends.
To apply to join the Hotel team, please email personnel@sf3.org.

WisCon 41

Volunteering at WisCon 41 — Lots to do!

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Kristin Livdahl
Volunteers

WisCon is organized and run by volunteers and there are many ways to help out this year. We’ve highlighted a few of those opportunities in recent posts, but we also have opportunities in almost every department. Below is a list of many of the departments that use volunteers — most still need more help. We hope you will give a little bit of your time to help keep WisCon the great event it is!

Each year volunteers receive a special commemorative thank you gift that is only available to volunteers — we’re excited to offer badge wallets/holders this year. After requests for a more neutral color,  we’re going with a black holder with white printing this year.

Also, if you volunteer 6  or more hours (participating in programming counts, too!), you can receive a $20 rebate on your registration as funds allow. Volunteering can be a great way to give and also get a little back to help with convention expenses!

For more information on these or any other volunteer opportunities, please contact Kristin Livdahl, Volunteer Coordinator: volunteers@wiscon.net

Logistics

Often needs someone local to help with directing the movers for convention set-up and tear-down on Thursday and Tuesday.

Con Suite

This area is often understaffed. We need volunteers throughout the convention to provide hospitality to congoers. We also have a need for a few more volunteers who are SafeServ certified or willing to become certified.

Art Show

This area is also often understaffed. Volunteers are needed to help with set-up, tear-down, sales during open hours, and during the show preview.

Access

Needs 1-2 people throughout the convention to set up blue tape — early mornings and before the Opening Ceremony, Tiptree Auction, and Dessert Salon.  Also needs 1-2 more people to help put up signs on Thursday and take down signs on Monday.

Green Room

Needs volunteers throughout the convention as programming runs.

Registration

Is open almost the entire convention and needs volunteers throughout.

Safety

Various shifts open throughout the weekend. Training provided.

Bakesale for Tiptree

Needs volunteers for shifts from on Saturday.

The Gathering

Volunteers are needed to help with set-up and tear-down and to give the people staffing booths breaks during the event.